Ancient Forest Secured

Puget Sound

The Lummi Indian Nation and the Nature Conservancy, with help from the deep pockets of billionaire Paul Allen, are buying the largest known, privately held stand of old-growth forest left in the Puget Sound area.

The conservancy and tribe will co-manage the 2,240-acre Arlecho Creek Forest, southwest of Mount Baker and about 70 miles north of Seattle. The land is being purchased for $7.1 million from Crown Pacific, a Portland-based timber company.

The site includes 656 acres of old-growth forest and habitat for the marbled murrelet, a bird listed as threatened under federal law, backers said at a news conference Thursday. It also protects Arlecho Creek, which is described as an important tributary for the tribe’s Skookum Creek salmon hatchery.