Cougar Mountain Grove

The Cougar Mountain Grove is a section of old growth forest located on Cougar Mountain in Lewis County, Washington. The 19 acre preserve protects one of only five remnant old growth groves in the Deschutes watershed of the Cascade Mountains.

In June 2020 my father and I discovered the grove, days before the area was set to be clear-cut. After circulating a petition that received over 4500 signatures, our 11th hour campaign was able to gain traction. Thanks to the engagement of hundreds of people we were able to reach an agreement with the landowner to exclude the 19 acre grove from their logging plans. By late July we had raised more than $40,000 to purchase a 100 year timber deed from the logging company. By then our campaign had drawn the attention of the Washington State Department of Natural Resource’s (DNR’s) small landowner conservation program. After visiting the area and deeming the growth of exceptional ecological value, the DNR made arrangements to directly purchase 100 years of protection for the Forest from the logging company. This wouldn't have been possible without the campaign we created, and the money we raised to purchase the forest has been donated to Mason County Climate Justice and is now being applied to another conservation project.

The grove is dominated by old growth douglas fir, western hemlock, and western red cedar. It is located near a mountain top on a steep slope surrounded on all sides by clear-cuts and tree plantations. Before this area was industrially clear-cut in the 80s and 90s the region had been severely impacted by a wildfire in the late 1800s. That wildfire homogenized the landscape destroying most groves that sprouted before 1890. Most of the wildfire re-growth forests have been clear cut by timber companies. However, almost 2000 acres of these 130-year-old forest remain unprotected and are steadily being logged. 

This ancient grove survived that wildfire, and thanks to the efforts and donations of hundreds of people, and the concern of thousands it will survive the era of industrial clear-cut logging. The forest is now a small island of biodiversity in a sea of industrial timberlands. As we enter an era of climate change and ecological breakdown the 19-acre grove will serve as Refugia for species that can only live in real forest communities.

Photos by Andrew Kelly, Lance Odit, and Joshua Wright