World Water Day Highlights Sacred Relationship with World-Renowned Elwha River
F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E
March 17, 2025
Contact: Elizabeth Dunne (Earth Law Center) • (808) 554-1409
Tashena Francis (Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal citizen) • (360) 912-5668
Freddie Lane (Lummi Nation elder) • (360) 391-7560
PORT ANGELES, WA ~ On March 22, 2025, World Water Day, the Elwha Legacy Forests Coalition and Earth Law Center invite everyone to gather at Hollywood Beach in Port Angeles, WA at 11:00 am to witness a welcoming and opening speakers, and enjoy music performed by Star Nayea, Indigenous Grammy award winning artist. Special guest speakers include Frances Charles, Chairwoman of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, who was instrumental in bringing down the two dams that choked the Elwha River for over a century. Until October 2024, the Elwha River dam removal was the largest in US history, now surpassed only by the free flowing Klamath River.
Tashena Francis of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe and Freddie Lane, Lummi elder will be co-emcees of the event. At 12:00 Noon, organizers will celebrate with an interfaith Water Blessing with Elwha Klallam tribal members leading ceremonies. At 1:00 pm, there will be a peaceful walk to sŋaʔŋáʔant cáwŋən ʔəssaqɬúŋt (Pebble Beach Park) and rally for protection of Legacy Forests. Guided hikes to local legacy forests depart from Pebble Beach at 2:00 pm. Participants can choose to visit the stretch of forest along the Elwha River that was part of the (now) cancelled “Power Plant” timber sale and hike to the old Elwha dam site. Or experience the rare coastal rainforest near the Sadie Creek campground that advocates continue to try to save, but is slated for logging as part of the “Doc Holliday” timber sale.
For detailed event information about the World Water Day event and an Indigenous Cinema Climate Showcase taking place March 20 and 21 visit: elwhalegacyforests.org/equinox-day-of-forests-water-day-2025/
The Elwha Legacy Forests coalition formed upon discovering that despite over $338 million spent on restoring the Elwha River Watershed post-dam removal, the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had continued to log older, structurally complex (legacy) forests near the Elwha River. The new Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove has since paused this type of logging, but that pause does not impact previously approved sales. In December 2024, Earth Law Center along with Center for Whale Research and Orca Network, filed lawsuits challenging the “Parched” and “Tree Well” timber sales that would clear cut 400 acres of the last remaining older forests in and around the Elwha Watershed. The lawsuits allege that the DNR has ignored scientific studies showing the negative impacts of logging mature and old-growth forests on stream flows and fails to respect the rights of future generations.
“Parched” and “Tree Well” are two legacy forest timber sales out of dozens advanced by the prior public lands commissioner. Legacy Forest Defense Coalition has filed 32 appeals in an effort to save legacy forests all around Western Washington. Supporters hope that with some favorable court rulings and enough public pressure, Commissioner Upthegrove will cancel most, if not all, of these sales.
Organizers seek to bring awareness and concern to community members about the threat that deforestation poses to salmon returning to their ancestral homewaters for the first time in over 110-years as well as to the community’s drinking water, recreation and our entire way of life. “Our hope is that these events will inspire people to really think about their relationship with water and the relationship between water and healthy forests,” says Elizabeth Dunne, Director of Legal Advocacy at the Earth Law Center. “Love of place is something we all have in common,” Dunne added.
Star Nayea is a Native Grammy Recording Artist and two time Native American Music Award winning singer/songwriter. She is a soul, rock, contemporary Christian music artist and environmentalist living in Snohomish, Washington. She hosts Native youth empowerment camps “Healing thru the Arts” teaching Native American youth music, video and cultural arts thru music.
Tashena Francis is a Lower Elwha Klallam tribal citizen and member of the Elwha Legacy Forest Coalition. She was born & raised on the Lower Elwha Klallam reservation and is an advocate for preserving the Elwha watershed. Francis believes that saving our forest for future generations is pivotal to address our global climate crisis.
Freddie ‘Sul ka dub’ Lane is an Indigenous environmentalist, activist (and member of the Elwha Legacy Forest Coalition) from the Lummi Nation near Bellingham WA. He is a grassroots organizer hosting the Gathering of the Eagles paddle through the San Juan Islands each May and road manages for the Totem Pole Journeys by House of Tears Carvers.
Elizabeth Dunne is a movement lawyer, Director of Legal Advocacy at the Earth Law Center, and co-founder of the Elwha Legacy Forests Coalition. She lives near the Elwha River Watershed.
