In Case You Missed It...

Your Power at County Governments: How to help guide county policy around forest management  

Learn how the League worked with county councils and commissions to save mature forests. Can you change policy in your county for forests? Education? Criminal Justice?

The LWVWA will present a one-hour webinar to talk about the strategies and experiences of League members Vanessa LaValle (LWV Thurston) and Kate Lunceford (LWVWA Forest Issue Chair) and Executive Director for Responsible Forestry Brel Froebe as they worked to protect mature forests with the help of county governments. Recorded 11/21/2024.

Forests—Climate Solutions! Webinar  

Learn about the rare lowland forests on public lands in our state that are subject to logging in the near future. What is their value? How can we preserve them?
The LWVWA passed a resolution in May 2023 to preserve mature forests on state-managed lands in Washington. The League will host a series of webinars to educate members about the role of forest preservation in mitigating the effects of climate change and loss of biodiversity.

A Look at the LWVWA Local News Study in 20 Minutes 

Local news reporting plays a pivotal role in the health of our communities—and our democracy.
Extensive research, including a two-year study by the League of Women Voters of Washington, reports on the benefits of credible news sources that keep us up to date about what’s happening in our neighborhoods, at City Hall, in boardrooms and workplaces, in our schools and on our sports fields: Because of their reporting, we’re more likely to vote, be more engaged in our communities, see more candidates seek office, and be less likely to hold polarizing political viewpoints.
Several factors prompted the League’s study, “The Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy,” and the subsequent adoption of our public policy position. Among them was Washington’s loss of three daily and more than two dozen weekly newspapers between 2005 and 2022. Also motivating our efforts is newsroom staffing across the state decreased by two-thirds, resulting in considerably less coverage.

The Shoreline Management Act at 50+ Years 

LWVWA has completed a study on the Washington State Shoreline Management Act (SMA). The SMA was one of the first environmental laws passed in the state and came about from a citizens’ initiative. The SMA applies to all areas of the state, since it covers virtually all the state’s coastal shorelines, rivers, streams, lakes and wetlands. The SMA regulates the development and uses of shorelines and provides for public access to shorelines. It has been in effect for over 50 years and the LWVWA study analyzes how effective it has been. You can read and download the study here: https://lwvwa.org/Shoreline-Study/

Becoming a Democracy Book Event  

Watch this LWVWA event with Kristin Eberhard Director of Democracy at Sightline Institute and author of the hot off the presses new book, Becoming a Democracy: How We Can Fix the Electoral College, Gerrymandering, and Our Elections.