The Coalition was honored to be part of the dedication of the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness Area in August.
Conservation and recreation leaders, politicians, community members, and members of the Evans family gathered together on August 18th to celebrate the achievements of former Washington Governor and founding Coalition Co-Chair Dan Evans—and the renaming of the Olympic Wilderness Area in his honor. The area is comprised of 1,370 square miles of wilderness; approximately 95 percent of the Olympic National Park, which is one of Evans’ favorite outdoor places.
Governor Evans has been a key player in preserving and protecting the incredible natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities that we are lucky enough to have in Washington over the last 50 years. His leadership was crucial in passing 1988’s Washington Park Wilderness Act, which designated more than 1.5 million acres in the Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades National Parks as protected wilderness.
Said Evans, “When asked how much wilderness, I always respond ‘more’ rather than ‘less.’ That would be an easy answer, but there’s some logic to it. If you take too much, you can modify boundaries. If you leave wilderness out and it’s lost, it can never be regained.”