As Washingtonians, we probably have recreated on, driven through, seen photos or heard of the beautiful land of the Snoqualmie corridor area. This corridor is home to popular hiking trails: Mt. Si, Twin Falls, Rattlesnake, Issaquah Alps, Tiger Mountain, Franklin Falls, Middle Fork, Lake Sammamish, Snoqualmie Falls and more. This area is the ancestral land of the Snoqualmie Tribe which has been negatively impacted by heavy recreational use in the area. The Snoqualmie Tribe launched the Snoqualmie Tribe Ancestral Lands Movement (STALM) in June 2021 to spread awareness of the Snoqualmie people who have lived in the southern Salish Sea region since time immemorial and the ecological fragility of these sacred spaces. The movement is asking the public to practice respect and mindfulness while recreating and to help the Tribe protect and restore these lands for future generations.
As a nonprofit that advocates for the state funding for numerous WWRP projects that are on Snoqualmie Tribe’s land and as outdoor recreationalists who benefit from access to these areas, we have the responsibility to learn about and respect whose land we recreate on. The WWRC has signed on to support the Ancestral Lands Movement and we hope other individuals and organizations will too. Please visit the Snoqualmie Tribe’s website to learn more about their Ancestral Lands Movement and how to best support their efforts. You can also support the Snoqualmie Tribe Ancestral Movement by collecting your observations while out hiking and recreating on their land. Please visit their STALM data collection setup guide for more information.