Mason County Climate Justice

Land & Culture Conservation
To support local climate resilience and the passing on of traditional ecological knowledge, we engage in a variety of environmental justice land projects. In February 2025, MCCJ purchased 70 acres of legacy forest, a salmon-bearing stream, multiple biodiverse ecosystems, and native plants vital for local Tribal cultural traditions. Preserving this land ensures that the teachings of the oldest trees and sacred plants will continue for future generations.

Legacy Forest Protection
One of our biggest local defenses against climate change is the protection of our legacy forests that retain significant biological, structural, and the genetic legacies of the natural and old growth forests that once dominated the area. Yet legacy forests are clearcut at an alarming rate in our county. Our strategies for legacy forest protection have included supporting policy, legal defense, education, and Tribal and non-Tribal community organizing.

 
 
Regenerative Agriculture
MCCJ is dedicated to increasing local food security, soil health, and ecological restoration through collaborative community food forests, gardens, and plant giveaways. In 2024, we gave away and planted more than 6,500 fruit trees, nut trees, berry bushes, and native plants for local communities, prioritizing collaborations with our frontline communities.

 

Just Transition
Through coalition work, partnerships, and trainings, MCCJ works towards a sustainable zero-waste future that allows all forms of life to thrive in balance. In collaboration with other local community leaders, we currently prioritize meeting the essential needs of our neighbors, especially related to food security and affordable housing. In addition, in 2024, we launched a youth leadership development initiative called Cedar Stewards of Mason County (CSMC). Named by the youth themselves, CSMC began as a way to bring youth voices to local policy, such as affordable housing and climate resilience. Leading their peers and adult neighbors in creating a more equitable future, CSMC youth have won policy changes, conducted local research, and developed their skills as Mason County’s next generation of leaders.