Proposed logging project near Little Mountain raises alarm

The Washington Department of Natural Resources approved a logging permit on August 1 for a 10-acre timber harvest near Little Mountain Park in Mount Vernon. Bellingham-based Nielsen Brothers Inc. purchased the land for $70,000 in June. Mount Vernon officials, the Skagit Land Trust, and residents are exploring options to acquire and preserve the property, though negotiations remain unclear. Environmental and wildlife concerns have been raised about the project.