FILSON:

National Forest Foundation &

Heybrook Lookout Tower

I lived in Seattle, WA for six years and find it to be a beautiful city visually with lots of nature and outdoor activity plus many amazing restaurants. Filson is a cool brand that I got to discover living out there. They are known for being "durable and rugged," fashion style with a purpose. I attended their wonderful event in Navy Yard, Brooklyn last month and I got to meet the Filson team. Below is their current dedication to the US Forest Service and National Forest Foundation.

Filson's brand can be found on their website: https://www.filson.com/usforestservice/collection.html and their Instagram to follow is: @filson1897

Written by Alison Hernon, Fashion Director, Jejune Magazine

*Photograph of Filson product are Archival sources, not taken by Jejune Magazine's team.

FILSON Announces Partnership with the United States Forest Service and National Forest Foundation

The Original Alaska Outfitter partners with the agency for content production and fire tower restoration, in support of public lands

SEATTLE (August 4, 2017) – Filson, the rugged outdoor outfitter, today announced its partnership with the United States Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation (NFF), the nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service. Filson and the U.S. Forest Service will collaborate to raise awareness and appreciation for all National Forest System lands in the Pacific Northwest Region.

“From its legacy of stewardship managing 193 million acres of public lands and natural resources, to its steadfast commitment to serve ‘the greatest good for the greatest number in the long run,’ the U.S. Forest Service embodies the ethos of the Filson brand and our customers,” said Alex Carleton, Creative Director at Filson. “We have a fundamental belief that our country’s greatness is rooted in its natural resources, and we’re happy to collaborate with the organization responsible for managing those resources.”

The partnership will entail promoting the outdoor heritage of the Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest through storytelling content about Forest Service efforts, priorities, workforce, and partners. Such content will include photo essays, videos, and blog posts of U.S. Forest Service employees, highlighting the individuals who spend time maintaining public lands, fighting fires, clearing trails and surveying forests to ensure that future generations utilize and enjoy those lands.

In addition to the content produced, NFF and a group of volunteers from Filson, with assistance from other local partners, are completing restoration work on the Heybrook Lookout Tower in Index, Washington. An important fixture in the history of Washington State forestry as it is one of only two fire lookout towers in the state available for the public to reserve, the tower was deemed unsafe for overnight stays in 2015. When the tower is re-opened to the public later this summer, it will be an ideal place for outdoor enthusiasts to escape to for recreation in the beautiful forests of the Central Cascades.

“We’re excited to be partnering with Filson, which understands and appreciates the Pacific Northwest’s rich outdoor heritage,” said Jim Peña, Pacific Northwest Regional Forester. “Working together, we’ll be able to restore the Heybrook Lookout Tower and help tell the story of the many ways national forests contribute to the people and communities of the Pacific Northwest.”

Long before the current partnership, Forest Service employees often wore Filson gear in the early days of the agency following its founding in 1905. Many of those workers had adopted Filson products as de facto uniforms in favor of field performance, pre-dating agency-issued uniforms. To this day, a few Filson items are still approved for wear and use by Forest Service employees.

About Filson
Established in Seattle in 1897 to outfit prospectors headed for the Yukon, the company’s 120-year legacy is built upon its reputation for honesty, quality and durability. Filson’s long-lasting gear is the choice of explorers, adventurers, ranchers, hunters, anglers, engineers and anyone with a passion for the outdoors. Over a century after its founding, the Filson headquarters remain in Seattle, Washington. For more information, go to Filson.com.

About the Forest Service - Pacific Northwest Region
The Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region consists of 16 National Forests, 59 District Offices, a National Scenic Area, and a National Grassland comprising 24.7 million acres in Oregon and Washington and employing approximately 3,500 people. To learn more about the U.S. Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/r6

About National Forest Foundation
The National Forest Foundation promotes the enhancement and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System. By directly engaging Americans and leveraging private and public funding, the NFF improves forest health and Americans’ outdoor experiences. The NFF’s programs inform millions of Americans about the importance of these treasured landscapes. Each year, the NFF restores fish and wildlife habitat, plants trees in areas affected by fires, insects and disease, improves recreational opportunities, and enables communities to steward their National Forests and Grasslands. Learn more at www.nationalforests.org.

National Rainforest Written by Filson Team

Another cause Filson dedicates their time too, is to restore Heybrook Lookout Tower. This tower is located in their home state, Washington in Mt. Baker.

The outdoor outfitter partners with the National Forest Foundation to restore one of only two rentable fire lookout towers in Washington state

SEATTLE (July 3, 2017) – Filson, the rugged outdoor outfitter, officially kicks-off restoration work on the Heybrook Lookout Tower, an important fixture in the history of Washington forestry as it is one of only two fire lookout towers in the state available for the public to reserve. The outfitter is partnering with the National Forest Foundation (NFF), the nonprofit partner of the United States Forest Service, as well as volunteer Filson employees, to do restoration work on the tower.

The tower was deemed unsafe for overnight stays in 2015, and was removed from the public rental system. There are only two lookout towers in Washington state that are available for rental, Heybrook being the only one that is available year-round through Recreation.gov. The location of the tower is within a short distance from Seattle which makes it an ideal place for outdoor enthusiasts to escape into the beautiful forests of the Central Cascades.

“Lookout towers are iconic to the outdoor landscape in the Pacific Northwest,” said Melissa Ziegler, Marketing Director, “We are happy to partner with the NFF to restore the Heybrook tower and encourage more outdoor recreation in our backyard.”

The Heybrook Lookout Tower can be found by following the Heybrook Lookout Trail #1070 in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Maintained by the Washington Trails Association, the short and steep 1.3-mile hike takes visitors through the fern and moss covered second-generation forest, still recovering from a 1920’s clear cut operation. The tower was first erected in 1925, and rebuilt several times, with each lookout getting a little taller. By 1964 it had reached 73’ tall. After climbing the 89 steps to the viewing area, hikers get an almost 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains, Mount Persis, Mount Baring, and Mount Index with its Bridal Veil Falls. Other local non-profit organizations, including the Everett Mountaineers and the Forest Fire Lookout Association, help to maintain this tower. Filson and the National Forest Foundation are proud to add to these efforts.

“Our national forests offer an incredible array of recreational opportunities,” said Dayle Wallien, NFF’s Director of Conservation Partnerships. “Filson’s investment in the Heybrook tower will once again make this fantastic destination available to the public. This partnership exemplifies how businesses and nonprofits can work together to improve recreation opportunities on our public lands.”

Historically, fire lookout towers have provided shelter for someone whose duty it is to watch for wildfire smoke, known as a fire lookout. Predating the United States Forest Service, fire lookout towers gained popularity in the early 1900s when fires were reported using telephones, carrier pigeons or heliographs. The towers are always small buildings located at high vantage points and typically consist of one small room located atop a large steel or wooden tower. Today hundreds of towers around the country are still in service, operated by paid-staff or volunteers and many, like the Heybrook are available for rent.

Heybrook Tower, Written by Filson Team