For the Reporter

U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) will announce legislation Tuesday to designate the Mountains to Sound Greenway as a National Heritage Area.

The Mountains to Sound Greenway, the scenic landscape that stretches from Seattle to Central Washington, provides places for nature and wildlife, for outdoor recreation and education, for working forests and farms, and for vibrant urban areas with strong economies.

Twenty years of innovative conservation and collaborative solutions are preserving the natural heritage of the Greenway.

National Heritage Area designation of the Mountains to Sound Greenway will communicate the national significance of the Greenway; preserve a regional heritage of wilderness on the doorstep of cities; empower citizens, businesses, interest groups and government to work together more efficiently; and ensure a strong connection between urban areas and nature, for generations to come.