Most of the coastal forests in the Northwest have been devastated by logging, but this one is undisturbed. The natural cycle of growth and decay is easy to see here. Waist-high firs grow from the rotting trunks of giant trees that fell 100 years ago, another example of youth on age.

Phillips learned to love these woods as a hiker. But 15 years ago, a medical condition made it difficult for her to walk. When that part of her life ended, Phillips decided to express her love for the Northwest's forests in a different way: she became an activist for saving what's left of them.

Phillips joined the Pilchuk chapter of the Audubon Society in Everett, Washington, a group known for taking legal action to protect the environment. She soon became its paid director. Recently she has prowled the halls of Congress, wheelchair and all, for the Forest Water Alliance, an association of 21 environmental groups.

Protecting Habitats
Phillips' first battles were about preserving the forest. Later she focused on saving the forest's endangered animals. Often the best way to save species is to protect their habitats.

Two endangered birds, the spotted owl and the marbled murrelet, nest in the forests' ancient trees. Phillips has fought to save their homes from logging companies. Now she's working to protect the chinook salmon. Logging has fouled salmon streams with silt.

From a plane Phillips scans the forest between Seattle and the Cascade Mountains. She sees bald slopes, logging roads and new homes where 500-year-old trees recently grew. The sorry view only makes her more determined. Phillips is creating a national group, Women for Public Lands Protection. There's no stopping her.