This 94 acre acquisition establishes a key linkage in the Upper Bear Creek Conservation Area (UBCCA). The UBCCA, covering over 460 acres and 1.5 stream miles, was identified in King County's Waterways 2000 Report as providing the most diverse and undisturbed habitat in the Bear Creek system. The salmonid species benefiting from the linkage formed by this acquisition include chinook, coho, sockeye, steelhead, cutthroat, and kokanee. The property also provides valuable opportunities for University of Washington research as well as environmental education partnerships with the adjacent Timbercrest Junior High School. King County has been very successful in working with property owners in the UBCCA, with over an 80% participation rate. This cooperative relationship has resulted in the fee purchase of 120 acres, purchase of an additional 52 acres of conservation easements, and enrollment of over 200 acres in property tax reduction programs that retain conservation areas and rural land uses.