Skookum Creek Acquisition

Category Overview

Conserving land along our waterways protects important habitat and helps keep our rivers healthy, clean, and more resilient to drought. Riparian Protection projects conserve and restore fresh and saltwater habitat while protecting fish habitat. In doing so, the grants help provide our families, farms, and fisheries with clean water across the state.

Project Highlights

Whatcom Land Trust used this funding to purchase 1132 acres of forested Riparian Protection in the Skookum Creek Watershed, which is a major tributary to the South Fork of the Nooksack River. This project included the acquisition of the property with future restoration potential, beyond this scope of work, to allow natural ecosystem functions to occur, including growing and recruiting large trees into the Creek to form deep cold-water pools for salmonid habitat. This future restoration was set-up using this grant through the acquisition of the property and the removal of invasive species.

Quick Facts

WWRP Applicant: Whatcom Land Trust Category: Riparian Protection WWRP Grant: $812,827.81 Applicant Match: $1,032,657.94 Project Type: Acquisition County: Whatcom Legislative District: 42 Status: Closed Completed RCO Project # 18-1373

Location Details

From Bellingham: travel East on Highway 542, go South on Route 9 towards Acme, take a left on Saxon Road towards Lummi Hatchery. Park just passed the hatchery and proceed on foot or by car through private gate onto logging road to access the proposed site.

What is the WWRP

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) is a state grant program that creates and conserves local and state parks, wildlife habitat and working farms. The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office administers WWRP grants, and the legislature funds the program.