Category Overview
Urban Wildlife Habitat projects fund close-to-home places to play and explore nature. As our urban areas are increasingly expanding and densifying, these grants protect important fish and wildlife habitat within five miles of densely populated areas, creating green refuges that help keep our ecosystems healthy and provide places to enjoy nature right in our backyards.
Project Highlights
The Spokane County Department of Parks, Recreation and Golf used this grant to buy 370 acres of a 3,375-foot mountain (Antoine Peak). By acquiring this property, the county protected critical wildlife habitat within an important wildlife corridor stretching north to Mount Spokane State Park and into the Selkirk Mountains. Species benefiting from this project include elk, moose, black bear, deer, and eight other species that are currently in decline. This acquisition protects a water recharging source providing drinking water for more than 500,000 people. Further, the county is providing a broad range of year-round outdoor activities such as hiking, wildlife watching, riding horses, mountain biking, picnicking, trail running, and cross country skiing.