Category Overview
As Washington continues to grow, many of our most beautiful areas are threatened with development. In addition, native ecosystems are receding, and important wildlife habitat and migratory pathways are being cut off. The Natural Areas category helps combat this by funding projects that protect wildlife habitat and rare geological features while also preserving public access for back-country recreation.
Project Highlights
The Department of Natural Resources used this grant to acquire four privately owned priority properties in the Niawiakum River NAP. These properties are all riverfront properties incorporating the Niawiakum River and adjacent sloughs and wetlands. Inclusion of these properties into the NAP allows DNR to manage for protection of their ecological values, and prevent their possible conversion to incompatible and/or ecologically irreversible uses.