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
DNR proposes to buy a privately owned 80-acre property for inclusion in the Carlisle Bog Natural Area Preserve in Grays Harbor County. The overall wetland system at Carlisle Bog is very large and diverse. The preserve contains high quality examples of a freshwater wetland, sphagnum bog, permanent ponds, two globally imperiled wetland plant communities, and high quality representatives of six additional wetland plant communities. In addition, the site contains one state sensitive plant and animal species. The site also contains a historic occurrence of a federally endangered species that may be extirpated form the state, the swamp sandwart. The proposed acquisition is important because it contains high quality wetlands and the wetlands found on the parcel are connected to the wetlands already managed by DNR as the Carlisle Bog Natural Area Preserve and are critical to maintaining the site’s hydrology and water quality. Consequently, this proposed acquisition would significantly upgrade the integrity of the preserve. In addition, protecting the wetland at Carlisle Bog is important because similar wetlands have been lost or degraded. This acquisition will complete the preserve as adopted by the Natural Heritage Advisory Council.