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
The North Olympic Land Trust, in collaboration with the Makah Tribe, will use this grant to buy 151 acres in the Hoko River watershed to conserve wildlife habitat. The land includes grazing habitat, mature forests, a large wetland complex, and 1.65 miles of streambank habitat. The waterways are used by Chinook, chum, and coho salmon and steelhead and cutthroat trout. In addition, the area is used by a wide variety of animals including river otter, small mammals (mice, chipmunks, squirrels, etc.), small mustelids (weasels, skunks, etc.), birds (hawks, eagles, waterfowl, heron, corvids, songbirds, migratory birds, etc.), deer, elk, coyote, bobcat, bear, and pollinators (bees, butterflies, and moths). There likely will be access for low-impact recreational activities such as bird watching and fishing. The North Olympic Land Trust will contribute $566,248 in a local grant and a grant from the state Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration program. Program.