Category Overview
Washington is famous for its gorgeous and abundant waterways, from the Salish Sea to the Nisqually River, but many communities lack open public beaches and waterfronts where everyone can enjoy picnicking, swimming, paddling, boating, and angling. Water Access projects fund public shoreline access, boat launches, and fishing docks to create more opportunities for water recreation.
Project Highlights
Kitsap County, in coordination with Forterra, Department of Ecology, the Port Gamble/S’Klallam and Suquamish Tribes, successfully acquired 534 acres of timberland including 1.3 miles of natural saltwater shoreline from Pope Resources. This land will be preserved for open space, wildlife habitat and regional trail connectivity in perpetuity. Kitsap has completed a stewardship plan for the property outlining future forest management, trail systems and invasive species management. Subsequent to this annexation, Kitsap has also acquired land and development rights from an additional 1560 acres adjacent to the Shoreline block creating an over 2,000 acre open space block.