Lower Henderson Inlet Habitat Conservation Phase 2

Our Work / Urban Wildlife Habitat / Lower Henderson Inlet Habitat Conservation Phase 2

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 Capitol Land Trust will use this grant to buy a voluntary land preservation agreement, also called a conservation easement, for 94 acres on Henderson Inlet, the largest parcel in the area not under conservation. The land has diverse habitats, from estuary and near-shore habitats to agricultural fields, to forests with trees up to 70 years old. It also includes 43.6 acres of wetlands, 39 acres of which are nationally decreasing wetlands, and more than a half-mile each of Meyer’s Creek shoreline and Henderson Inlet shoreline. The area supports Chinook and coho salmon and steelhead trout as well as multiple animal species listed as at risk of extinction on state and federal lists. Washington State University, which owns the land, plans to use it for field research and environmental education for its students and faculty as well as local schools and nonprofit education organizations in Thurston County. The Capitol Land Trust will contribute $692,000 in federal and local grants.

Quick Facts

WWRP Applicant: Capitol Land Trust Category: Urban Wildlife Habitat WWRP Grant: $630,000.00 Applicant Match: $692,000.00 Project Type: Acquisition County: Thurston Legislative District: 22 Status: Active RCO Project # 20-1212

Location Details

From I-5 in Olympia, take the Sleater Kinney Rd North exit, proceed north on Sleater Kinney Rd until it makes a sharp turn to the left, at which point it becomes 56th Ave NE. At the turn, a much narrower Sleater Kinney Rd turns off to the right (it almost looks like a driveway). Follow this past several houses for about 100 yards until the road slopes down a hill and you reach a locked chain-link gate, the property is behind the gate.

What is the WWRP

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) is a state grant program that creates and conserves local and state parks, wildlife habitat and working farms. The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office administers WWRP grants, and the legislature funds the program.