Category Overview
The State Lands Restoration and Enhancement category provides funding to two state agencies to help repair damaged plant and animal habitat. These grants focus on resource preservation and protection of public lands. Projects in this category help bring important natural areas and resources back to their original functions by improving the self sustaining and ecological functionality of sites.
Project Highlights
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife used this grant to complete habitat restoration in the Methow Wildlife Area in Okanogan County, as follows: Methow post-fire project : Completed 110 acres of commercial thinning “post-fire damage mitigation” + 150 acres cultural resources surveys. “North Methow Phase”: -Bear Creek thinning: 250 acres commercial thinning + 300 acres cultural resources surveyed (including obsidian point analysis) + 300 acres fuels prep and legacy tree protection + 300-500 acres of noxious weed management -Buck Lake Thinning: 25 acres commercial thinning + 40 acres Pre-commercial thinning and fuels prep + 40 acres cultural resource survey + proposed co-burn with USFS -Ramsey Creek Thinning: 350 acres cultural resources, layout, road plan, etc. to prepare for commercial thinning in spring of 2018 + 211 acres pre-commercial thinning and fuels manipulation (2 units). All together: (approx.) 400 acres completed commercial thinning, 350 ready to go without need for further monetary input. 932 acres cultural resources survey w/ management plan for future forest restoration work, 260 acres non-commercial thinning, 560 acres prescribed fire fuels prep. Road plan also includes fixing road delivery issues, improving crossing structures, and abandoning disused road. Other fun bits- plenty of community outreach for project scope with shareholders, “demo” stand being used by USFS. Photo monitoring points installed that will be re-taken by staff in the future. Money to local logging contractors, mills, weed sprayers, thinning contractors, and cultural resources contractors (local economy boost).