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 Twins Nearshore and West Twin River acquisition project seeks the permanent conservation of coastal shoreline, riparian, wetland, and forested upland habitat within the Hoko-Lyre River Watershed. Acquisition of this property by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is an opportunity to protect and enhance the natural processes, conditions, functions, and biological responses of 216 acres of significant habitat in one of the remaining functional ecosystems in western Washington. This reach of the nearshore central Strait of Juan de Fuca contains some of the most complex shorelines of the Salish Sea, and within this reach the Twins Nearshore is of the most diverse. Acquisition of the Twins Nearshore and West Twin River is a highest priority tier Near Term Action by the Puget Sound Partnership, and 19th ranked project for the North Olympic Lead Entity for Salmon 4 year work plan, as it provides priority habitat for multiple species of concern, including critical habitat for ESA listed Bull Trout, highly productive Coho, Winter Steelhead, and Coastal Cutthroat spawning and rearing habitat, prey production habitat for Southern Resident Killer Whales, migratory and rearing habitat for federally listed Puget Sound Chinook and Hood Canal Summer Chum species, supports intact eelgrass and kelp beds, and spawning habitat for salmonids and forage fish. Additionally, WDFW acquisition of this property provides public access for a myriad of outdoor recreation activities.