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 Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has puchased a conservation easement on 430.80 acres of land. This property is located in northern Kittitas County. It has been set aside permanently as dedicated fish and wildlife habitat. It is contiguous acres of riparian forests, ponds, wetlands adn shorelines that are bisected by the mainstem of the Yakima River for 1.3 river miles. This property is located adjacent to I-90 approximately 3 miles south of Roslyn. It is comprised of meadow-wetlands, complex lowlands on the south side of the Yakima River and wooded uplands on the north side. It has 1.3 miles of Yakima River frontage and conservation of this property will protect prime spawning and rearing habitat for salmon and steelhead. It is a strategic connecting parcel between other publicly-owned lands and protected properties for wildlife habitat. The purpose of this project is to protect Riparian Protection in the lower Easton reach of the Yakima River and also to conserve a migratory corridor for elk, deer, mountain lion and other wildlife. This acquisition is part of the Upper Yakima River conservation project which was evaluated and approved through the 2006 Lands 20/20 process. The conservation easement will be managed within the Wildlife Program as part of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area.