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 Department of Natural Resources will use this Restoration Grant to help fund the fourth phase in a series of restoration projects on the Washougal Oaks Natural Area. Three previous phases were funded in part with WWRP State Lands Restoration Category funds. This 497-acre oak ecosystem preserve is located in southeastern Clark County, Washington, about 3 miles east of the town of Washougal. Phase 4 will work on 45 acres of the newly acquired Carlson property. The primary habitat types restored through this grant are oak savannah and conifer-oak forest.Washougal Oaks Natural Area was established in 2003 to protect the largest high-quality oak woodland remaining in Western Washington, as well as habitat for several rare plant and animal species. It provides habitat for the rare small-flowered trillium, tall bugbane, slender-billed nuthatch and Larch Mountain salamander. Newly acquired lands whose uplands were cleared for agriculture will be restored to oak forest and savannah with a native shrub layer. A half mile of blackberry- and grass-choked stream will be cleared and restored to its natural flow. Native forb and shrub communities that were displaced by Himalayan blackberry and English ivy will be restored using native site-collected seed and cuttings. Local school groups will continue to be used for planting and weed control efforts. This project is vital to protecting and reconnecting imperiled oak forest at this site.