Potential 2005 Land Acquisition Projects

The State of Washington received a total of 16 Intent Forms by December 17, 2004 which indicated intent to apply for a 2005 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund federal grant for land acquisition. Ten projects were submitted for consideration under the HCP Land Acquisition grant program, and six projects were submitted for consideration under the Recovery Land Acquisition grant program. A brief summary of each follows below.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Department of Natural Resources, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife are currently reviewing the Intent Forms and will gather more information about these potential projects during the first two months of 2005.

Each state agency will determine which potential projects it will sponsor in the 2005 grant cycle. A detailed grant proposal will then be submitted for each sponsored project for regional and national competition, once the national Request for Proposals is announced (likely in January 2005).

We anticipate that some of these potential projects will be selected for a federal grant award by October 2005. All land acquisitions that result, can only be made from willing sellers, for fair market value, based on current appraisals.

Questions or concerns about any of the following potential projects may be directed to agency contacts listed at the end of this site.

Potential Projects for the HCP Land Acquisition Grant Program

Project Name: Cedar River Phase 3 Acquisition
Location: Cedar River Watershed, King County
Proposal: Purchase up to 160 acres of lower river habitat to benefit birds, fishes, amphibians
Potential State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Seattle Public Utilities, Cascade Land Conservancy, King County Water and Land Resources Division, Cedar River Council

Project Name: Coastal Bluff Conservation Project
Location: Siebert Creek Watershed, Clallam County
Proposal: Purchase 212 acres of forest and shoreline habitats to benefit bald eagles, coho, steelhead, sea-run cutthroat trout
Potential State Agency Sponsor: DNR
Partners and Supporters: The Trust for Public Land, Clallam County, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Surfrider Foundation, Clallam County Board of Commissioners, Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, Lower Elwha Tribe, Peninsula Trails Coalition, Olympic Kayak Club, and adjacent landowners

Project Name: Hoh River Conservation Corridor
Location: Hoh Watershed, Jefferson County
Proposal: Purchase 2,925 acres of riparian and upland forest habitats to benefit bull trout, marbled murrelets, northern spotted owls, bald eagles
Potential State Agency Sponsor: DNR
Partners and Supporters: Western Rivers Conservancy, Hoh River Trust, Olympic Environmental Council, Washington Fly Fishing Club, Trout Unlimited, Rayonier Timber, Washington Trollers Association

Project Name: Lake Blethen High Cascade Timberlands
Location: Snoqualmie Watershed, King County
Proposal: Purchase 160 acres of forested habitat to benefit marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls
Potential State Agency Sponsor: DNR
Partners and Supporters: Cugini Land and Timber Company

Project Name: Methow Watershed - Phase 3
Location: Methow, Okanogan County
Proposal: Purchase 600 acres of riparian and upland forest habitat to benefit northern spotted owls, grizzly bears, gray wolves, Canada lynx, salmon
Potential State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Methow Conservancy

Project Name: Nemah River - East Willapa Bay
Location: Middle Nemah River Watershed, Pacific County
Proposal: Purchase 300 acres of forested habitat to benefit marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls
Potential State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Columbia Land Trust

Project Name: Swamp Lake/Amabilis Mountain
Location: Yakima River Watershed, Kittitas County
Proposal: Purchase 300 acres of forested habitat to benefit northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet
Potential State Agency Sponsor: DNR
Partners and Supporters: The Trust for Public Land, Mountains to Sound Greenway, Cascade Conservation Partnership, Kittitas Conservation Trust, Kongsberger Cross-country Ski Club

Project Name: Tieton River Project Phase 2
Location: Tieton Watershed, Yakima County
Proposal: Purchase 7,144 acres of riparian and upland forest habitat to benefit northern spotted owl and bull trout
Potential State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: The Nature Conservancy, The Cascade Conservation Partnership, Yakima County Commissioners

Project Name: Upper Green River Watershed
Location: Green River Watershed, King County
Proposal: Purchase 1000 acres of forest habitat to benefit fish and wildlife
Potential State Agency Sponsor: DNR
Partners and Supporters: Tacoma Public Utilities - Water Division

Project Name: Wallacut River - South Willapa Bay
Location: Wallacut Watershed, Pacific County
Proposal: Purchase 360 acres of forest habitat to benefit marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls
Potential State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Columbia Land Trust, Washington Department of Natural Resources

Potential Projects for the Recovery Land Acquisition Grant Program

Project Name: Bacon Creek and Middle Skagit River Habitat Acquisitions
Location: Skagit River Watershed, Skagit County
Proposal: Purchase 121 acres of in-stream and streamside habitat to benefit bull trout and Chinook salmon
Potential State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Seattle City Light - Environment and Safety Division, Skagit Watershed Council - Restoration and Protection Committee, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, Skagit Land Trust, Skagit River System Cooperative, Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group

Project Name: Ellsworth Creek Watershed Phase II
Location: Willapa Watershed, Pacific County
Proposal: Purchase 453 acres of forest habitat to benefit marbled murrelets, bald eagles, salmon
Potential State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Project Name: Lacamas Meadow
Location: Lacamas Creek Watershed, Clark County
Proposal: Purchase 120 acres of wet meadow and oak woodland habitats to benefit the federally endangered plant Bradshaw's lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii) and other rare plants
Potential State Agency Sponsor: DNR
Partners and Supporters: Washington Department of Natural Resources, Columbia Land Trust, Clark County, The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service

Project Name: Rainwater Wildlife Area Land Acquisition
Location: South Fork Touchet Watershed, Columbia County
Proposal: Purchase 1,200 acres of upland forest, riparian habitat, and grassland habitat to benefit fish and wildlife
Potential State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

Project Name: South Puget Prairies - South Weir Prairie Extension
Location: Deschutes Watershed, Thurston County
Proposal: Purchase 125 acres of prairie habitat to benefit multiple plant, animal, and insect species that are endangered, threatened, or rare
Potential State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: The Nature Conservancy

Project Name: Wolf Fork Exchange Parcel
Location: Touchet River Watershed, Columbia County
Proposal: Purchase 772 acres of stream and forest habitat to benefit bull trout
Potential State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Undetermined

Website Updates

This website will be regularly updated with information about the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund process at both the national and state level. This website will:

• List what potential land acquisition projects have been proposed through the Intent Form process, and provide brief details for each project
  
• Announce when the national Request for Proposals has been released, and how to apply under the national program in Washington State
  
• List what grant proposals have been received in Washington State and how you can get more information about them
  
• Identify what part of the grant process is currently underway and what is happening during that time
  
• List what projects have successfully competed for funding and been awarded grants

Please check this website regularly for updates!