Providing Recreation Opportunities
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) closed on the acquisition of 174± acres in Grant County, known as the Lake Lenore property, in Region 2. This property was owned by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (State Parks) yet managed by WDFW. This property was approved through Lands 20/20 in 2019 and by the Commission in December 2020, and was a no-fee transfer from State Parks to WDFW for continued public recreation. This property will be managed as part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area and will continue to provide public recreation and water access to Lake Lenore, with the potential to develop a future formal shooting range on the property.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) closed on the acquisition of the 94±-acre Nemah Tidelands property in Pacific County, Region 6. This property was approved through Lands 20/20 in 2018 and by the Commission in March 2022 and was acquired at the appraised value of $564,000 using a Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program Water Access grant from the Recreation and Conservation Office. Acquiring this property provides WDFW a unique opportunity to provide direct public access to nearly a mile of Willapa Bay tidelands for shellfish harvest.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
WDFW closed on the acquisition of a 1,513±-acre property in Douglas County, Region 2, which will be added to the Central Ferry Canyon Unit of the Wells Wildlife Area. This property was approved through Lands 20/20 in 2018 and by the Commission in March 2022 and was acquired at the appraised value of $580,00 using a Cooperative Endangered Species grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. This property consists of extensive shrubsteppe habitat for mule deer and Columbian sharptailed grouse, and habitat for the conservation of Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits and Washington ground squirrels.
WDFW closed on the first 1,035± acres of a multi-phased property acquisition to acquire a total of 1,567± acres in Thurston County, just west of Tenino, known as the Violet Prairie property. This property was approved through Lands 20/20 in 2016 and by the Commission in March 2022 and was acquired at the appraised value of $7,765,107.06 using a Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program Critical Habitat grant from the Recreation and Conservation Office and two Cooperative Endangered Species grants from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. This property includes intact, prairie-oak woodland and wetland habitat, adds significantly to the protected area of the Scatter Creek watershed, and protects occupied habitat for the federally threatened Mazama pocket gopher, Puget blue butterfly, Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly, and will eventually increase compatible public recreational opportunities.
Cowlitz Wildlife Area Planning: The public scoping phase of the Cowlitz Wildlife Area plan begins in July. A public open house and site visit for the planning team is scheduled for July 11. A field visit is also scheduled for the Cowlitz Wildlife Area Advisory Committee in July.
L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Planning: The final draft of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Management Plan was submitted for SEPA review. Public comment begins on Friday, June 16. A public open house will be held at the Armory building at the Kittitas County Fairgrounds in Ellensburg on June 21 from 6-8 p.m.
Skagit Wildlife Area Planning: The draft Skagit Wildlife Area Management Plan is expected to be delivered to nine tribes on June 16 for their review and comment. Staff members have spent a considerable amount of time fine tuning the document. The draft plan will be delivered to the Wildlife Area Advisory Committee and the Diversity Advisory Committee by early July for their review and comment. The SEPA 30-Day public review is expected in August.
Methow Wildlife Area Planning: Planning staff members are working with Region 2 staff members in preparation for a public workshop tentatively to be held on Sep. 13 in Winthrop to discuss winter closures for the protection of mule deer. Discussions with Wildlife Science and Game have been ongoing with the possibility of a research project to measure how the mule deer are responding to the closure.
Providing Education and Outreach
The WDFW Ambassador Program will kick-off in two weeks on July 1. E. Browning and Washington Trails Association, the contractor, are focusing on volunteer recruitment. There are 30 volunteers signed up so far. Meetings with land managers have been very informative in gathering the educational talking points to deliver to the public.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Belson collaborated with L. Nelson to complete the DJ-Boating Access grant proposal for Fiscal Year 2023 to 2024.
Other
Management of an ongoing contract with TREAD (Trails, Recreation, Education, Advocacy, and Development) for trail conditions assessment in Quincy Lakes. TREAD has mapped re-routes around culturally sensitive areas and is organizing the data to be inputted into the WDFW database. This is one step in the process of getting trails at Quincy Lakes designated and managed more appropriately.