Ecology: Saving Dynamic Coastal Wetland Habitat

The Washington State Department of Ecology has secured seven National Coastal Wetlands Conservation grants worth more than $5 million.

The 2020 federal grants will help local partners restore and enhance nearly 500 acres of coastal wetlands and 17,500 feet of marine shoreline in Jefferson, Kitsap, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom counties.

More details about the each grant project

• Discovery Bay Acquisitions ($713,268)  —working in partnership with Jefferson Land Trust to acquire and conserve 9 acres of critical wetlands and nearshore habitat in Discovery Bay in Jefferson County, including nearly 2,173 feet of Puget Sound shoreline;
• Drayton Harbor and California Creek Estuary ($915,000) — this project, in collaboration with the Whatcom Land Trust will acquire and restore four parcels totaling 54.66 acres of coastal wetland habitat and 6,500 feet of shoreline;
• Lower Eld Inlet Acquisition Phase 3 ($355,000) — in partnership with the Capitol Land Trust, this project will acquire and permanently protect 55 acres, including 3,250 feet of shoreline on Lower Eld Inlet and the McLane Creek estuary in Thurston County;
• Lower Henderson Inlet Habitat Acquisition Phase 2 ($574,000) — we’re working with the Capitol Land Trust to permanently protect 94.18 acres and 2,100 feet of Puget Sound shoreline in Thurston County through a conservation easement;
• Misery Point Habitat Acquisition ($1 million) — this collaborative project with the Great Peninsula Conservancy will preserve 20.7 acres and approximately 3,500 feet of Hood Canal and barrier lagoon shoreline in Kitsap County;
• Stillaguamish Tidal Wetland Acquisition ($1 million) — in partnership with the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, we will help acquire 248 acres of former estuarine and marine wetlands in Snohomish County;
• Tarboo Creek Wetlands Acquisition and Restoration ($508,000) — in close coordination with the Northwest Watershed Institute we will help permanently protect and restore 14.5 acres of wetlands on three adjoining parcels along Tarboo Creek in Jefferson County that drain directly to Tarboo-Dabob Bay and Puget Sound.