For Immediate Release

September 28, 2005

INTERIOR DEPARTMENT GRANT WILL ADD LANDS
TO VITAL CONSERVATION CORRIDOR PROJECT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of the Interior today announced the award of eight habitat conservation and planning grants in Washington State today that are important for acquiring and improving habitat for threatened and endangered species that are protected by law. These grants were awarded to support the effectiveness of existing Habitat Conservation Plans and fund additional plan development.

            The grants were approved by Interior Secretary Gale Norton as part of a $70 million nationwide effort to assist states in improving habitat for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife and plant species.

            Among the grant awards was another $2.05 million for a continuing project to preserve habitat for bull trout, murrelets, Northern Spotted Owls and other threatened and endangered species along the Olympic Peninsula's Hoh River, U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks and Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Doug Sutherland said Wednesday.

            Issued through the Interior Department's Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, the grant will allow for the acquisition of additional lands from willing sellers adjacent to the Hoh River in order to sustain populations of these listed species. The "Hoh River Conservation Corridor" project has also attracted funding from private organizations, in addition to Interior Department grants totaling $6.7 million in the past three years, through the efforts of the Washington Department of Natural Resources and Rep. Dicks.
 
            "This grant represents another strong endorsement of the strategy of protecting threatened species by preserving the habitat that sustains them in ecologically-significant areas." said Rep. Dicks, who serves as the top-ranking Democratic member of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee in the House of Representatives. The congressman noted that "the project has been very successful in acquiring valuable lands from willing sellers, particularly in areas that have benefited bull trout and other listed species."

            Commissioner Doug Sutherland stated: “These grants are important in the state of Washington. This funding helps bolster the many efforts by public and private landowners to protect species and habitat, while maintaining the economic vitality of our state.”

            The Conservation Corridor project is managed by the Western Rivers Conservancy through the Hoh River Trust, a non-profit organization created to manage the lands acquired for the benefit of fish and wildlife.

            Following is a description of the other habitat conservation and planning grants awarded to Washington state today:

HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN LAND ACQUISITION GRANTS

Plum Creek Central Cascades HCP --  $7,417,805
This grant will provide funding to purchase habitat to support the Plum Creek Central Cascades Habitat Conservation Plan. In Yakima County, permanent habitat protection will be provided for bird, mammal, amphibian, and fish species on approximately 7,000 acres of contiguous mature ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, and riparian habitats in the Tieton River Canyon. In Kittitas County, this funding will purchase and permanently protect 297 acres of forested hillside on Amabilis Mountain and adjacent areas that flow into Swamp Lake within the Yakima River Watershed. Protection of these lands would protect the north/south wildlife corridor that runs between Keechelus and Kachess Lakes and provide habitat for marbled murrelet, spotted owl, and numerous terrestrial species. And in Okanogan County, this grant will acquire 600 acres securing more than 6,000 acres and 10 miles of stream frontage to protect mature conifer and riparian habitat corridors for 40 priority species including spotted owls, grizzly bears, gray wolves, lynx, bull trout, and salmon in the Methow River Watershed.

Cedar River HCP, Phase 3 -- $1,617,138
This land acquisition will protect and restore up to 100 acres of habitat in the lower Cedar River ecosystem and improve habitat connectivity to areas beyond the Cedar River watershed to benefit species covered under the Cedar River HCP. It will create a more contiguous protected area that greatly improves the physical connection between habitats of the lower river valley and upper watershed. Bald eagles, bull trout, listed salmon, and unlisted species will benefit. 
 

HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANNING ASSISTANCE GRANTS

Washington State Hydraulic Project Approval HCP --  $660,000
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will prepare a multi-species programmatic Habitat Conservation Plan for the Washington State Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) program. The HPA is Washington's primary regulatory program to protect fish resources by addressing design and construction of development projects in or near state waters to lessen or mitigate impacts on fish and fish habitat.

Washington Dept. of Natural Resources Aquatic Resources HCP  --  $813,500
Washington DNR manages more than 2.4 million acres of submerged land in marine, estuarine and freshwater habitats. This grant will support the planning process to develop a multi-species programmatic Habitat Conservation Plan to ensure authorized activities on state-owned aquatic lands promote sustainable ecosystems, minimize cumulative impacts and increase protection, conservation, and recovery efforts for approximately 86 species proposed to be covered under the Habitat Conservation Plan.

Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Wildlife Area HCP --  $544,555
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will develop a multi­species, programmatic plan for the conservation of endangered and threatened species on approximately 830,000 acres of WDFW owned and managed Wildlife Areas. The purpose is to review land management activities that may be adversely impacting state and federally listed species and other species of concern. WDFW will develop revised management recommendations that will allow the agency to meet its legal and strategic mandates while affording maximum protection for listed species.

Family Forest HCP for Lewis County -- $525,000
This Habitat Conservation Plan is a first of its kind effort to address the needs of endangered species, family forest landowners, and regulatory agencies. This final phase of funding will complete the planning process which will provide landowners and agencies with a programmatic approach to HCP implementation while providing critical aquatic and upland habitat needs for threatened, endangered, and species of concern on family forest land in Lewis County.


RECOVERY LAND ACQUISITION GRANTS

Nelson Creek Property Acquisition -- $651,533
The acquisition of this 180-acre parcel will enhance the recovery of the endangered Columbia white-tailed deer by providing secure foraging, resting, and breeding habitat adjacent to the Julia Butler Hansen Columbian White-Tailed Deer National Wildlife Refuge. Many other species will benefit from preservation of the habitat including bald eagles, songbirds, Canada geese, ducks, mink, river otter, and amphibians.

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