The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is inviting public comment on 15 proposed public land acquisitions — including one just south of Montesano — that would help promote fish and wildlife conservation and public access to the great outdoors.
The proposal includes about 12,500 acres in total with acquisitions in Asotin, Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Douglas, Garfield, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kittitas, Klickitat, Mason, Okanogan, Snohomish and Yakima counties.
The South Montesano Access acquisition project is the donation of a one-acre parcel surrounded by the WDFW South Montesano Water Access Area, approximately one mile south of the town of Montesano.
This parcel will expand the water access site, allowing for additional parking for fishing and boating recreation and access to the boat launch area.
Sites on the North Olympic Peninsula are also among those that the state Department of Fish and Wildlife proposes acquiring for use as public lands.
The proposed site in Clallam County is 38 acres of land along the Sol Duc River just north of Forks. Some 2,600 feet of the site would be waterfront with 1,500 feet of easy access for fishing and water recreation, the state said.
The land would replace a nearby recreation area that has been washed out by shifts in the river, the state said.
The project is supported by the City of Forks, The Puget Sound Anglers and the Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishers, the state said.
In Jefferson County, Fish and Wildlife aims to acquire 15 acres of tideland property that is surrounded by department properties in Quilcene Bay.
The aim is to “conserve tideland connectivity with recreational opportunities for shellfish harvest, tideland exploration, waterfowl hunting, and wildlife viewing,” the state said.
The proposals are currently under review through the Department’s annual Lands 20/20: A Vision for the Future process, which launched in 2005. The rigorous review process considers species and habitat management plans, regional conservation initiatives, community perspectives and outdoor recreation.
“Public input is at the core of how we make decisions about acquiring new public land in line with our goals for conservation and outdoor recreation,” said Cynthia Wilkerson, WDFW lands division manager. “We take our obligation to fully consider the perspectives related to potential new land management obligations seriously, and your input is a key element.”
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will receive a briefing on the proposed land acquisitions during its Dec. 8-10 hybrid and in-person meeting in Clarkston.
If you want to comment:
WDFW is accepting comments on the proposed acquisitions via email to lands@dfw.wa.gov through Nov. 21. Members of the public who have limited or no internet connection may also mail written comments to:
Wildlife Program
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
PO Box 43200
Olympia, WA 98504
Following public review and final approval by the WDFW director, the department will begin pursuing grant funding, a process that can take several years, to move forward with the proposed acquisitions.
Potential grant sources include the state of Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program and federal grants through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund.
