Wenatchee Foothills Land Permanently Protected

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (CDLT) today announced the permanent protection of The Clennon Property, 52 acres of undeveloped land in Broadview Canyon at the edge of the Wenatchee Foothills. The land, which will be added to Wenatchee’s permanently protected open space, is a key access point to pristine lands and outdoor recreation.

This project adds new momentum to a developing effort to systematically preserve key lands along the foothills. Last year the community of Wenatchee demonstrated how much they cared about preserving the Foothills with the successful community effort led by CDLT to fund the acquisition of Saddle Rock as a public park.

Funds for acquisition and long-term management of this keystone property were a direct result of the financial support of many donors, including a major grant from the Icicle Fund. The Clennon property demonstrates how thoughtful, strategic land acquisition, based on input from the community, can preserve large areas of adjacent land for everyone to enjoy.

“This signature property was identified as a priority by stakeholders in the Wenatchee Foothills Community Strategy, which was a two-year planning process to balance the goals of conservation, recreation, and development in the Wenatchee Foothills. This property creates an unbroken connector from the urban growth boundary up to Horse Lake, filling a “missing link” in our access to Wenatchee’s spectacular back country,” said Bob Bugert, Executive Director of the Chelan Douglas Land Trust.

“We were delighted to provide our land conservation expertise to help acquire this land. Successes like this really demonstrate our commitment to building long-term partnerships between The Trust for Public Land and local community’s public and non-profit organizations,” said Mike Deller, Washington State Director for The Trust for Public Land.

Conservation like this would not be possible without landowners who see the value of their property as part of the fabric of the community. As Bart Clennon puts it: “Our family is pleased to be a part of ensuring that this part of the foothills will be in its natural state and available for hiking and outdoor enjoyment. We believe it is necessary to think twenty, fifty, one hundred years into the future when thinking of what we leave for future generations.”

The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust and The Trust for Public Land are already working in partnership on additional projects that will preserve more of the natural edge between the City of Wenatchee and the Foothills keeping nature close to home for residents and preserving a striking landscape just beyond the city limits.

The Trust for Public Land is the nation’s leader in creating parks in cities and helping local communities creating funding to protect the places they love. TPL depends on the support of individuals, foundations, and corporations. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 3 million acres across the country, including more than 80,000 acres throughout Washington state.

The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust is a local non-profit working to conserve our land, our water, and our way of life. The Land Trust works collaboratively with local landowners and communities to identify and protect the region’s most important natural landscapes forever. Since 1985, CDLT has permanently protected 5780 acres in North Central Washington. For more information on the CDLT, visit www.cdlandtrust.org.