Land Protected Along White Salmon River (WA)

HUSUM, WA., 10/22/04 – The Trust for Public Land, a national conservation organization, today announced that it has permanently conserved seven acres of riverfront land along the White Salmon River in southern Washington.

TPL bought two separate parcels along the river, which is protected under the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers law, and transferred the land to the U.S. Forest Service for its permanent protection.”The White Salmon River, located only 90 minutes from metropolitan Portland, offers some of the best water around for rafters and we were happy to help conserve this important riverfront property,” said Kristin Newman, TPL project manager. I’d like to thank the Washington Congressional delegation, especially U.S. Senator Patty Murray, who was instrumental in securing the funding that made this protection effort possible.”

The Forest Service used $275,000 in federal Land and Water Conservation Fund money to buy the property. In addition to Senator Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell and U.S. Rep. Brian Baird have strongly supported conservation efforts along the White Salmon.

“Conserving this vital land will not only protect the quality of water of the White Salmon River, but will ensure public access for all to enjoy,” said Sen. Murray. “I am pleased that I was able to secure funding for this great conservation effort and thank everyone for their hard work to make this a reality.”

These two parcels are located just downstream from scenic Husum Falls. Both are high priorities for the Forest Service in order to protect the integrity of the Wild and Scenic corridor. Development in recent years has curtailed public use and access to the river and compromised the scenery of the area.

“These beautiful parcels are in a unique area of the White Salmon River,” said Daniel T. Harkenrider, Forest Service Area Manager. “Protecting these properties from development will help safeguard the values that contribute to the Wild and Scenic status of the White Salmon River. We are thrilled to have acquired these properties and grateful to the Trust for Public Land for their efforts in bringing these properties into public ownership,” Harkenrider said.

TPL is a national land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people as parks, greenways, wilderness areas and natural, historic, and cultural resources for future generations. TPL depends upon the support of individuals, foundations, and corporations. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.9 million acres nationwide. In Washington, TPL has conserved about 50,000 acres. For more information, visit www.tpl.org