Trust for Public Land Announces Acquisition of 11,520 Acres of Forestland in the Upper Wenatchee Watershed
Trust for Public Land (TPL), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Chelan County, Chinook Forest Partners (CFP) and local community organizations announced today the acquisition of 11,520 acres of forestland in the Upper Wenatchee watershed.
Located along the eastern flank of the Cascade Mountains, the Upper Wenatchee watershed is a landscape of striking beauty and ecological richness, however, the basin’s patchwork of public and private land has long presented challenges, forming a checkerboard of ownership that impacts recreation access, wildfire management, and wildlife health. This spurred a collaboration between TPL and CFP, the Wenatchee community and local partners to develop a vision and plan for the landscape that prioritizes conservation.
TPL and partners have now conserved 11,520 acres of forestland, a move that will increase access to nature and recreation, boost local economies, strengthen abilities to prevent and respond to catastrophic wildfire, and safeguard a critical wildlife corridor. The newly acquired land also secures locally treasured landscapes including part of the Horse Lake Mountain summit, the connection between No. 2 Canyon and Sage Hills trails, and a vital link to a 50-mile trail system west of Wenatchee.
“This was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect a landscape that’s essential to the region’s identity and future. We’re extremely grateful for the collaboration between partners and the broader community,” said Mitsu Iwasaki, Trust for Public Land Associate Vice President and Northwest Director. “Protecting these lands in the Upper Wenatchee watershed means ensuring local families, wildlife, and economies can thrive together, expanding opportunities for people to connect with the natural world around them and building room for resilience in the face of growing wildfire risks.”
As a cornerstone of the region’s outdoor recreation economy, the Upper Wenatchee watershed attracts millions of visitors annually, supporting local businesses, creating jobs, and strengthening the economy which relies on outdoor tourism. Nearly 90% of residents and visitors engage in trail-based activities like hiking, biking, fishing, snowmobiling, skiing, hunting and climbing. Expanding public access to existing trails and creating opportunities for new trails will help relieve overcrowding, bolster the local economy, and ensure future generations can connect with and care for treasured places.
Strengthening opportunities to prevent and respond to wildfire is also a key component of the group’s plan. The region’s hot, dry summers make forest restoration essential, but mixed land ownership prevents holistic, landscape-scale management and wildfire reduction measures. As wildfire threats grow and development pushes deeper into forested areas, the risk to rural residents and surrounding communities rises. This project creates an opportunity for the USFS to enhance wildfire resilience and public safety, while allowing for public input on land use.
The Upper Wenatchee watershed also connects the snowy peaks of the Cascades to the Columbia River Valley. Safeguarding these forests means protecting habitat and critical travel corridors for wildlife throughout the region.
With this acquisition complete, TPL and partners are actively working to secure funding for subsequent acquisitions, ensuring more of this landscape is protected for future generations.
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,500 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, and raised $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
