32 Acres in Cascade Mtns. Protected (WA)

CHELAN COUNTY, WASHINGTON, 4/30/02 – This week, the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national land conservation organization, helped the United States Forest Service protect 32 acres in the Cascade Mountains. The property, which will be incorporated into the Wenatchee National Forest, protects a significant stretch of Nason Creek, an important salmon-bearing stream near Leavenworth. USFS had targeted the land for conservation because of the high quality habitat of this portion of Nason Creek.

“Conservation of this land is an important addition to the Wenatchee National Forest. Often times, property lines run along streams and when we acquire property, we are only able to protect one side of the stream. In this case, Nason Creek runs through the middle of the property, so we were able to protect this entire stretch of the creek. By protecting this property from the threat of inappropriate development, the US Forest Service will be better able to help the recovery of our salmon stocks,” commented Kent Whitehead, TPL project manager.

Funding for the project came from the Federal Land and Water Conservation Emergency Acquisition Funds.

In a similar transaction last month, TPL worked in partnership with the Icicle Fund, a local foundation dedicated to protecting the scenic, recreational and environmental values in the Wenatchee River corridor, and the Washington Chapter of the National Audubon Society to protect a small parcel of land along the Wenatchee River. The successful completion of this project expands an existing greenway corridor near Leavenworth, protects a sensitive riparian area, and allows for greater public access to the banks of the river. As the permanent steward, Audubon plans to use the property to foster public appreciation of the natural resources of the Wenatchee River basin.

The Trust for Public Land is a private, nonprofit land conservation organization that works across the nation to conserve land for people. Founded in 1972, TPL specializes in conservation real estate, applying its expertise in negotiation, public finance and law to protect land for public use. Working with private landowners, communities and government agencies, TPL’s Northwest Region has helped protect more than 240,000 acres in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Montana and Idaho for people to enjoy as parks, playgrounds, community gardens, historic landmarks and wilderness lands.