Southern Resident Orca Recovery
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Miles of Trail Created and Maintained
Parks Created and Improved
Acres of Farmland Preserved
Miles of Stream and Shoreline Conserved
Funding Source: Salmon Recovery and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration
Funding: $673,860
Recipient: Nisqually Land Trust
Location: Pierce County
The Nisqually Land Trust used a grant to acquire more than 40 acres in the Brighton Creek Watershed in Pierce County. Almost 8 acres are undeveloped forest, and 33 acres are in the Nisqually River floodplain. The property will be left undeveloped to protect Endangered Species Act-listed Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, as well was as chum and pink salmon.
Funding Source: Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account
Funding: $500,000
Recipient: City of Mountlake Terrace
Location: Mountlake Terrace
The City of Mountlake Terrace will host a ribbon cutting on May 21 to celebrate new renovations to the 55-acre Ballinger Park. The city used an RCO grant to build a new fishing pier, add restrooms and walking paths, and upgrade the boat launch.
Funding Source: Land and Water Conservation Fund
Funding: $720,323
Recipient: Tacoma Metropolitan Park District
Location: Tacoma
The Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma cut the ribbon in April 2022 on its latest phase of work at Swan Creek Park. This phase included creating a new front entrance, renovating nearly 5 miles of hiking trails with hardened surfaces, and converting nearly 4 miles of paved roads to multi-use trail use for walking, jogging, bicycling, and program use. It also built a 75-space parking lot and installed a restroom, two picnic shelters, signs and kiosks, benches, bike racks, picnic tables, and trash receptacles.
Funding Source: Salmon Recovery and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration
Funding: $690,000
Recipient: Great Peninsula Conservancy
Location: Seabeck
The Great Peninsula Conservancy held a ribbon cutting ceremony in April 2022 to celebrate the acquisition of about 20 acres of undeveloped shoreline on the tip of a small peninsula on northern Seabeck Bay called Misery Point. This acquisition permanently protects vital nearshore habitat for Endangered Species Act-listed fish, such as Hood Canal summer chum and Puget Sound Chinook salmon. It also protects spawning habitat for surf smelt, sand lance, and Pacific herring, which salmon eat.
Funding Source: Land and Water Conservation Fund, Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Funding: $1,000,000
Recipient: City of Edgewood
Location: Edgewood
The City of Edgewood used two grants to turn a field into a community park. The park includes an agricultural-themed playground, a half-mile walking trail, a picnic shelter, restrooms, a multi-use sports field, and stormwater management facilities.
Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Funding: $709,000
Recipient: Pierce County Parks and Recreation Services
Location: Pierce County
Pierce County held a ribbon cutting in December 2021 to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 of the Chambers Creek Canyon Trail project. Phase 1 included the installation of a 140-foot pedestrian bridge to allow trail users safe crossing over the creek and to prevent wading across the water, which can harm the salmon spawning gravel in Chambers Creek.
Funding Source: Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account, Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Funding: $2.2 million
Recipient: City of Lakewood
Location: Lakewood
Lakewood improved Harry Todd Park, which sits on the southern shore of the 1,200-acre American Lake. The City built a fishing pier, enhanced the swimming beach, and replaced finger pier docks, the restroom, and a failing bulkhead. The City also built paths accessible by wheelchair from the parking lot to the shoreline, replacing a path that required visitors to travel down a steep hill to get to the docks. Located in the Tillicum neighborhood, the park is the only community park in the area and the only park that provides free waterfront access.
Funding Source: Land and Water Conservation Fund, Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, Youth Athletic Facilities
Funding: $1.35 million
Recipient: City of Chehalis
Location: Chehalis
The City of Chehalis used funding from three RCO grants to rebuild Recreation Park and Penny Playground. The City renovated four ball fields, replaced the 25-year-old playground with a fully accessible playground, and improved pathways to make them accessible to people with disabilities. The City also replaced failing irrigation and drainage systems. The work will keep the fields more playable during wet weather, which now causes too many cancelled games due to flooding.
Funding Source: Land and Water Conservation Fund, Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, Youth Athletic Facilities
Funding: $1.75 million
Recipient: Spokane County
Location: Spokane County
Spokane County cut the ribbon on June 2021 on Bidwell Community Park. The County used four grants from RCO to develop this 20-acre park by adding two playgrounds, a walking path, baseball and soccer fields, pickle ball courts, sand volleyball courts, a parking lot, restrooms, picnic shelters, and open space.
Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Funding: $30,024
Recipient: Town of Wilkeson
Location: 22212 163rd Street East
The Town of Wilkeson used this grant to build a bacon-and-eggs-inspired, skateable, pop art structure at its skate park. Nestled against a tree-covered hillside, the 3,600-square-foot structure added four skating elements to the park. Each piece was hand-formed with gravel and custom forms. Volunteers contributed hundreds of hours to help build the new feature. Located along the Foothills Trail, the park’s improvements enhanced opportunities for bikes, scooters, rollerbladers, and skateboarders.
Funding: $500,000
Recipient: City of Spokane
Location: Riverfront Park
Spokane converted a dirt parking lot in its downtown Riverfront Park into a playground that tells the story of the Ice Age Floods that sculpted the region. The former location of Expo ’74, The Worlds Fair, Riverfront Park had not had a significant investment since 1978. There was only one small and outdated playground in the park and in downtown. The playground lacked equipment for older children, didn’t serve children with disabilities, had no elements connecting it to nature, and did not engage children in activities essential to early development. Not so now!
Funding Source: Youth Athletic Facilities
Funding: $295,044
Recipient: City of Sedro-Woolley
Location: Sedro-Woolley
The City of Sedro Woolley used an RCO grant to redevelop and improve 9.5 acres of recreational land used for soccer and other sports. Currently the fields are randomly placed. The City moved the soccer fields, organized the parking, and added a restroom, equipment storage area, and picnic area. The City also installed irrigation to provide better field conditions and extended playing time.
Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, Youth Athletic Facilities
Funding: $585,870
Recipient: Mountlake Terrace
Location: Evergreen Playfield
The City of Mountlake Terrace used two grants to renovate Evergreen Playfield 1. The City converted the dirt surface to a synthetic turf playfield and added lighting, fences, and landscaping. The refurbished field will host baseball, fast pitch, soccer, rugby, lacrosse, flag football, ultimate disc, and other sports.
Funding Source: Boating Facilities Program
Funding: $386,100
Recipient: Port of Allyn
Location: Allyn
The Port of Allyn held an opening ceremony May 3, 2021 for its expanded boat launch. The Port used an RCO grant to buy the last piece of privately owned land next to its boat launch near Allyn Waterfront Park. The Port them demolished the 1940s-era house on the land and converted the land to a staging area for boaters waiting to use the boat ramp. There was no waiting area for vehicles towing boats, which meant they often blocked access to the ramp and the parking lots, parked on private property, and created waiting lines that extended onto State Highway 3.
Funding Source: Land and Water Conservation Fund, Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Funding: $1 million
Recipient: Edgewood
Location: Edgewood
The City of Edgewood broke ground in October on its first community park! Using two grants, worth a combined $1 million from RCO, the City will develop 18 acres at 36th & Meridian. The community vision for the park includes a half-mile loop trail, an inclusive destination playground, a picnic shelter, grass amphitheater, and multi-use programmable space, and a permanent site for the iconic 1902 Edgewood-Nyholm Windmill that will be used to generate power for the new park.
Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Funding: $4,107,950
Recipient: Clallam County
Location: Clallam County, about 15 miles northwest from Port Angeles
Clallam County used more than $4 million in four grants to rebuild part of the 36-mile Spruce Railroad Trail in Olympic National Park. The trail originally was a railroad built to deliver spruce for World War I airplanes. A blocked tunnel, steep trail, rocky and muddy trail surfaces prevented people from using the trail and forced them to veer onto U.S. Highway 101 along Lake Crescent. During five phases, the County created a 10-mile bypass around the highway, restored parts of the trail including two mountain tunnels, and expanded a trailhead. The trail is part of the Olympic Discovery Trail.
Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Funding: $660,000
Recipient: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Location: 10 miles northwest of Curlew
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife used a grant to buy 115 acres along the Kettle River in northern Ferry County and then built a primitive launch for canoes and kayaks there. The boat launch will allow more people to enjoy trout fishing, tubing, kayaking, canoeing, and bird watching on the river. There are only three places where the public can get on the 29-mile reach of the river between Ferry and Danville and none with developed boat launches. Buying the land allows the department to conserve for the public important habitat critical to a variety of rare species.
Funding Source: Youth Athletic Facilities
Funding: $341,000
Recipient: Marysville Parks, Culture and Recreation Department
Location: Marysville
The City of Marysville fully renovated its oldest youth baseball field. Cedar Field got new turf, fencing, lighting, and a drainage system. The field is used by boys’ and girls’ T-ball, baseball, softball, kick ball, and other recreational activities.
Funding Source: Habitat Conservation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Funding: $325,000
Recipient: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Location: Reardan
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife used a grant to buy 150 acres to expand its 277-acre Reardan Audubon Lake Wildlife Area, north of Reardan and 20 miles from Spokane. The department also built a parking lot and worked with students from Reardan High School to build a kiosk there. This special wildlife viewing spot is used by more than 125 species of birds and is their last stop during spring migration to Canada. In addition to birds, many animals use the land, including many at-risk of extinction.
Funding Source: Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account
Funding: $354,000
Recipient: Port of Skamania
Location: Stevenson
The Port of Skamania is using a grant to develop a park on the Columbia River in Stevenson. The Port is building a waterfront trail and a scenic overlook, a public access point to the river, a restroom, and parking lot. In addition, the Port is renovating the existing restroom and part of a trail and paving a gravel parking lot. The new trail will feature lighting, benches, kiosks with historical information, picnic tables, and a nature-inspired play structure.
Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Funding: $500,000
Recipient: King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Location: King County
King County cut the ribbon on 1.2 miles of the Lake to Sound Trail, which eventually will run 16 miles from the south end of Lake Washington to Puget Sound, linking the cities of Renton, Tukwila, SeaTac, Burien, and Des Moines and connecting four existing regional trails.
Funding Source: Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board
Funding: $1,016,993
Recipient: Lewis County
Location: Onalaska
Lewis County used a grant to replace a barrier under the Middle Fork Road in Onalaska. The new crossing helps fish access 2.5 miles of upstream habitat. "This project is an incredible achievement for the board, the people of Washington, and our environment,” said Kaleen Cottingham, director of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. “In addition to improving access for fish, these projects also will enhance the roads that cross over them, support public safety, and protect our communities from flooding.”
Funding Source: Habitat Conservation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Funding: $1,134,050
Recipient: The Methow Conservancy
Location: Okanogan County
The Methow Conservancy used a grant to buy a conservation easement on 1,028 acres of undeveloped shrub-steppe and wetlands in the Methow watershed within Okanogan County. The project protects priority habitat, provides habitat linkages to existing protected land, conserves at-risk species, and maintains seasonal wildlife movement corridors. Priority species supported include gray wolves, mule deer, sharp-tailed grouse, peregrine falcon, and Brewer’s sparrows, among other species.
Funding Source: Youth Athletic Facilities
Funding: $350,000
Recipient: City of Port Angeles
Location: Port Angeles
The City of Port Angeles is using a grant to build a bike pumptrack in Port Angeles at the Erickson Playfield. In a first for pumptracks in Washington, the track will include an inclusive loop with features suitable for beginning riders and people who use a wheelchair. The pumptrack will support opportunities for increasing youth cycling, racing and public events which attract thousands of riders annually.
Funding Source: Salmon Recovery and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration
Funding: $1,047,711
Recipient: Nisqually Land Trust
Location: Yelm
The Nisqually Land Trust used a grant to preserve 185 acres along the Wilcox Reach of the Nisqually River, near Yelm in Pierce County. This property is one of the last large undeveloped shoreline properties on the Nisqually River. Prior to protection, this forested area was at risk of development for up to 37 homes. The project protects shoreline habitat and also connects two substantial blocks of permanently protected Nisqually River shoreline.
OLYMPIA–The Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office launched a new website today to track recovery efforts for the endangered Southern Resident orcas. “The website is beautiful and chock full of information,” said Tara Galuska, the Governor’s orca recovery coordinator. “The website is an easy way for people to see what’s being done to save the orcas and […]
May 17, 2022Read MoreOLYMPIA–The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) wants to know how and where you like to recreate as it begins to draft a plan that will direct millions of dollars in state and federal funding to parks, trails and ball fields. RCO is asking residents to take an online survey that asks questions about […]
March 8, 2022Read MoreOLYMPIA–Gov. Jay Inslee, in partnership with the Washington Invasive Species Council, has proclaimed February 28 through March 4 as Invasive Species Awareness Week in Washington. “We all need to be aware of invasive species and take simple actions to prevent and stop them,” Inslee said. “We have to work together to protect our state from […]
February 22, 2022Read MoreFollow @WSRCO on twitter.
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