More than 1,500 acres near Tenino to be conserved with state-nonprofit deal
More than 1,500 acres west of Tenino will be conserved through a deal between a nonprofit and the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The Conservation Fund purchased a 1,567-acre ranch from Dr. William Barnett, according to a Wednesday news release. The non-profit will hold the property until the state finds funding to acquire it and incorporate it into its future Violet Prairie Wildlife Area.
Val Keefer, a Conservation Fund representative, declined to disclose the purchase price but said the deal came together in late May.
The Conservation Fund is a nonprofit that has invested in properties across the country to conserve 8.5 million acres since 1985. The WDFW is a state agency that aims to protects wildlife while promoting sustainable recreational and commercial activities.
Gates Watson, northwest director of the Conservation Fund, said in the release that the purchase will protect the ranch land from future development.
“Beautiful and ecologically rich ranchlands like this one face high threats of development,” Watson said. “Our purchase of the property helps eliminate that threat, while buying time for WDFW to secure the funding needed for its ultimate protection of the land. We’re thrilled to be aiding in this effort and are excited for the opportunities the future wildlife area unit will bring to the community.”
The property will be managed as part of the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area and remain closed until it is prepared for public use, according to the release. This area includes several wildlife area units spread across 3,630 acres in Thurston and Grays Harbor counties, according to the WDFW website.
Once it opens, the release says it will support recreational activities such as hiking, hunting and wildlife viewing. However, the release does not indicate when this might happen.
Larry Phillips, coastal region director at WDFW, said in the release that he is thankful for the cooperation and support among local stakeholders that made the deal possible.
“We are fortunate to have strong partnership with The Conservation Fund to make this land acquisition possible,” Phillips said. “And we are thankful for the collaboration and support from Thurston County, the city of Tenino, and the Thurston Economic Development Council. We look forward to opening this beautiful property to public access in the coming years.”
The planned Violet Prairie Wildlife Area Unit is a high priority for the state because of its unique habitat that includes Puget lowland prairies, wet prairie-oak woodlands, riparian areas and conifer forests. The threatened Mazama pocket gopher is among the wildlife in the area, per the release.
This story was originally published June 10, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
