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07/12/2008 • News Stories

Two More Properties Protected in Tarboo Valley

« Click image for popup view » Tarboo Bay. Photo by Northwest Watershed Institute (102kb) Jefferson Land Trust has recently received two new donated easements in Tarboo Valley. Each easement is five acres of spruce-bottom wetland in the upper portion of the valley near a large beaver dam. These easements are part of the efforts to protect the Tarboo watershed headed by the Northwest Watershed Institute, which has undertaken previous restoration and replanting efforts on these adjacent parcels. Acquisition costs for the easements were covered by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Landowner Incentive Program. Other News from the Tarboo/Dabob Area...Natural Area boundary expansion proposed, supported for Dabob Bay A state proposal to expand the Dabob Bay Natural Area Preserve from 195 acres up to 3,200 acres has Jefferson County leaders, conservationists and residents of the Toandos Peninsula and Dabob Bay areas working together. “Tarboo and Dabob bays are the highest-quality near-shore ecosystem in the Hood Canal. Everyone is talking about Hood Canal dying, and here's a chance for us to protect it,” said Heidi Eisenhour, JLT Executive Director, in the Peninsula Daily News on July 9. When adopted, this expanded boundary will allow the Department of Natural Resources to work with willing landowners within the boundary to achieve protection in perpetuity for this fragile ecosystem. The DNR can start by applying the $5 million appropriated by the legislature in 2007 to crucial tracts of land within the expanded boundary. A natural area boundary has no regulatory impact—it is an “opportunity boundary” that focuses the work of the DNR in protecting important tracts of land. The last two steps necessary for adoption of the expanded boundary are 1) a final public meeting, and 2) formal adoption by State Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland. Website   More Info   Document    Contact Sarah Spaeth, Conservation Director 360-379-9501 programs@saveland.org