The City of Tumwater has been working on the purchase of a 300-acre property that is home to many native animals, including threatened and endangered species. Recently, a million-dollar donation from the Angela J. Bowen Conservancy Foundation has given the City a giant step in its plans.
“Because the size of the proposed purchase, we are working with multiple partners, including the State of Washington, Thurston County, the Port of Olympia, and others, to make it happen,” shares Brad Medrud, community development director for the City of Tumwater. “We are very fortunate that the conservation goals of the Angela J. Bowen Foundation aligned with this project.”
Purchase of Land for Conservation Required by Law for More Housing
The Brush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan is the catalyst for the purchase, as the plan requires the City to plan for the growth of housing with an equal amount of conserved land for native wildlife. “If the City cannot find ways to set aside suitable habitat for Endangered Species Act listed species, development projects that support community housing and jobs as well as City services, would not be built,” explains Brad. “The Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan is the tool available under the Endangered Species Act that allows us to plan for the next 30 years of development in the City while preserving an equivalent amount of conservation land to offset the impacts of that development to protect listed species. If we are not able to protect conservation land under the Habitat Conservation Plan, we may not be able to permit future development or redevelopment in the City.”
Turning this area into a conservation district will allow the City to plan development, including more housing and business areas, for the future. This is in alignment with the State’s Growth Management Act, which says the City must be able to accommodate 15,000 more people, 9,000 more housing units, and 10,000 new jobs by 2045 in Tumwater and its urban growth area while protecting critical species and habitat, explains Brad.
“If the Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan is not completed, individual property owners would be responsible for obtaining federal permits to develop under the Endangered Species Act and any conservation land created by that process would have less habitat value for the protected species because such land would be smaller in size and fragmented,” he adds.
Land Marked for Conservancy in Tumwater
The 300-acre parcel was not chosen by accident or on a whim. The parcel is the largest contiguous undeveloped property in the range of the Olympia subspecies of the Mazama pocket gopher and is occupied by two federally protected species, including the Oregon spotted frog, shares Brad. “Conservation of larger occupied properties better supports the preservation and recovery of the listed species than acquiring multiple smaller properties and meets the mitigation requirements of the Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan as required by the Endangered Species Act,” he adds.
The property is located inside City limits and adjacent to existing residential areas. Once purchased, the land will be under the Endangered Species Act and will have limited usability. This will not be a Wildlife Recreation Park, but an area where these endangered species can flourish with little human interference. “The Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan establishes the process for improving the habitat value of the property over time by planting native prairie species that support the Mazama pocket gopher, monitoring, and adapting as needed over time to increase the value of the property as conservation land,” shares Brad.
A final purchase price for the property has not been agreed upon yet, but Brad says additional funds needed to purchase will likely come from the City, with support from their partners mentioned above.
The project is still in its early stages, but anyone who wants to help with endangered species in Washington can do so by connecting with the many nonprofit organizations we have. “Planting native species, being cognizant of the chemicals we use in our environment, conserving water and managing waste responsibly will all help,” shares Brad.
For more information on this project, check the City of Tumwater website and follow them on Facebook.
