Submitted by Olympia Tumwater Foundation
Olympia Tumwater Foundation (OTF) has received a $300,000 grant from the Angela J. Bowen Conservancy Foundation to support critical conservation, restoration and long-term stewardship of Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls, one of the South Sound’s most significant natural and historic landscapes.
Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls is privately owned and stewarded by the Olympia Tumwater Foundation and relies on community and broader philanthropic support to remain open, safe and accessible to the public. The grant will fund priority projects focused on protecting natural resources, enhancing visitor safety and accessibility, and preserving the ecological integrity of the Falls. Planned work includes trail and bridge repairs, safety improvements, invasive species removal and targeted landscape restoration.
“Many people are surprised to learn that Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls is privately owned,” said Todd Cutts, Executive Director of the Olympia Tumwater Foundation. “Its continued availability to the public depends on stewardship and community investment. This grant from the Bowen Conservancy Foundation affirms a shared belief in conserving special places that connect people to nature and history.”
The Angela J. Bowen Conservancy Foundation is a private foundation focused on land conservation and habitat protection. When the foundation’s founder, Dr. Angela J. Bowen, moved her medical practice from Seattle to Olympia in 1967, the OTF sponsored the federal grants that supported her research into diabetes prevention and treatment.
Bowen also served on the OTF executive committee from 2008 to 2014, donating generously to Brewery Falls at Tumwater Park improvement projects, including an impressive stone retaining wall along the park’s looped river trail.
“Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls is a remarkable landscape that deserves thoughtful, long-term care,” said Jeff Crawford of the Angela J. Bowen Conservancy Foundation. “Dr. Bowen believed deeply in conserving the natural environment and connecting people to the land. We are honored to partner with the Olympia Tumwater Foundation to help ensure this special place remains protected and welcoming for future generations.”
The park hosts hundreds of thousands of visits each year and serves as a gateway to the region’s industrial, ecological and cultural history. The Olympia Tumwater Foundation remains committed to preserving the park through strategic partnerships, responsible conservation and sustained philanthropic support.
