WDFW Commission Acquires 655 Acres On North Side Of Willapa Bay

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted late this morning to acquire 655 acres in Pacific County for waterfowl, salmon habitat restoration and improve recreational access.

Comprised of three parcels, the properties have an appraised value of $1.7 million and buying them is part of wider fish- and wildlife-related project in Willapa Bay.

“The objective of the North Willapa Bay Estuaries and Shoreline Project is to acquire and protect important wetland, riparian, and forested shoreline habitats adjacent to Willapa Bay in the Johns River Wildlife Area. The properties included in the project will help maintain ecological function and protect fish and wildlife species of special concern, including marbled murrelet, band-tailed pigeon, and North American green sturgeon, among others,” a WDFW staff report states.

The memo also says another goal “is to fully connect currently isolated parcels of publicly owned land in a manner that improves recreational access beyond the simple addition of acreage.” The area is described as a “prime location for wintering waterfowl, staff have observed thousands of cackling geese and hundreds of dusky Canada geese, a Species of Greatest Conservation Need.”

The buy does come at something of a touchy moment, moneywise, given Washington budget issues that probably will result in a 38 percent fishing and hunting license fee increase, but the project has been in the works for several years now and received funding in 2022 via a Riparian Protection grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office’s Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program.

It has support from the county, tribes and the public, according to WDFW.

As for the $125 per acre estimate for operation and maintenance costs, agency staffers indicated that that typically fares well once folded into ongoing budget line items.

Commissioner John Lehmkuhl moved to acquire the property and he was seconded by Commissioner Lorna Smith and all seven current (as of 11 something this morning) members voted in favor of the deal, including Commissioner Melanie Rowland, who just last month had raised objections to purchasing land and a boat ramp in Sekiu and voted against that deal.