WDFW considers public-access expansion near Nemah

Published 11:59 am Tuesday, January 16, 2018

OLYMPIA — The state Department of Fish and Wildlife wants to hear from the public about nine potential conservation projects, including one in Pacific County and one in Grays Harbor County.

The proposed projects would benefit fish and wildlife and improve access to public land, according to a Jan. 5 press release. The projects range from protecting gray squirrel habitat in Klickitat County to maintaining angler access in the Strait of San Juan de Fuca. Staff in the Lands Department must seek public comment on each project before they can seek approval and funding.

“We want to know what the public thinks about these projects before we move forward,” Lands division manager Cynthia Wilkerson said in the press release.

In Pacific County, the agency is considering acquiring 103 acres of tideland in Nemah. According to a proposal, the project would “open nearly a mile of shoreline in Willapa Bay” to “public recreation, including shellfish harvesting.” The area is known for its abundance of hard-shell clams. WDFW staff say the project would likely benefit the local economy. Supporters of the project include Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, and local tourism and business groups.

WDFW is also considering acquiring a 1,750-acre property in southwestern Grays Harbor County, near the existing John’s River Wildlife Area. The project would expand a protected area on the Elk River that is home to sensitive species, including marbled murrelets, bull trout, North American green sturgeon and elk. Proponents say it would also provide opportunities for waterfowl and elk-hunting, wildlife viewing and other recreational opportunities. The project’s supporters include Ducks Unlimited, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Chehalis Basin Watershed Partnership and Pacific Bird Habitat Joint Venture.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, a panel of citizens, will ultimately decide which projects the agency will pursue.

Fish and Wildlife owns or manages about one million acres in 33 wildlife areas and 700 public water access sites.

Descriptions of all nine proposals are available at wdfw.wa.gov/lands/acquisitions.

The agency is accepting written comments until Friday, Feb. 2. Email comments to lands@dfw.wa.gov.