Conservancy group buys 183 acres along Tahuya River for restoration, salmon habitat

Peiyu Lin, Kitsap Sun
·4 min read
The Great Peninsula Conservancy acquires 183 acres of land along the Tahuya River in 2023. The Bremerton-based nonproft — with its partner, Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group — plans to restore the floodplain by demolishing a gambion wall along the river that stops the river from flooding.
The Great Peninsula Conservancy acquires 183 acres of land along the Tahuya River in 2023. The Bremerton-based nonproft — with its partner, Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group — plans to restore the floodplain by demolishing a gambion wall along the river that stops the river from flooding.

For decades, a piece land along the Tahuya River in Mason County was used as a pasture to raise horses. Since a Gabion wall — a steel mesh cage filled with rocks — was built along the river to secure the farm and its horse racing tracks, the river couldn't flood.

Preventing the river from flooding meant that the adjacent floodplain, just off Tahuya River Road approximately between Maggie Lake and North Shore Road, couldn't become a wetland that allows salmon to come and go. It also couldn't help slow the river, which meant flowing water scoured off the bottom of the river and washed away salmon nests.

The ecological situation could soon change, as Great Peninsula Conservancy acquired 183 acres of property there last year and is working with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group on plans to remove the Gabion wall. Eventually, they will restore the floodplain and allow salmon and other wildlife to explore habitat there again.

"It's the most exciting project we did last year," said Nathan Daniel, executive director at Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC). "It's really going to make a big difference. I mean, we protected a mile of river. That's a lot for our areas."

"It's just been something that's been in the works for the last decade. And it's really great that it all came together over the last couple of years," Mendy Harlow, executive director of Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG) said, adding that the property was first identified by high school students who participated in HCSEG's stream team internship program in 2012.

"We're really excited about this opportunity to work with the Great Peninsula Conservancy on not just the preservation of this land, but also the incredible restoration work that will improve summer chum habitat," Harlow said.

The scope of the Tahuya River Preserve, a 183-acre land acquired by the Great Penunsulay Conservancy.
The scope of the Tahuya River Preserve, a 183-acre land acquired by the Great Penunsulay Conservancy.

Two acquisitions closed in 2023 with state funding

The land GPC now manages as the Tahuya River Preserve is about 183 acres in total. The preserve protects salmon habitat, floodplain hardwood forests and towering firs. Also, both Hood Canal summer chum and Chinook salmon use the river watershed and are listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act, according to GPC.

In July, the Bremerton-based nonprofit used the funding from the Washington Department of Ecology Streamflow grant and the state's Salmon Recovery Funding Board to purchase the 145-acre property that was formerly used as a farm. GPC acquired another 38 acres next to that property in December.

The total purchase price for the 145-acre property was $1.35 million. The Department of Ecology put in $1,339,200 toward the acquisition and the Salmon Recovery Funding Board matched that with $10,800. The 38 acres downstream were funded through another Salmon Recovery Funding Board grant that covered the $370,000 acquisition, Daniel said.

"Right now we have around $1 million left to demolish the old structures on site, replant the area in native trees and shrubs, and restore the floodplain," Daniel said.

In addition, GPC is working with additional willing landowners to protect further reaches of the Tahuya River, Daniel said.

Future restoration plan under design process

Specifically how the floodplain will be restored is still undecided, but there will be opportunities for the community to volunteer and be part of the restoration plan to preserve the floodplain, such as riparian vegetation planting activities, Harlow said.

"We are currently working with the consultants to complete the restoration design, so we don't know exactly what it's going to look like yet," Harlow said. HCSEG will lead part of the property management, like restoration, planting, and invasive species removal.

In the summer, engineers and biologists will conduct studies to determine how best to restore the site, Jill Grbavac, HCSEG's Project Manager said in a statement.

Daniel thanked the former property owner, the Neyhart family, for understanding GPC's conservation goal and their patience in having the nonprofit do the project and complete the acquisition in the right way, which is a two-year effort, from applying for the grants, receiving the funding, doing the appraisals, and conducting surveys and environmental assessments, he said.

"They were very patient. And at the end of the day, we paid them fair market value, and now we have a nice area protected," Daniel said. "We really appreciated the family."

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Great Peninsula Conservancy plans Tahuya River preserve in Mason County