Washington department of ecology, in partnership with the northwest watershed institute as subrecipient, willacquire and permanently protect 81 acres along tarboo creek s tributaries and wetlands in…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $1,410,000 Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration grant (CFDA 15.614) to the Washington Department of Ecology. The grant will enable the Department of Ecology, in partnership with the Northwest Watershed Institute as a sub-recipient, to acquire and permanently protect 81 acres of coastal wetland habitat along Tarboo Creek's tributaries in Jefferson County, Washington. This project represents the current phase of a larger landscape-scale conservation effort to protect the Tarboo Creek and Dabob Bay ecosystem. The preserved habitat will help maintain water quality critical for estuarine species and shellfish production, while also protecting a diversity of wetland and stream habitats for coastal fish and wildlife. The sub-recipient, Northwest Watershed Institute, will also provide public education and outreach activities as part of the grant.

Washington department of ecology, in partnership with the northwest watershed institute as subrecipient, willacquire and permanently protect 81 acres along tarboo creek s tributaries and wetlands in jefferson county, WA.the project represents the current phase of a long-term landscape scale conservation effort to protect the tarboocreek and dabob BAY ecosystem and is essential for protecting a critical part of the tarboo valley wetland andwildlife corridor that stretches from the headwaters of tarboo creek to tarboo BAY. Streams and wetlands on theproperty drain to the mainstem of tarboo creek, the largest freshwater source to tarboo-dabob BAY, located lessthan two miles downstream of the project. The preservation of this key property will not only protect a diversityof wetland and stream habitats for coastal fish and wildlife species, but help maintain dabob bays waterquality critical for estuarine species and shellfish production for four tribes with reserved treaty rights, thepublic, and the shellfish industry.