More than 1,700 acres added to conservation lands inventory
Upper Dry Gulch Natural Area Preserve is a 320-acre piece of land that protects the largest known population of Whited’s milkvetch, a state-listed endangered plant species that is found only within a 3-square-mile area. Situated in the arid mountains southeast of Wenatchee, this site is dominated by a native shrub and bunchgrass (shrub-steppe) ecosystem that is recovering from past land uses.
COURTESY PHOTO/DNR
OLYMPIA — Washington added 1,726 acres of land for conservation through ten land acquisitions in 2023, according to an announcement from the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
“I am so proud of what DNR has done to conserve lands for the next generations,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz.
Statewide, the acquisition of lands include Mount Si Natural Resources Conservation Area in King County; Kennedy Creek Natural Area and Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve in Thurston County; Stavis Natural Resources Conservation Area in Kitsap County; Dabob Bay Natural Area in Jefferson County; Washougal Oaks Natural Area and Lacamas Prairie Natural Area.
“Each of these land acquisitions is a crucial step forward in preserving and protecting our environment and they provide a great opportunity for Washingtonians to learn more about the lands around us. This is a win for our environment, a win for the public, and a win for Washington state.”
DNR’s Natural Areas program manages 169,000 acres of conservation lands across 97 areas. Natural Area Preserves protect the best remaining examples of many ecological communities, including rare plant and animal habitat. Natural Resources Conservation Areas protect outstanding examples of native ecosystems, habitat for endangered, threatened and sensitive plants and animals, and scenic landscapes while allowing for environmental education and low-impact public use where compatible with conservation.