Leases aim to protect Columbia River islands
By Staff The Columbia Land Trust has signed 50-year leases with a Seattle company to protect and, in some cases, restore wildlife habitat on three nearby Columbia River islands. Saltchuk Resources and its well-known subsidiary, Foss Maritime, will charge the trust $1 a year under the agreement to manage the islands and some flood plains, which total roughly 700 acres. The lands in the agreement include Ryan Island just downstream from Puget Island in Wahkiakum County, and two islands in Columbia County --- Walker Island between Longview and Willow Grove and Sandy Island across from Kalama. The lowlands on shore include smaller acreages in a 100-mile stretch between Youngs River near Astoria and Clark County. Cherie Kearney, the trust's conservation director, said all of the lands in the agreement offer habitat for wildlife such as salmon and migratory birds. Protection of Walker and perhaps Ryan islands may help the recovery of the threatened Columbian white-tailed deer. Kearney said the Vancouver-based trust still must evaluate the Foss Maritime properties for possible habitat improvements before applying for grants to pay for the work.
Jan 28, 2005 - 08:24:24 am PST
