A sanctuary, a playground, a classroom
93 acres conserved near Washington's Willapa River
“This land is a sanctuary, a playground, a classroom,” said Conservation Lead Jocelyn Tutak about a recently conserved 93-acre site near the Willapa River in Pacific County, Washington. “It is always sharing surprises and lessons about resiliency, gratitude, and how the landscape evolves over time. You can feel the care that’s been put into this place – care that flows out beyond its boundaries to benefit the whole community.”
The conservation of this land was possible thanks to the generous donation of Land Trust supporter Steve Weisman, which included funding for our future stewardship of the site.
Steve has cared for the forest and water resources here since 1993, and by donating the property to Columbia Land Trust ensures that his love for the land and his conservation values will carry on for generations to come. We are honored to help Steve leave a legacy of love and care for nature.
Columbia Land Trust is selective with donations of land that we accept to permanently conserve, as they must align with our priorities and we must be able to care for them in perpetuity, which is not a responsibility we take lightly. This site has a high level of ecological integrity and is home to an intact older forest with native understory, as well as springs and stream tributaries that run to the Willapa River, fitting easily into our managed lands in this area. “It is easy to see why Steve wanted to see this land permanently protected,” said Coast Region Stewardship Manager Austin Tomlinson.
“This place amazes me every time I visit,” said Austin. “Seeing it throughout different seasons, the ecological diversity and microsites it holds become evident. It is not an overly large parcel but feels different from the surrounding landscapes, like you are in an oasis in the middle of a quiet valley.”
While there are not any urgent stewardship needs, there are opportunities for weed control and supplementary native planting. Although a majority of the forest is already on a good trajectory towards achieving older growth habitat conditions, there are also opportunities for future stand enhancement with a focus on promoting species and structural diversity.
Over time, the Land Trust will also explore tribal uses and engagement opportunities here, which are especially exciting given the site’s proximity to the Willapa Hills Trail, a 56-mile rail-to-trail that connects Chehalis to South Bend.
Permanently conserving this land will have long-term benefits for watershed processes, forest health, and soil retention, which improves water quality. In turn, these benefits will improve and protect habitat for endangered marbled murrelet as well as salmon and steelhead.