The Nisqually Land Trust recently acquired the rights to protect Baird Cove, an 87-acre forested pocket estuary located on Johnson Point in south Puget Sound.
The property includes 4,200 feet of marine shoreline, 2 miles of forested stream shoreline and 50 acres of coastal wetland habitat. These pocket estuary habitats are important for out-migrating juvenile salmon and are identified as high priority for protection in the Puget Sound salmon recovery plans, according to a release from the Nisqually Land Trust.
“There are not many opportunities left in the Nisqually Reach to protect intact forested pocket estuaries such as this one,” said Nisqually Land Trust Executive Director Jeanette Dorner. “We are grateful to our funders and partners for all their assistance in helping us ensure this habitat is protected for future generations.”
Willie Frank III, chairman of the Nisqually Indian Tribe, feels that acquiring important land is an important tool in protecting salmon.
“Protecting important salmon habitat by acquiring it has been a significant tool for Nisqually and our partners,” said Frank III. “We are thankful to landowners willing to help us do this work, especially with the understanding that making the choice to benefit the environment is not always the most popular or lucrative path.”
The National Wetland Coastal Conservation Grant provided federal funding for the acquisition of the forested pocket estuary. The grant came through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Washington state Department of Ecology. The project is assisted by Thurston Conservation Futures funding from Thurston County and additional funding from the Nisqually Indian Tribe.
“Baird Cove is critical to fish habitat, wildlife and bird populations, including many state and federal listed species,” said Thurston County Commission Vice Chair Tye Menser. “This project invests in mitigating our environmental impact and balancing development with the preservation of our rural character. I am happy it received support.”
Department of Ecology Director Laura Watson spoke on the opportunity at hand with the acquisition of Baird Cove.
“This is a great opportunity in the South Sound to safeguard critical habitat,” Watson said. “Investments like this are essential for the long-term survival and recovery of salmon and our Southern Resident orcas.”
For more information, contact Dorner at jeanette@nisquallylandtrust.org.
