Gig Harbor Moves To Buy, Preserve Critical Salmon Habitat

GIG HARBOR, WA — The City of Gig Harbor is moving to preserve a parcel of land which local leaders say is critical to protect the local salmon population, and culturally significant to the Puyallup Tribe.

The area in question is an 11.5 acre parcel of undeveloped land just north of the Gig Harbor Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The area is largely forested and bisected by Donkey Creek, a critical salmon habitat. The area also has historical and cultural significance to the Puyallup Tribe, says Gig Harbor Mayor Kit Kuhn.

It is also in danger of being destroyed. Developers have submitted plans to build 34 new homes on the parcel, in the process clear-cutting much of the forest.

"A housing development would mean degrading a healthy salmon habitat, losing of a great number of trees and a drastic change to this corner of our downtown view basin," writes Kuhn.

To keep that from happening, the mayor, City Council and the Puyallup Tribe have teamed up to try and preserve the forest by pursuing a Pierce County Conservation Futures Grant — which would give them enough money to buy the land outright.

Kuhn says the Puyallup Tribe has offered to provide $50,000 - about 10% of the estimated purchase price - the city is offering another $20,000 of its own. Combined with the grant, they say that should be enough to secure the purchase.

If their bid is successful, the City of Gig Harbor would hopefully buy the land sometime next year, though Kuhn warns there are "a lot of moving parts" and that the planning is far from done.

After the sale, the parcel would then become part of the city's park system, and may eventually be home to a few low-impact trails to allow residents to respectfully enjoy the forest.