Pierce County Council Approves 6 New Conservation Projects

TACOMA, WA — The Pierce County Council has signed off on six new projects aiming to preserve open space and salmon habitats across Pierce County.

At their regularly-scheduled meeting Tuesday, Pierce County council members unanimously voted in favor of resolution R2021-141, approving all six projects and authorizing the Executive to begin the process of negotiating to buy the properties that will house the conservation efforts.

Together, they are estimated to cost around $6.2 million, and will be purchased with the county’s Conservation Futures fund. The Conservation Futures fund has somewhere between $7 and $9 million available for the 2022-2023 biennium, according to the council.

The highest-priority project will be the new North Creek Salmon Heritage Site in Gig Harbor, 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. To keep it from being developed, the mayor, Gig Harbor City Council and the Puyallup Tribe teamed up earlier this year to try and preserve the forest by pursuing a Pierce County Conservation Futures Grant — now that they've won it, the county should be able to buy the land outright.

After the sale, the parcel will then become part of the city's park system, and the city plans to add some non-motorized trails and salmon viewing areas to allow residents to respectfully enjoy the forest.

"This is a great project that will not only protect some of the best Coho and chum rearing habitat around Gig Harbor, but it will also ensure an important cultural heritage site is protected,” said Great Peninsula Conservancy Executive Director Nathan Daniel.

Other land purchases approved by the council include:

• Narrows West, a 116 acre property in Gig Harbor near the Tacoma Narrows Park. By buying the land, the project would preserve the site in its current natural state, though the council plans on adding a few hiking and biking trails in the future.
• McDermott Point, a 12 acre plot on the Key Peninsula. It will be managed as a nature preserve to protect juvenile salmon and forage fish.
• The LaBelle Property, 20 acres of land in Puyallup. Under the resolution, the property would become home to a new trail loop, playground, and dog park. Hiking trails there could ultimately be connected to Wildwood Park.
• A Parkland Prairie addition, 11 acres of land in Parkland to be turned into a multi-use Parkland Community Trail.
• Marine View Drive Open Space, 16 acres in Tacoma. They would be preserved and managed by the City of Tacoma as a passive open space.

Council members say together, these projects will benefit not only residents who can enjoy their natural greenery, but struggling wildlife that has had difficulty adapting to the region's rapid growth.

“These projects represent once-in-a-lifetime habitat and open space opportunities,” said Council Chair Derek Young. “As development pressure increases in South Sound, it’s more important than ever that we protect these properties.”