Wetland Mitigation Project
Wetlands work in store off Reser Road
The Blue Mountain Land Trust brokered the deal, which will be paid for by the state.
By Andy Porter, Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
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| U-B photo by ANDY PORTER. A red-winged blackbird perches on a cattail amid a 23-acre parcel destined to be restored as native wetland through a conservation agreement between the owners and Blue Mountain Land Trust. |
WALLA WALLA -- Migrating waterfowl will soon have a new stop on their way through Walla Walla County.
A 23-acre wetland site on farmland off of Reser Road southeast of Walla Walla is slated for restoration through a conservation agreement brokered by the Blue Mountain Land Trust.
Beth Thiel, land trust conservation and stewardship director, said the agreement was worked out "after a year of project research, discussion and negotiation" to permanently protect the wetland.
The site, a marshy area amid rolling fields planted for wheat, will be planted with native vegetation and grasses in the next several years. The restoration will be done by private, tribal and public agencies, Thiel said.
Workers with two of the groups involved, Tri-State Steelheaders and Ducks Unlimited, will begin work this week on measurement and design of the wetland. The work, which will involve excavation of ground for a pond along with the plantings, is expected to begin next summer.
Along with the two conservation groups, other partners include the Walla Walla County Conservation District, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Thiel said.
Funds to complete the conservation agreement, buy the land and do the restoration work will come from the Washington Department of Transportation as mitigation for impacts to smaller wetlands during the latest phase of construction to widen U.S. Highway 12 to four lanes. Andy Porter can be reached at andyporter@wwub.com or 526-8318.
from Archives: Local News
Updated: Thursday, May 21, 2009