Touchet River
The Blue Mountain Land Trust and Touchet River landowner Bryan Martin have signed a conservation easement that protects important salmon and steelhead habitat on a stretch of the Touchet River southwest of Dayton. The agreement was signed on August 25th.
The 35-acre easement protects both sides of 3/4 of a mile of the river protecting against future development, diking, and roads in the floodplain. The easement contains an old river meander, dozens of floodplain acres, several low gravel islands, and other wildlife habitat. As part of the easement the riparian zone 100 feet back from the river will be fenced. Within the fenced area only passive recreation and habitat improvements will be allowed, while the remainder of the easement area will continue to be used for agricultural purposes. Planting of native vegetation within the riparian zone is planned for this fall.
“I’m very happy to be able to protect this important salmon and steelhead habitat”, says Bryan Martin. “The conservation easement allows me to continue to own and use the land and at the same time protect an important resource for the future.”
“We are thrilled to enter into this agreement with Bryan,” says Tom Dwonch, Executive Director of Blue Mountain Land Trust. “His vision for the land will be a lasting gift to our community because it will help salmon and steelhead recovery efforts and will also preserve open space along this developing area of the Touchet River.”
Funding for the conservation easement acquisition comes from the Snake River Salmon Recovery Board.