Washington Commission Approves Land Purchase For Wildlife Habitat, Outdoor Recreation

By Vanessa Torres

Washington -(Ammoland.com)- The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the purchase of 9,123 acres in Douglas County to protect important shrub-steppe habitat for wildlife and provide public access for outdoor recreation.

The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), approved the acquisition during its meeting in Spokane on Sept. 18-19.

The acquisition is the second phase of a multi-year plan to secure the 20,571-acre Grand Coulee Ranch. In last year’s first phase, WDFW acquired about 4,200 acres of the ranch property. The phase two purchase includes 14 miles of river frontage and critical habitat for the state endangered Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit and state threatened greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, and other wildlife.

Located on the south side of Rufus Woods Reservoir on the Columbia River, WDFW secured an option to purchase the 9,123-acre property for an assessed value of $3.9 million with grants from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the federal Dingell-Johnson Act …read more

Source:: AmmoLand