Easements Protect Swauk Valley

Private Owners Preserve Wildlife Haven

CLE ELUM, WA — December 30, 2008 — Visionary landowners have protected another 550 acres from development in the Swauk Valley, near Cle Elum, with a generous donation to The Nature Conservancy. The gift extinguishes development rights on the beautiful and biologically diverse land.

With this newest gift of an easement on 550 acres, the Swauk Valley Ranch LLC has donated easements on a total of 2,094 acres surrounding Swauk Creek, and in an unusual partnership with the Conservancy, is funding research and restoration work over the entire 3,800 acres of the ranch. In addition, neighboring landowners have donated easements totaling 770 acres, bringing the total land in the valley under conservation protection by the Conservancy to 2,864 acres.

The protected land includes steep canyons, ponderosa pine forests, native oaks, burbling streams and fragrant desert sagebrush, now set aside as havens for fish and wildlife. Included in the protected area is more than one mile of Swauk Creek, which feeds into the upper Yakima River and is considered one of the Yakima’s most productive and fish-abundant tributaries.

A view of Swauk Valley. Click to enlarge image.

The creek supports 16 native fish species, including wild chinook salmon. The valley is home to wildlife including elk, cougars, bears and a wide range of songbirds. The property owners will be able to continue to use their lands for recreation and other limited uses.

The partnership is donating easements that knit together the most ecologically significant lands under their ownership, said Dean Allen, managing partner of the LLC and CEO of McKinstry Co. in Seattle. The families decided to make the donations to ensure a landscape they’ve come to love is protected forever, he added.

Under easements, property taxes continue to be paid to Kittitas County.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.