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Decker
Creek Wetland Complex
536 Acres in western Mason County and eastern Grays
Harbor County. Acquired in 2009
August
11, 2009 -- Permanent conservation of more than 530
acres of wetlands and forest lands in the East Fork
Satsop watershed was announced today by Eric Erler,
executive director of Capitol Land Trust.
Capitol Land Trust provided leadership to acquire
the Decker Creek Wetland Complex from Green Diamond
Resource Company.
“This
project is the culmination of five years of work and
results in the protection of some of the region’s most
intact salmon and wildlife habitat,” said Erler.
Located
near
Matlock
,
Washington
, the Decker Creek Wetland Complex contains two miles of
Decker
Creek, a key tributary to the
East
Fork
Satsop
River
. The
wetlands, streams and forests
provide exceptional wildlife habitat for a wide variety of species such as
river otter, black bear and elk.
It is also a
critical salmon spawning system.
Coho, summer and fall Chinook, chum,
winter steelhead, and cutthroat
all use the complex for spawning and rearing,
moving freely in and out of the wetland systems from
Decker Creek.
Grant
funding to purchase the property was provided through
the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and the Washington
Wildlife and Recreation Program.
Under the terms of the agreement, Mason County
will own the land and Capitol Land Trust will act as
stewards to ensure the site retains its natural
characteristics and exceptional habitat in perpetuity.
Green Diamond lands adjacent to the complex will
continue to be managed as working forest, providing
further protection for the wetlands, according to Eric
Schallon, the company’s Washington land management and
business development manager.
“This type of conservation is a perfect fit
with working forestry,” he explained.
“Both Green Diamond and Capitol Land Trust are
focused on conserving fish, wildlife and clean water,”
he added.
The
project was a direct result of a remarkable partnership
between Capitol Land Trust, Green Diamond Resource
Company, Mason County, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
National Marine Fisheries Service, scientific advisors
and private donors.
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