A significant portion of Puget Sound shoreline will be permanently conserved, providing environmental research and education opportunities to the entire region, thanks to a new cooperative effort by Capitol Land Trust (CLT), Washington State University and affiliated groups, including the Squaxin Island Tribe.
As part of that effort, the land trust has purchased a permanent conservation easement on nearly 95 acres of land, known as Meyer’s Point Environmental Field Station, owned by WSU on the western shore of Henderson Inlet. The majority of the $1.6 million paid for the easement comes from grants from the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program and the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.
The easement allows for the maintenance of WSU’s existing facilities, plus the development of up to 20 upland acres for teaching, research and outreach. The university is investing the revenue from the sale of the easement in an endowment to permanently support the research and teaching that occurs there.
Development of the rest of the property is limited by the conservation easement to maintain the wildlife habitat values.
“This new partnership will provide additional resources to further advance WSU’s vision of a teaching, research and outreach facility at the Meyer’s Point Environmental Field Station, where students and scientists can incorporate the extensive nearshore, wetland and upland forested habitats into outdoor learning and research projects,” said Stephen Bollens, director of the field station and WSU professor of biological and environmental sciences.