Tucannon River MM4 - Frame Cons. Easement Asst.

Blue Mountain Land Trust evaluated the potential for a 145 acre conservation easement on a half mile stretch of the Tucannon River, about four miles upriver from where HWY 12 meets Tucannon Road in Columbia County. This stretch of the river is in a high priority protection and restoration reach in a major spawning area identified in the Salmon Recovery Plan for Southeast Washington (2011). Current habitat conditions are slightly degraded, but there is some floodplain connectivity and no rip-rap or diking present. Conservation easements protect the critical fish habitat and adjacent land in perpetuity, providing long-term benefits to salmon. An assessment is an important step in the conservation easement acquisition process, to negotiate terms of the conservation easement with the landowner, to investigate title encumbrances, to appraise the value of the conservation easement, and to develop the best restoration plan for the site. Blue Mountain Land Trust explored several easement options; completed a title search, draft easement, easement map, appraisal, and appraisal review; and began a hazardous substance assessment. However, while the landowner was interested, he chose not to pursue a conservation easement at this time. While the appraisal will need to be re-done, we are hopeful the easement acquisition will someday move forward. The family now has a better understanding of the salmon recovery grant process, the Blue Mountain Land Trust, and where a conservation easement may fit in their family estate planning. The landowner is very supportive of stream restoration on his property. With patience, I believe we can build on this work and successfully achieve both restoration AND permanent protection through a perpetual conservation easement.

Determine feasibility of protecting 145 acres of instream, riparian, and adjacent upland habitat.