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 Seattle City Light
News Release |
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Seattle City Light and Skagit Trust Save Land from Development |
For Immediate Release:
11/14/2005 4:00:00 PM |
For More Information Contact:
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Seattle City Light and Skagit Trust Save Land from Development
Seattle City Light is saving 235 acres of Skagit farmland and riverfront property from any future development by granting a conservation easement to the Skagit Land Trust. The easement is a permanent landholder preservation agreement, which ensures that the shoreline and broad floodplain habitat is protected.
The property, Iron Mountain Ranch, encompasses two miles of shoreline on the south bank of the Skagit River, 7 miles west of Concrete. This reach of the river includes some of the most important spawning areas for Chinook salmon and steelhead in the lower and middle Skagit.
Skagit Land Trust is a private nonprofit organization. Executive Director Molly Doran said, "We are very pleased that both salmon recovery and agriculture are viewed as complementary aspects of Iron Mountain Ranch's makeup."
Jorge Carrasco, superintendent of Seattle City Light, agreed. "The Skagit experienced some of the healthiest Chinook runs in the past 20 years this fall, proving again that we can have plentiful power and fish. Our partnership with Skagit Land Trust will help to further protect and restore our Skagit salmon."
The ranch's former owner, Richard Hoy and his family, wanted the property protected from development but it took five years to realize that goal. Skagit Land Trust initially worked with Hoy and the U.S. Forest Service but was unable to obtain federal funding. Seattle City Light then quickly arranged a funding package and purchased the land in 2004 as part of its Endangered Species Act Early Action Program for salmon habitat protection. The purchase was made with help from a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant.
Ending development rights is one of the easement's conditions, as required by Skagit County, in exchange for permission to segregate the two miles of floodplain property from the ranch's uplands and buildings, which remain in private ownership.
Shoreline areas affected by prior land use are being restored with native plants under a grant from the Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board. City Light also plans to continue agricultural activities on the property alongside the restoration project.
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