$22 million in federal funding set to expand public lands in Chelan County

LEAVENWORTH — A recent appropriations bill earmarked $22 million for the acquisition of new public lands within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest area, increasing access to nature and recreation, conserving natural landscapes, and strengthening wildfire risk reduction efforts.

“This purchase is a big win for local birders, hunters, and hikers, and it will help us preserve salmon habitat and prevent wildfires in the area,” Senator Maria Cantwell, who advocated for the funding, said in an announcement.

According to Sen. Cantwell’s office, the funding supports a $17 million land purchase and a $5 million land purchase, both of privately-owned parcels near Leavenworth in the Upper Wenatchee River watershed. The funding is expected to secure at least 11,000 acres, which would be managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

According to Peter Dykstra of the Trust for Public Land, the entirety of the $22 million has yet to be officially designated to specific acquisitions, but that the appraisal process had already begun for parcels along Entiat Ridge. The purchase would guide the next steps on the acquisition of additional parcels, which are primarily located east of Chumstick Highway, Spromberg Canyon, and Coulter (near the US-2 Rest Area). Dykstra told Ward Media that those details would likely be confirmed this fall or early next year.

The $22 million comes from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), established by Congress in the 1960s to use offshore oil and gas royalties to protect public lands, wildlife habitat and recreation areas. Because of this, it does not burden taxpayers or add to the national deficit. Since its inception, it has supported more than 42,000 projects in communities throughout the country, including more than $725 million in over 700 projects in Washington state, according to Cantwell’s office.

The funding is just one piece of a decade-long effort to secure public lands, originally outlined in the 2016 Upper Wenatchee Community Lands Plan and led by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Chelan County, Chinook Forest Partners (CFP) and local community organizations.

The plan surveyed 850,000 acres of the Upper Wenatchee River basin, stretching from Cashmere to Stevens Pass. While about 84 percent of the land was already protected, such as national forest or state park designations, remaining private parcels created a patchwork, or “checkerboard,” of public and private ownership that has complicated recreation access, wildfire management and wildlife protection.

According to Dykstra, much of the private land has “moved from timber company to timber company over the years,” and often sold off in smaller pieces. Project leaders have targeted these fragmented properties, which may no longer make sense for private ownership, but could improve continuity for public goals: expanding trail access and recreation, supporting the local economy, protecting wildlife habitat, and boosting wildfire resilience with community input.

The project has already made significant strides. Prior LWCF funding helped the group secure 11,520 acres last fall, including land in the Blewett Pass area and part of the Horse Lake Mountain summit, the connection between No. 2 Canyon and Sage Hills trails, and a vital link to a 50-mile trail system west of Wenatchee.

Mitsu Iwasaki, TPL Associate Vice President and Northwest Director, called the acquisition a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect a landscape that’s essential to the region’s identity and future,” expressing gratitude for the collaboration between partners and the broader community.

“Protecting these lands in the Upper Wenatchee watershed means ensuring local families, wildlife, and economies can thrive together, expanding opportunities for people to connect with the natural world around them and building room for resilience in the face of growing wildfire risks,” said Iwasaki.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media