CONSERVATION FUTURES: BUILDING A COMMUNITY LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS In the effort to preserve and enhance environmentally sensitive properties as well as sites providing opportunities for passive recreation, Clark County enacted by resolution its Conservation Futures Open Space Program in 1985. This program places a 6-1/4 cent per thousand dollar assessed value property tax on all taxable properties in the county, and dedicates these funds to the acquisition of farm, forest, open space and recreation lands. A citizen-based Conservation Futures Advisory Committee reviews and prioritizes all projects submitted by the county, towns, cities and other eligible jurisdictions. Following this review, the Board of Clark County Commissioners makes a final decision on project funding. Over 3,800 acres acquired to date. Since its enactment, the Conservation Futures Open Space Program has helped acquire over 3,800 acres of high-quality shorelines, greenways, open space, and fish and wildlife habitat. Acquisitions include property on almost every major lake and river system in the county, and such notable sites as Camp Currie, Eagle Island, Frenchman’s Bar and Lucia Falls. These sites not only protect critical fish and wildlife habitat and preserve our forests and shorelands, they provide excellent opportunities for hiking, fishing, swimming, picnicking, canoeing, kayaking and wildlife viewing. Agencies and organizations that have received Conservation Futures funds include Clark County, the cities of Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground and Washougal, and the Columbia Land Trust. In addition, Conservation Futures expenditures have helped generate over $16 million in matching grants to increase the purchasing power of the program. AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD OF SUCCESSFUL ACQUISITIONS The figures below are based on total acquisitions since 1985. Projects: 33 Acres: 3,800 Matching Conservation Grants Futures 43% 57% Conservation Futures: $21.7 million Matching Grants: $16.7 million Total Expenditures: $38.4 million 1. Eagle These river 12. Moulton Falls Addition 54 acres Island sections of forested shoreline immediately down- 259-acre also support stream of Moulton Falls Park at the island in threatened Lewis & Clark Railroad crossing. The North salmon and site, which covers both sides of the river, Fork steelhead. is a key link in the Lucia-to-Moulton Lewis Falls Trail corridor and is also part of a 7. Lower River larger park Daybreak 112 acres on East Fork that pro- and green- Lewis River. The site provides rearing vides critical rearing habitat for threat- way system and spawning habitat for salmon and ened salmon and steelhead, including the that offers steelhead, and includes over 4,000 feet last viable run of wild fall Chinook in the many oppor- of bank access for fishing. lower Columbia system. The island also tunities for supports deer, bald eagles, osprey, river 8. Lewis River Ranch 89-acre river- hiking, otter, raccoon and many other species. front property that extends along the picnicking, The acquisition includes a 20-acre main- north side of East Fork Lewis from wildlife land parcel. Daybreak to Lewisville Park. This river viewing and fishing. reach provides critical spawning habitat 2. Haapa 13. The Oaks 13 acres of park and for Chinook salmon and supports many 5-acre open space land north of Maple Grove other fish and wildlife species. The site addition Elementary and Middle School. Situated provides excellent opportunities for out- to 15-acre in a heavily developed area, the site door education and wildlife viewing. Haapa consists of open fields and a stand of Park on 9. Lucia Falls (North) 26 acres on mature oak trees that is a signature the North East Fork Lewis at historic Lucia Falls feature in the city of Battle Ground. Fork Lewis River. The site provides Park. Lucia Falls is a major staging area 14. Lewis and Clark Regional Trail opportunities for fishing, wading, wildlife for salmon Corridor The acquisition of reversionary viewing, picnicking and boat access. and steel- rights in over 25 parcels totaling 122 head, and 3. Paradise Bluffs 33 acres of wet- acres will help allow full use of the the park is lands, riparian and upland forests on the railroad corridor for trail and open also now a East Fork Lewis River across from space purposes. The corridor extends designated Paradise Point State Park. 25 miles from Vancouver to Chelatchie salmon Prairie, and is part of a designated 4. Lower East Fork Lewis River sanctuary, regional trails system. Greenway 246 acres between Paradise with great Point State Park and La Center Bridge. opportunities for picnicking, hiking and 15. Frenchman’s Bar 152 acres The site includes two miles of shoreline wildlife viewing. on the and extensive upland forests and meadows, Columbia 10. Lucia Falls (South) 35 acres of with great views of the Cascade River three shoreline, hillside and benches, dominated Mountains. miles east by Douglas fir forest. The site is located of down- 5. La Center Bottoms 119 acres of imme- town wetlands, meadows and forested hillsides diately Vancouver. south of La Center. The site offers trails across With its and from sand beach, viewing Lucia forested uplands, open pasture and blinds, Falls more than two miles of shorelands, the and is Park. site provides opportunities for swimming, one of County wading, picnicking, hiking, fishing and three owner- wildlife viewing. state- ships desig- bracket the river, creating a protected 16. Frenchman’s Bar Trail nated salmon sanctuary. 48-acre trail and open space corridor “Watchable Wildlife Sites” in the county. that connects Vancouver Lake and 11. Upper East Fork Lewis River 6. Lower East Fork Lewis Wildlife Greenway 67.5 acres between Lucia Area 735 acres of diverse fish and and Moulton Falls on south side East wildlife habitat that Washington State Fork Lewis. The scenic Lucia-to-Moulton has designated as priority habitat for Falls Trail runs through the site, which wintering bald eagles and large includes forested hillsides and benches – concentrations of migratory waterfowl. and is part of a larger park and greenway system that includes over 500 acres. Frenchman’s Bar Parks along the north 22. Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway 28. Camp Currie 249 acres of riparian side of Vancouver Lake Flushing Channel. 14 acres and forested uplands, with two miles of The multi-use trail serving hikers, bikers of shore- shoreline on Lacamas Lake and Lacamas and equestrians is a major link in the line and Creek. Columbia River Renaissance Trail. forested Camp uplands Currie 17. Vancouver Lake Lowlands along Youth 692 acres of shoreline, wetlands, forested Burnt Camp is hillsides, meadows and farm and pasture Bridge located land on Vancouver Lake, Lake River and Creek at the lower Salmon Creek. The properties are between south used heavily by geese and ducks, sandhill SR-500 and Falk Road. Parcels are a key end of cranes, great blue heron, bald eagles, link in Vancouver’s Burnt Bridge Creek the property. The site provides opportuni- red-tailed hawks, beaver, deer and many Greenway and are connected by trail to ties for picnicking, canoeing, fishing and other fish and wildlife species. Arnold and Leverich Parks. wildlife viewing. 18. Vancouver Lake Urban Wildlife 23. Burnt Bridge Creek Lettuce 29. Washougal River Greenway Habitat 310 acres Fields 15 acres of bottomlands, farm (Lower) 58 acres of gravel beaches at the south end of and uplands in the Burnt Bridge Creek and uplands on the lower Washougal Vancouver Lake and corridor between Divine Road and inside Camas city limits. Parcels are key north of Vancouver Meadow Brook Marsh. Properties are links in an 150-acre greenway system Lake Park. Parcels key links in the 7-mile Burnt Bridge that provides opportunities for fishing, are links in a park Creek Greenway System. wading, swimming, hiking, picnicking and greenway system and wildlife viewing. Lower Washougal that extends almost 24. East Greenway connects to Lacamas Tree the entire distance Biddle Lake Farm, around 2,800-acre 10 acres at the Lacamas Vancouver Lake. east end of Lake Columbia 19. Cougar Creek Greenway Park Springs Two acres of creek bottoms and hillside and the Environmental property between Hazel Dell Avenue and Lacamas Education Salmon Creek Greenway. The property Heritage Center. The provides habitat for a variety of song- Trail. site includes birds and other wildlife in a heavily the largest of developed urban setting. 30. Washougal River Greenway five ponds (Upper) 10.5 acres of shoreline 20. Salmon Creek Greenway that are part of the Vancouver Hatchery property between Vernon Road Bridge 63 acres of shoreline, wetlands, meadows and Education Center. and the Washington Department of Fish and uplands between Salmon Creek Park 25. Columbia Shoreline at 164th and Wildlife County Line Access Area, and NW 36th Avenue. Parcels provide One-half mile of shorelands and tidelands including Big Eddy at the mouth of key links in a 3-mile, 436-acre greenway on the Columbia River immediately Winkler Creek. The site supports system. The greenway and adjacent downstream of 164th Avenue. The threatened runs of Chinook and regional park offer opportunities for property consists of a sand beach with steelhead and many other fish and hiking, fishing, swimming, picnicking a 2.5-acre upland parcel at the end of wildlife species. and wildlife viewing. 164th Avenue. 31. Rolling Meadows 14.7 acres 21. Brush Prairie 84 acres of pasture 26. Ostenson Canyon 12 acres of in northeast Washougal consisting of and forestlands north of Laurin open space and urban forest that are part open meadows and mixed upland Intermediate and Glenwood Heights of the City of Camas’s 70-acre Ostenson forest. Campen Creek flows along Elementary School. Acquisitions border Creek Greenway. The site includes a the west boundary. Loretta year-round stream, heavily forested Norene 32. Campen Creek 13.7 acres in greenbelt and valuable wildlife habitat Forest southeast Washougal.