DESCRIPTION
In 2011, Capitol Land Trust and numerous project partners worked with the owner of the 720-acre Black River Farm to permanently conserve the property. Located along the banks of the Black River and Mima Creek in the Black River sub-basin of the Chehalis River Watershed, Black River Farm was split into two tracts. The conservation partners purchased outright a 211-acre riparian and wetland buffer directly adjacent to the Black River, and placed a perpetual conservation easement on the remaining 510 acres of farmland. The conservation easement property includes 2,900 feet of Mima Creek, which is the focus of this restoration grant proposal. The easement requires a permanent 100-ft wide setback of agricultural activities along Mima Creek, an area that was previously farmed, and Capitol Land Trust is seeking funds to fully revegetate and restore the 100-ft riparian buffer.
Capitol Land Trust undertook a riparian restoration project on Mima Creek, just above its confluence with the Black River, near Littlerock, WA. Control of invasive reed canary grass was undertaken as part of the project and an assessment of the cultural resources onsite was completed. The project also installed native plants along the eastern shoreline of Mima Creek in order to create a self-sustaining and functional riparian buffer along the creek measuring 100 ft wide by approx. 2,900 feet. Priority species included coho, fall chinook, chum salmon, cutthroat and winter steelhead.
