Squaxin Island Tribe used this funding for the second-to-last phase of a multi-phase approach to restoring a former cattle ranch to conditions that are more suitable for salmonids and other wildlife. In 1994, a Squaxin Island Tribe salmon habitat assessment showed segments of Skookum Creek were deficient in riparian cover and without adequate shade to maintain stream temperature and water quality standards on a regular basis. In addition, the survey identified that Skookum Creek lacked functional in-stream large woody debris (LWD) (Schuett-Hames et al, 1996). A 2005 assessment of salmonid habitat in Skookum Creek using Ecosystem Diagnostic and Treatment (EDT) modeling rated lower Skookum Creek as “poor” for abundance of functional key LWD pieces and for shade, and identified it as a priority area for restoration. Previous phases of the restoration work had planted trees and native shrubs in the riparian zone and placed large wood into the streambed as an interim fix until trees could reach sufficient size to provide large wood and shade. In this project, the Squaxin Island Tribe continued the process by rehabilitating the compacted soil and planting the entire south bank of the lower reach of Skookum Creek near Shelton. Fish expected to benefit from this project include Chinook, chum and coho salmon and cutthroat trout.