The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group used this funding to acquire a 20 acre parcel located in the heart of the lower Dewatto River spawning area. This acquisition was the first step toward protecting and preserving 12 miles of main stem river system habitat in the Hood Canal watershed.The project goal was to protect intact habitat from degradation and to protect salmon refugia and habitat. The Dewatto River System was the first project in Washington State to look at restoration and preservation of an entire watershed holistically and not just at one problem at a time. In the two years prior to this project, all major fish passage barriers have been removed from this system. The next step to insuring that the Dewatto River would remain as pristine as possible was by delineating a riparian corridor for the entire river through mapping, surveying, evaluating, estimating and purchasing conservation easements. Surveys, mapping and monitoring was carried out by students, interns and volunteers under the guidance of certified field professionals and followed protocols set down by various state agencies.