The Walla Walla County Conservation District has been working with private landowners in the Pine Creek drainage to restore and protect riparian habitat by aiding landowners enroll in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). The CREP program will help offset the costs related to landowners setting aside and restoring riparian lands for the purpose of improving wildlife habitat and water quality. Through this program the conservation districts have been able to restore and temporarily protect a large proportion of stream miles in sensitive salmon bearing streams.
The primary goals of the program are to limit agricultural activities with a prescribed riparian buffer where riparian forests are planted and protected for up to 5 years when the maintenance becomes the responsibility of the landowner. Restored areas are planted with a combination of woody trees and shrubs native to the region where they are being planted.
This project will be an ongoing project as landowners change and new individuals enroll or past participants reenroll in the program. Only new enrollees adding new lands or increasing acres will be added to the overall recovery goal for CREP.