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	Sept. 18, 2002 Sims recommends protection of ecological lands King County Executive Ron Sims today recommended acquiring $6.5 million in ecological lands to protect environmentally sensitive open spaces, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat. The land will be paid for with existing Conservation Futures Funds. "These habitat lands are an investment in our region to ensure we can protect our environment and maintain a wonderful quality of life here," said Sims. The lands include projects in Seattle and the suburban cities that would create new urban spaces in growing cities. These important ecological lands will also benefit endangered fish and help the region meet federal Endangered Species Act and State Growth Management Act requirements. Conservation Futures Funds are a dedicated portion of existing property taxes in King County and are available only for the acquisition of open space lands. A citizens' committee reviewed nearly $11 million in requests last spring and recommended funding for 31 of the 35 applicant projects in a competitive process. The King County Council will review the proposals tomorrow. Photo of Issaquah Creek at Log Cabin Reach where the county is seeking to acquire eight parcels containing mature forests along the creek 1 1/4-mile portion of the creek. The riparian area provides critical salmon spawning and rearing habitat, and supports wildlife like black bear, elk and bald eagles. [Enlarged view, 168K] Highlights include: Protection of habitat lands critical to endangered fish and other wildlife that represent high priorities along the Cedar River, the Snoqualmie River, on Icy Creek in the Upper Green River, on Issaquah Creek, Patterson Creek, Cottage Lake Creek, and on Newaukum Creek near Enumclaw. Acquisition of nearshore habitat on Maury Island to protect the State of Washington-designated Maury Island Aquatic Preserve. Acquisition of development rights to help retain rural forestry near Sugarloaf Mountain in southeast King County, as well as rural forestry land that links public lands between Mitchell Hill and Grand Ridge in the Mountains to Sound Greenway Corridor. Several important new green spaces within Seattle's urban villages, including the Northgate, Central Area, Crown Hill and Ballard urban villages; a small waterfront access park on the Duwamish Waterway in the Georgetown community and a 2/3-acre addition to the City's Thornton Creek holdings in northeast Seattle. Suburban city projects like the acquisition of property at Bellevue's Meydenbauer Bay Park; an addition to Cedar Creek Park in Covington that contains a branch of Jenkins Creek; an 18-acre farm in a rapidly urbanizing area of Renton overlooking the Green River Valley; a wooded buffer for Paramount Park in Shoreline; Grandmother's Hill in Tukwila, a native cultural heritage site; a green buffer on the Sammamish Valley regional trail in Redmond; and Clark Lake Park on the rapidly developing east Kent plateau. The committee reviewed applications based on quality of the projects, the threat of loss of critical open space resources, matching fund opportunities, the willingness of property sellers, previous allocations of Conservation Futures Funds to a jurisdiction, and geographic equity in the distribution of funds. Suburban cities would receive $1.93 million for 10 projects, the City of Seattle $2.29 million for 11 projects, and King County $2.325 million for 10 projects. Updated: Sept. 19, 2002 Executive's home Executive's news Executive's site map | E-mail the Executive King County | Executive | News | Services | Comments | Search Links to external sites do not constitute endorsements by King County. By visiting this and other King County web pages, you expressly agree to be bound by terms and conditions of the site. The details.