Thursday, October 1, 2026
The City of Tumwater has secured a $1 million pledge from the Angela J. Bowen Conservancy Foundation to help the city acquire mitigation land as part of its proposed Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).
The funding would support the future purchase of a 300-acre area in southern Tumwater that would be set aside as habitat for federally protected species, according to a city press release issued on Monday Dec. 22.
The site is suitable for the Mazama pocket gopher and contains wetlands capable of supporting the Oregon spotted frog. Those species, along with the streaked horned lark and the Oregon vesper sparrow, are the four species covered by the city’s proposed HCP.
The purpose of a habitat conservation plan is to facilitate the development of areas where endangered species occur, while detailing the strategies for mitigating the impacts of such developments.
Securing land for mitigation would fulfill a requirement of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency responsible for approving HCPs.
In the press release, City Administrator Lisa Parks said the pledge represents an important early step toward completing the land purchase.
“The (foundation’s) contribution provides seed money as we work to raise the additional funds required to purchase the property and set it aside for wildlife,” Parks said.
She added that conserving the land would protect prairie habitat, while also enabling future growth in the city.
“If we can gather the funding and bring this habitat project to fruition, we will conserve prairie habitat that is crucial to nature in Tumwater. We will also unlock potential for commercial, housing, and other development that supports our distinct quality of life, creates jobs, and funds most aspects of the City’s work.," Parks said.
The city has been jointly developing its HCP with the Port of Olympia. Under the proposed HCP, the city intends to acquire 1,650 acres of prairie habitat over the next 30 years for conservation and sequestering greenhouse gases.
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SecondOtter
Where is this land? And what other spot will be developed because of it? If the POrt of Olympia is involved, I don't trust that their aquisition of over 1600 acres is going to actually happen. Nor is it contiguous land, It's ten acres here and fifteen over there. Such small lots aren't habitat...they're islands. It seems tome that every developer who wants farmland or habitat to build on finds the very same piece of 'mitigation land' to use as an excuse. Meaning, the same fifty acre lot is used over and over again as 'mitigation'.
Thursday, December 25, 2025 Report this
OlyBlues
Where exactly is this land located? Seems like basic information that should have been included in any article. Come on JOLT.
Friday, December 26, 2025 Report this
Southsoundguy
The government cannot conserve land.
Friday, December 26, 2025 Report this
Boatyarddog
Southsoundguy , WTF, are you talking about?
City of Oly has " conserved" lots of Lands, County too! Do you know what is being said here?
You been drinkin again?
Friday, December 26, 2025 Report this
Boatyarddog
SecondOtter, We Have 2 New Commissioners and they are proenviroment. The best is yet to come.
Friday, December 26, 2025 Report this
52237123abc
Chances are this is to benefit construction of the Rob Rice mini- town at 93rd and Old 99 and the City of Tumwaters proposed O&M.
These used to be Mazama Pocket Gopher preserves but as soon as someone with money or influence wants to build there the areas are rezoned.
Where are the new areas? Pretty sure they won’t be safe from rezoning again for long. Very sad.
Friday, December 26, 2025 Report this
CobraCommander
SouthSoundGuy again demonstrating his complete lack of understanding of anything
Saturday, December 27, 2025 Report this
Annierae
Often, conservation locations are not shared with the public in order to protect the property (ever hear of vandalism?) And hey commenters, no need to speculate on "what development it's for." This is to generate ESA mitigation credits for future development. If you want to know more about how it works, try doing a little reading. https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/community-planning-and-economic-development/community-planning/hot-topics/habitat-conservation-plan-hcp-home
Saturday, December 27, 2025 Report this
Lamlam
Yes this is cover, at other's expense, for the Rob Rice destruction. Rob Rice and ALL other developers should have to pay for themselves; to do otherwise contravenes our capitalist system. Why should taxpayers, donors, or the gifts to the public be made to benefit a private company? I know of this wonderful woman, and I'm quite sure the funds were meant to be used for PUBLIC benefit and the protection of habitat and lands OVER AND ABOVE that required for standard operations of government or private businesses.
Let me put it this way as example: If I donate $100 to the JAS animal shelter and that amount will is deducted from their budget funds, why would I do that? How the hell would that make a bit of sense? It wouldn't. And this lady wanted it used for additional preservation purposes - not to for it to remain at the base level required by various entities and function to enrich a company.
This destructional devevelopemnt is also benefiting by the **** not only of irreplaceable lands, but of the First People's homes here in this region of North America/Turtle Island. Upon finding out that the tract contains parts of a historic First People's trail, Rob Rice appropriated the name and history of the place to punch up sales, without asking local tribes and involved, and with NO benefit to those tribes - only HIS pocket. This is just plain vile. F this sh*t. Contact your commission to oppose this system.
Saturday, December 27, 2025 Report this
RondaLarsonKramer
It’s important for the public to be aware that the mitigation land need not even have gophers or other endangered species on it. The law allows Tumwater to purchase land that conceivably could support endangered species, and then kill all those species at the other properties, and call it equal. Habitat Conservation Plans are used in this way as a license to kill. One cannot easily establish a new pocket gopher population. Therefore, nothing guarantees that the mitigation land will ever successfully support the target species. I am putting this information out here so that the public is aware of this issue, as this unfortunate fact is often not mentioned when local governments celebrate their preservation decisions. The concept of an HCP may have been created by well-meaning people, but the tool is not always what it would appear to be at first glance. It’s more complex.
Sunday, December 28, 2025 Report this
Southsoundguy
lol okay
Monday, December 29, 2025 Report this