By Darcy Batura, Forests Partnerships Manager
A recent Nature Conservancy acquisition near Roslyn may be small – just 20 acres—but it has a mighty impact.
The property connects the Roslyn Urban Forest to the Central Cascades Forest managed by the Conservancy, and thus creating a forested connection from the town to the Teanaway Community Forest and ultimately the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
As a 15-year resident of Roslyn, I’m thrilled to see TNC secure this land. It was a strategic purchase in a key location that provides connection to so many other important conservation and recreation lands.
This acquisition complements a community wide effort to build a regional trail system, the Towns to Teanaway Project, that will link Roslyn, Ronald and Cle Elum to the public lands beyond.
A trail winds through the forested property that connects the Roslyn Urban Forest to the Central Cascades Forest managed by The Nature Conservancy. © Brian Straniti/TNC
The community’s vision is to link together these trails so those of us who live here can continue to roam into the back country despite the development pressure on upper Kittitas County The regional trail system has been a goal for decades—it was identified in a 2005 Roslyn community visioning workshop in which I participated, long before I came to work at the Conservancy.
In addition to securing a permanent access for trails, this acquisition will reduce recreational pressure on wildlife corridors identified in the Towns to Teanaway conceptual trail plan..
TNC looks forward to managing the property as part of its Central Cascades Forest holdings and its eventual inclusion in a central cascades community forest currently being developed by the Checkerboard Partnership.
The Nature Conservancy was able to purchase the land thanks to a generous bequest from a longtime donor.
Banner photo of Lake Cle Elum © Benj Drummond with aerial support provided by Lighthawk.
