Peninsula on Anderson Island to become wildlife habitat

Tacoma News Tribune, Jan 2, 2012

By Christian Hill
 

The Anderson Island Park and Recreation District has acquired an 82-acre peninsula on the south side of the island, once targeted for a Christian youth camp, and will permanently protect it as wildlife habitat with limited public recreation.

The district plans to develop a trail, a stop for kayaks and canoes, interpretive signs and viewpoints on the property, known as Jacobs Point.

Forterra, formerly known as Cascade Land Conservancy, arranged the property purchase with grants from the state and Pierce County and assigned the land to the park district prior to the sale closing Dec. 20.

The property includes one mile of unaltered shoreline along Oro Bay, mature forested uplands and wetlands, and views of Puget Sound and Mount Rainier. It provides habitat for endangered Chinook, chum and pink salmon.

“It’s one of those legacy projects that future generations will really be able to enjoy,” said Ryan Mello, Pierce County conservation director for Forterra and a Tacoma city councilman.

Forterra is leading an effort, known as the Cascade Agenda, to conserve nearly 1.3 million acres of forest, farmland, shoreline and natural areas.

The park district on Anderson Island purchased the property for $1.8 million. Pierce County contributed $1 million through its conservation futures program authorized under state law; the county collects 6.25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value toward the preservation of open space, forests and other critical areas.

The $1 million state grant paid for the remaining acquisition with money set aside to develop property for public access.

Park Commissioner Rick Anderson said the Jacobs family owned the land for about 100 years before donating it in 1987 to Young Life, a Christian youth ministry. Plans to develop a camp never materialized, and Anderson approached Young Life in the early 1990s about taking over the property.

Those talks went nowhere, Anderson said, until Young Life resurrected the discussions several years ago. Forterra wrote the grant applications and served as the park district’s representative during negotiations, Mello said.

The property is completely undeveloped. The only evidence of the Jacobs’ old homestead is a chimney covered with fern and moss, said Carol Paschal, board chairwoman of the park district.

Jacobs Point is next to two other district parks, Andy’s Marine Park and Andy’s Wildlife Park, each with their own trails.

“There will be three connected parks here so people can go on some very long walks if they want,” Paschal said.

Forterra, the county and the state have been active in other parts of the county, as well. They worked collaboratively to protect the 94-acre Devils Head property on the Key Peninsula last year and are working to set aside 500 acres of Orting Valley farmland.

“This is another success story with our partners at Forterra and the state,” Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy said in a statement.