Broughton Ranch Habitat Management

This diverse 38,000 acre property near Dayton in the south eastern part of the state was Stewardship Partners’ first project. We were instrumental in securing $100,000 from the Senate Interior Subcommittee on Appropriations. The funding provided for the baseline assessments, the initial step towards a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), a long term agreement with the federal agencies US Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries authorized under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The landscape is a range of farmland, rangeland and forest land. Several tributaries weave their way through the property providing valuable habitat for endangered steelhead and bull trout. There are additional sensitive areas that provide habitat for endangered species.

Knowing their land was habitat to protected species, stimulated this landowner initiative and our assistance. Starting back in 1999, all the sensitive areas on the property have been identified. Then, the landowner began to work closely with the South East Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group, Walla Walla Conservation District and Natural Resource Conservation Service to identify relevant state and federal programs. This assistance has resulted in the fencing of three miles of stream corridor and the opening of two fish migration barriers that until now blocked over 32 miles of steelhead and bull trout habitat.

By engaging in these projects and working with community groups and local agencies the landowner h as taken care of sensitive areas. The happy result is that present and future "takings" under the ESA have been preempted and the expensive and time consuming pursuit of an HCP is no longer needed.