Wildlife habitat nearly in hand

The public is on the verge of owning a $9.1 million stretch of wildlife-rich wetlands between Horseshoe and Fan lakes, about 18 miles southwest of Newport.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has negotiated options with a private group to purchase 2,772 acres along the West Branch of the Little Spokane River in Pend Oreille County.

The first phase of the purchase, selling for $3.38 million and covering 1,079 acres just south of Horseshoe Lake, was approved Friday by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission during its meeting in Colville.

The acquisition is unlikely to be surveyed and complete until July, said Brian Trickel, a Spokane-based lands supervisor for the state agency. Funding came from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, which is subsidized by the state Legislature, he said.

The second phase, which would connect the state property south to Fan Lake just 30 miles north of Spokane, won’t be funded and completed for about a year, he said.

The state is purchasing the land from Rustler’s Gulch Syndicate through Spokane real estate broker Marshall Clark. Partners in the syndicate group will still own much of the land in the area.

“One of the members approached the Fish and Wildlife Department several years ago when he was in his late 90s,” said Trickel, who’s been involved in the negotiations for more than two years. “He knew the wildlife values of the land and didn’t want to see the land developed. He has passed away, but the group continued to follow his wishes.”

Partners in the group could not be contacted this week for comment.

The property’s mix of streams, wetlands, beaver ponds, lakes, aspens, cottonwoods and coniferous forests will become the closest state-managed wildlife recreation area to Spokane. Hunting, fishing and other wildlife recreation will be allowed, although some restrictions may be set on motorized travel.

“This is a big win for the public,” Clark said. “But God help them on how they’re going to protect it from some of the disrespectful people who go up there.”

Clark said vehicle trespassing, unauthorized off-trail ATV use and timber theft have been problems for private landowners in the area.

“We’ll be doing a lot of posting and fencing,” Trickel said. “People will need to know where they can go, since the wildlife lands will still be inside private lands.”

State biologists have already documented the land’s value to a wide range of wildlife, including moose, elk, white-tailed deer, black bear, cougar, turkey, mountain grouse, golden and bald eagles and various hawks and owls, bats, dozens of songbirds and migratory birds.

The land deals will guarantee future public access to Horseshoe and Blue lakes, and especially to Fan Lake, where the lease for the public boat launch area expires in seven years, Trickel said.

State ownership will preclude development that could degrade the lowland area’s value as winter range and a wildlife travel corridor, according to Howard Ferguson and Karen Divens, state biologists.

And the West Branch of the Little Spokane River will remain open to the public, unlike much of the Little Spokane River, which is considered private.

The commission meeting continues today.