State highlights landowner program with new video

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Any small forest landowner knows that stewardship is a demanding but rewarding job, and it often feels like there isn’t enough time to get everything done on your own.

The state of Washington is stepping in to offer some help. With new funding from the Legislature, the state Department of Natural Resources has revitalized the Family Forest Fish Passage Program, which aids small forest landowners in replacing fish culverts and other stream crossings.

Since 2003, nearly 200 landowners have taken advantage of the program and replaced nearly 250 barriers and opened more than 500 miles of stream habitat. With the new funding, the state plans to complete 200 more projects over the next two years – a commitment that is music to the ears of family landowners.

“It’s a win win: the landowner gets a great structure that they never could afford otherwise, and the fish get a better stream.” 

– Holly Koon and Max Duncan

“All parties involved in this project were excellent to work with. We have a quality bridge that will last forever.” 

– Ron Roberts

The state just released a video, produced by DNR, Fish and Wildlife and the Recreation and Conservation Office, to tell landowners how the Family Forest Fish Passage Program works. To sign up for the program, go here.

In the video, Rick Kuykendall of DNR explains why the “3F 2P” program (FFFPP) is so important.

“For the moms and pops (landowners), when you’re asking them to put in a $20,000 bridge, it’s a problem. So this program was created to alleviate that financial burden.”

Click here to watch the video on YouTube.