The Elwha River is home to one of the world’s largest habitat restoration projects and the Land Trust is committed to this effort by permanently protecting properties along the river outside of Olympic National Park for salmon habitat.
Jim and Karen Weaver, who operate Wild Edge Farm along the Elwha, are proud that this land features some of the highest prioritized habitat for the recovering salmon population. The Weavers are committed to regenerative organic farming and caring for the land and “wild edges” that surround them, which led them to us.
Jim and Karen Weaver, photo by Isaac Gautschi
River view looking south, by Isaac Gautschi
“[We] are drawn to experiencing the re-wilding of the Elwha River ecosystem, allowing all to thrive,” the Weavers said.
On May 25, 2022, the Land Trust and the Weavers signed an agreement for the Land Trust to permanently protect this salmon habitat, making it the Land Trust’s 80th conservation easement on the Olympic Peninsula. This agreement ensures the river will be able to flow freely across the land and create additional habitat, and permanently protects key cultural resources of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Additionally, Wild Edge Farm received funding to support its mission of providing fresh locally grown food to the community.
This project would not have been possible without the support from our community and multiple funding partners which include:
- Land Trust Alliance’s Pacific Northwest Resilient Landscape Initiative,
- Local supporters of the North Olympic Land Trust’s Resilient Rivers campaign in 2021,
- Recreation and Conservation Office’s Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration fund, allocated by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and the North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entity.
We would also like to thank the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe for their invaluable support in this project.
Landowners committed to conservation like the Weavers and our community’s outstanding support made this easement possible. There are more great opportunities ahead, and we are grateful to the entire community for helping make permanent conservation on the Elwha River happen!