Cooperative Effort Secures 50K Acres of Teanaway Land

Hikers and other recreational trail users have something big to celebrate this week, the purchase of 50,272 acres in the Teanaway region by Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.

The Sept. 30 purchase secures a popular area of forest and shrub-steep lands that have been under heavy development pressure. The Teanaway is enormously important to hikers, as it is easy to access from many central and western Washington communities, and provides a variety of trail experiences on a beautiful landscape.

Cooperation preserves recreation lands, Yakima River headwaters

The Teanaway acquisition reflects more than a decade of collaboration between a diverse group of stakeholders from state and local governments, agriculture interests, tribes and non-profits to address water and fish issues in the Yakima Basin. The largest single land transaction in Washington state in 45 years, the purchase has been a key component of the Yakmia Basin Integrated Plan because, in part, the headwaters to the Yakima River start in the Teanaway region.

“The Teanaway Community Forest is one of the most beloved landscapes in Washington, and it will be cared for and managed for years to come to reflect the values and priorities of the community that has worked so hard to protect it,” said Peter Goldmark, Commissioner of Public Lands for the state of Washington. “That’s the beauty of the Community Forest Trust model: it allows local communities to help protect the forests they love.”

The Teanaway Community Forest will be managed collaboratively by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, with input from the local community and interested stakeholders.

Read more:

>> Read more about the land acquisition.

>> You can learn more about hiking in the Teanaway in our hiking guide.

>> Learn more about the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan.

Click to download the full map from the Department of Natural Resources and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.