Map courtesy Nisqually Land Trust

My wife and I spent a delightful day with the Nisqually Land Trust’s (NLT) river-rafting float trip of the Nisqually River, NLT being one of the stewards working to protect the river’s watershed (see map above)!

After assembling at Wilcox Farm at 9am, the group was bussed to the put-in point at Nisqually-Mashel State Park, near Eatonville. Our bus passed through the recently restored Ohop Valley, part of the Puget Sound and its tributaries salmon recovery area, where we were updated on this project.
Read more on the salmon recovery efforts in the Ohop Valley, covered here October 17, 2010.

Photo courtesy Nisqually Land Trust

Participants filled 7 rafts and journeyed 13 miles down a remote, mostly undisturbed stretch of the Nisqually. Along the way we saw sweeping undeveloped landscapes, including some of the Trusts conservation lands, wild animals and birds while enjoying the quiet, only broken by the rustling of the wind through the cottonwoods.

Half way through the journey, we were served a wonderful lunch on-shore. Our trip ended approximately 4pm back at Wilcox Farm, where our vehicles were waiting for us.

We were joined on the trip Land Trust Staff, including the NLT president since the 1989 formation, George Walter, NLT Executive Director Joe Kane, NLT Board Member J. W. Foster, Land Steward Joe Kennedy, Administrative Assistant/Field Technician Candi Ziegert & several other NLT personnel, who provided color and insights with their commentary along the way, staffing each raft.

About the Nisqaully Land Trust
“The Nisqually Land Trust acquires and manages critical lands to permanently protect the water, wildlife, natural areas, and scenic vistas of the Nisqually River watershed.

The Nisqually Land Trust was established in 1989 to protect wildlife habitat threatened by the consequences of rapid population growth. Today it conserves and restores over 3,400 acres in the Nisqually watershed,” quoting the website.

Read more and enroll in the river rafting trip of the lower Nisqually, Saturday July 24.

Read more and enroll for the Nisqually River Hike, Saturday, August 6.

Read more and sign-up for volunteer opportunities.

How You Can Help
Read more on the various ways of giving to help purchase, protect, restore and manage natural areas and wildlife habitat in the Nisqually River Basin.

WON’T YOU CONSIDER GIVING TO PROTECT THIS VITAL NATURAL RESOURCE AT OUR DOORSTEP?

TELL THE NISQUALLY LAND TRUST YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!