Dugualla Flats
- Status: Protected in 2008
- Location: North Whidbey Island
- Acreage: 39 acres
Public Benefits
Wildlife habitat, wetlands and streams, habitat restoration, and future use for education, bird watching and other appropriate uses
Description
Located next to Dugualla Lake on the north end of Whidbey Island, the Land Trust purchased this land to protect open space, water quality and wildlife habitat.
Dugualla Flats provides habitat for a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl migrating through the Dugualla Bay area including: Snow Geese, Western Sandpiper, Dunlin, and many duck species. Acquisition of the property will protect feeding and resting areas for these and other birds and helps safeguard water quality in Dugualla Lake and Dugualla Bay.
This purchase was made possible by a $60,000 grant from the Island County Conservation Futures grant fund. This grant was matched by funds from the Whidbey Camano Land Trust and a $7,000 grant from a consortium of Ducks Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Pacific Coast Joint Venture.
The acquision is an exciting first step of a multi-phased project undertaken by the Land Trust that, if successful, will result in a total of 150 acres protected for wildlife habitat, water quality and flow, and open space protection. Funding for the next steps in the project will be provided by the Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board with matching funds still needed from private donations.
Dugualla Flats has been in farmland use since at least the 1930s when a nearby dike was constructed. The Land Trust will prepare a management and stewardship plan to determine the future uses of the property. Initial plans include enhancing the freshwater habitat and protecting water quality. Public access to the property is not permitted at this time. However, the public may still view birds from the adjacent public road right-of-way.
