C.P. (COOPERATIVE PROJECTS) --
PROJECTS IN THE CHANNELED SCABLANDS

The INWC develops and completes wildlife habitat projects in the channeled scablands of Eastern Washington, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management (one of the principal single landowners) and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Funding for the habitat projects comes from grants managed by the WDFW.

Historically, the Channeled Scabland projects have included:

1. tree and shrub planting;
2. agricultural fence removal;
3. construction of "wildlife friendly" fencing to manage both human and livestock traffic;
4. "guzzler" construction to manage water distribution for wildlife;
5. historic site improvements to manage human traffic;
6. construction of outhouses and observation sites to manage human intrusions into the wildlife habitat;
7. assembly and installation of wheelchair accessible "fishing" docks;
8. assisting with research and habitat projects for scablands and shrub steppe (game and non-game) species.

In 2004 the Channeled Scablands Committee has already assisted an Eagle Scout candidate with construction of several large bat nursery boxes (each of which can accommodate dozens of bats and their offspring) for the BLM to install on various sites, and provided several individuals to assist with research observation of mating sage grouse. Sage grouse are a species of concern due dwindling habitat and shrinking populations.

Further projects will be announced as plans are finalized for the coming months. The Channeled Scablands Committee is also supporting and assisting the Upland Bird Committee with guzzler construction projects in our overlapping areas of interest.

Richard G. Mathisen,
Channeled Scablands Project Chair
(509) 838-3987 (home)
(509) 477-4813 (work)