Kennedy Creek Natural Area Preserve

Kennedy Creek Natural Area Preserve
Protected area
Country United States
State Washington
Region Southwest Washington
Location Near Kamilche, Washington
 - coordinates 47°05′42″N 123°04′48″W / 47.095°N 123.080°W / 47.095; -123.080Coordinates: 47°05′42″N 123°04′48″W / 47.095°N 123.080°W / 47.095; -123.080
Area 203 acres (82 ha)
Biome Puget Trough ecoregion, intertidal salt marsh
Founded 1999[1]
Management Washington Department of Natural Resources
Location of Kennedy Creek Natural Area Preserve in Washington
Website: dnr.wa.gov

Kennedy Creek Natural Area Preserve is a state-protected Natural Area near US Highway 101 on Oyster Bay, Puget Sound, in southwest Washington state, USA. The preserve is on the border of Thurston County and Mason County and contains 203 acres (82 ha) of intertidal salt marsh and upland forest.[2]

The Area is located approximately 100 yards from the junction of U.S. Highway 101 and Old Olympic Highway, about a 15-minute drive from Washington's capital city of Olympia. Parking areas are located on the side of Old Olympic Highway, and a short all-weather pedestrian trail leads to an improved wildlife viewing and interpretive area. The Preserve is visited by large numbers of migratory waterfowl, especially in winter months. Birding is best on a falling tide.

Kennedy Creek, whose headwaters are 500-foot (150 m) Summit Lake in the Black Hills,[3] is one of the largest Chum salmon spawning areas in the lower Puget Sound,[4] and has a genetically distinct run of Chum salmon.[1] A forest trail about 1 mile (1.6 km) up from Oyster Bay along Kennedy Creek was opened in 2000 for salmon viewing during spawning season.[5]

A $1 million expansion of the area has been proposed and is pending legislative action.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Estuarine NAPs". Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  2. ↑ Kennedy Creek NAP, Washington Department of Natural Resources
  3. ↑ Summit Lake environmental assessment, Washington Department of Ecology, 1997, retrieved 2012-12-21
  4. ↑ Christopher Smith; Laura Ritter, Engineering with Nature: Alternative Techniques to Riprap Bank Stabilization, Federal Emergency Management Agency
  5. ↑ Kathryn True (November 13, 2008), "Super salmon-spawning site Kennedy Creek entertains and educates", The Seattle Times, retrieved 2012-12-21
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