Two young explorers enjoying the natural surroundings on one of the Quimper Wildlife Corridor’s many trails. Photo by Wendy Feltham.
The Quimper Wildlife Corridor is a ribbon of green stretching across the tip of the Quimper Peninsula—from Fort Worden to Middlepoint. This 3.5 mile greenbelt connects a string of wetlands, forests and floodplains.
The Corridor is important for managing stormwater and keeping our local water clean. It also creates an urban wildlife refuge that provides natural habitat and safe passage for mammals, birds, and amphibians. Additionally, for Port Townsend’s growing population, it provides open space and recreational trails.
One of the Quimper Wildlife Corridor’s six wetlands. This chain of wetlands are linked along a 100-year floodplain and natural drainage basin. Keeping the area natural helps prevent flooding and filter urban stormwater.
For close to three decades, we’ve been working in partnership with the City of Port Townsend, Jefferson County, local residents, and countless others to protect and care for this special place. Over the years, we’ve actively worked to add additional protected properties to the Corridor, with a focus on critical wetland and wetland buffer properties.
The newest addition to the Quimper Wildlife Corridor is a wetland property identified years ago as a top tier priority for protection by the Land Trust. Part of the North Beach Wetland Complex, the land is adjacent to other properties owned and permanently protected by the Land Trust and the City of Port Townsend.
Protecting this property was an exciting collaboration between generous landowners, two caring friends of the Quimper Wildlife Corridor, and the Land Trust.
In order to see it protected, the daughter and son of LaVerne Colt, who passed away in 2018, were willing to sell the property at a discounted price. To make the transaction possible, two generous friends of the Quimper Wildlife Corridor stepped forward to cover all of the costs involved with the transaction. They also donated additional funds to help care for the property in the future.
Drop into Jefferson Land Trust’s office (1033 Lawrence Street in Port Townsend) and pick up a Quimper Wildlife Corridor map/field guide or find it online at www.saveland.org/QWC-map. Then plan your winter walk to explore this magical place that benefits our community in so many wonderful ways.
