Small Town News

Seeking refuge: Turnbull looks to expand

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Administration at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge is actively seeking new land to add to the refuge's 16,000 acres south of Cheney.

With a newly acquired $1.5 million grant from the U.S. government and increased implementation of conservation easements, the refuge's borders are likely to grow in coming years.

Refuge biologist Mike Rule said several landowners have approached Turnbull staff about selling land to the refuge or establishing a conservation easement.

Turnbull's Comprehensive Conservation Plan establishes a stewardship area, land that would benefit the refuge if it were added.

"We're trying to work this next year on more outreach," Rule said. "The ideal would be protecting and maintaining the land while owners maintain ownership."

While the grant will help the refuge buy land that owners want to sell, Rule said refuge staff are focusing on easements and cooperative projects with landowners because it's cheaper and it encourages community involvement in the refuge's future.

Darwin and Becky Sciba are ideal landowners for the refuge, Rule said. The Scibas recently concluded the process of establish a conservation easement on part of their property on the southern border of the refuge. From their house on a ridge one can see the flat land below, the remains of a pond that was drained in the early 1900s. Now the land is dark in spots where refuge crews have begun digging ponds in preparation for a restored wetland.

"It used to be, from what the old-timers tell me, some of the best duck hunting in the United States," Darwin Sciba said.

Though Sciba admitted he is a duck hunter, he said he and his wife worked to establish the easement because they wanted to restore the land and the habitat for migrating birds.

"From the time we came here, we kind of had a vision that we wanted to restore some of God's creation if we could," he said.

The Scibas moved to Eastern Washington from Seattle after their retirement six years ago. They were able to buy 50 acres of land circling the wetland.

"We had to do that to control that wetland area," he said.

They worked with Turnbull, as well as several state, federal and private agencies to hammer out the specifics of the 41-acre easement, which was established in perpetuity and cannot be developed. The Scibas still own the land and control, access to it.

The Scibas said it was a long, sometimes frustrating process, but it was worthwhile.

"You know, everybody would like to leave some big mark in their lifetime, but realistically you only make a very small splash," Sciba said. "This is our little splash."

Rule said the refuge is working with several other landowners in securing easements to add to the refuge. He said the more land is protected, the better it is for the health of the animals the refuge protects.

As farmlands bordering the refuge were converted into housing developments, Rule said the landscape became less suitable for traveling wildlife.

"That compatible landscape is changing," he said. "We would like to slow that process down."

With less suitable land for wildlife, Rule said Turnbull has seen an increase in the elk population there, and overgrazing has hurt the aspen population. The refuge is considering opening an elk hunt next year to keep populations balanced.

Though the refuge can't stop continued development in the area, Rule said a more aggressive approach to obtaining land will help.

Becky Thomas can be reached at becky@cheneyfreepress.com.



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© 2010 Cheney Free Press Cheney, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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