New public lands in the Greenway

106 Acres in Raging River Conserved

One of the Greenway’s longtime conservation priorities has been to connect Tiger Mountain and the Cedar River Watershed with publicly-owned lands south of I-90. Much progress has been made in this area, with acquisitions on Rattlesnake and Taylor Mountains and in the Raging River State Forest to provide greater recreation and wildlife connectivity. Recently, the Trust for Public Land negotiated the purchase of 106 acres immediately adjacent to the I-90/SR 18 interchange near Echo Lake that will be added to the Raging River State Forest. The State Department of Natural Resources acquired the land this month with some help from King County; DNR will manage the land while King County owns a conservation easement for the property.

Expanding Smith Cove Park

The waterfront park at Smith Cove in Seattle was expanded in November, thanks to a creative partnership between King County, the Port of Seattle, and the City of Seattle. This park is located between Queen Anne and Magnolia and was once destined to be a private office building. “The expansion of Smith Cove Park is a tremendous example of how neighborhood and elected leaders can work together across jurisdictions, breaking down barriers and finding creative solutions to accomplish great things for our community,” said King County Councilmember Larry Phillips. The new City park will provide more natural areas for recreation and public access to Puget Sound, improved water quality in Elliott Bay, and great public views of downtown Seattle and Mount Rainier.