New Natural Area Preserve Designated in Cowlitz County

Toutle Ridge NAP will protect an exemplary montane fen which supports five rare plant associations and two rare plants

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources has officially designated a new Natural Area Preserve (NAP) in Cowlitz County. Toutle Ridge Fen NAP totals 166 acres and will protect an exemplary example of a montane fen, a type of wetland in the mountains, which supports five rare plant associations and two rare plants, and provides habitat for native amphibians, mammals and resident and migratory songbirds.

The site was identified by DNR Pacific Cascade Region staff in 2019 as a site of potential conservation value and brought to the attention of the Washington Natural Heritage Program (WNHP).

Beginning in August 2020, WNHP scientists conducted rare plant surveys, classified the plant associations present, and determined their ecological integrity. Scientists concluded that the rare species and plant associations in the fen were identified in the State of Washington Natural Heritage Plan as a priority for inclusion on the Statewide Register of Natural Areas.

In June 2025, the Washington Natural Heritage Program presented a recommendation to the Washington Natural Heritage Advisory Council (NHAC) to include Toutle Ridge Fen on the Statewide Register of Natural Areas. After a unanimous, affirmative vote from the Council, the Pacific Cascade Region, in accordance with RCW 79.70.010 of the Natural Areas Preserves Act, held a public informational meeting on January 22, 2026, to receive comment on designation of the proposed Natural Area Preserve.

The proposed Natural Area Preserve boundary was presented to the Commissioner of Public Lands in April 2026, signed, and thus formally designated.

"It's no secret that Washington is home to some of the most pristine natural resources in the world," said Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove. "I'm thrilled to work with our world leading scientists to establish a new Natural Area Preserve - our first in years - and to preserve this fen and the rare plant species and plant associations it supports for generations to come."

"The forested mountainside drains into a lovely wetland with diverse plants from wild blueberries and tiny cranberries to mosses and carnivorous sundews," said Natural Heritage Advisory Council President Heida Diefenderfer"The Council unanimously voted for DNR scientists' recommendation to protect the rare plants and state-endangered plant association in this peatland encircled by wet meadows."

The DNR Natural Areas Program has submitted a Trust Land Transfer request to transfer the land out of the state trust land portfolio and into conservation status. The area encompasses Agricultural School (34.8 acres), Common School (38.3 acres), and Normal School Trust (92.9 acres) parcels.

The designation of Toutle Ridge Fen NAP marks the first new NAP within DNR in at least six years. This site will be added to the statewide register of Natural Area Preserves.

DNR's Washington Natural Heritage Program

DNR's Washington Natural Heritage Program provides scientific expertise and information for effective conservation of Washington's natural heritage by collecting, maintaining, and distributing data on rare species and ecosystems, as well as providing other services and products in support of biodiversity conservation in Washington. The Program's rare species and ecosystem data, as well as staff expertise, are used to provide an objective, scientific approach for establishing statewide priorities for conservation actions and to guide the process of identifying candidate sites for the Statewide Register of Natural Areas. For more information: https://dnr.wa.gov/natural-heritage-program

To learn more about the Washington Natural Heritage Advisory Council: https://dnr.wa.gov/dnr-boards-and-commissions/natural-heritage-advisory-council

DNR's Natural Areas Program

DNR's Natural Areas Program is the steward of 58 Natural Area Preserves and 39 Natural Resources Conservation Areas on about 173,300 acres statewide. Preserves include the highest-quality examples of native ecosystems and habitat for rare plant or animal species, helping to preserve animals and plants in the face of climate change and increased development. Conservation Areas include ecological systems, scenic views, wildlife habitat, and low-impact recreation. In addition to resource conservation, both preserves and conservation areas function as reference sites for comparing natural and altered environments, hosting scientific research and environmental education activities.

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