Swanson’s Lake Wildlife Area Sharp-Tailed Grouse Winter Habitat Planting

Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area

Join Spokane Audubon Society in their long-standing “Lek Surveys and other Prairie Grouse Recovery Program” with a gala winter habitat planting project at Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area May 11, 2024. This program has been supported by Washington’s State Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account (ALEA) and with grant funding from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) since 2012. During the current biennial cycle of the grant, Spokane Audubon committed match funding to purchase plants and other supplies for the winter habitat restoration project. Our restoration partners are WDFW Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area and the Spokane Chapter of Pheasants Forever.

State-endangered Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse are the focal point species of our program. These birds forage on catkins and other fruits of riparian trees and shrubs during the winter season. This habitat is in short supply at the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area, a situation that was exacerbated by the Whitney Road Fire of 2020. The Lake Creek drainage that flows through the wildlife area and surrounds Bureau of Land Management Lands (BLM) provides ideal sites to restore riparian habitats.

Wildlife area staff are currently preparing the restoration site with weed removal. After these treatments, they will lay down matting to retard re-growth. The plants and supplies have been purchased with Spokane Audubon, Pheasants Forever, and WDFW funds. The ALEA grant funding will cover travel to and from the planting and food for lunch. Our Pheasants Forever partners are providing a chef for the banquet.

Now what we need are a lot of hands on deck May 11 to put the plants in the ground. Please sign up for this event here: https://cerv.is/0052gmRfhtC

Swanson Lakes Habitat Project, Saturday 9:00am

The project will entail planting 700 trees and shrubs and enclosing the planting sites in deer fence. Hot lunch will be provided and camping accommodations are available if you'd like to stay overnight.

For more information about the winter planting gala at Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area, contact Kim Thorburn