LAKE STEVENS — Help is needed to plan the expansion of popular trails in the state’s largest natural resources conservation area.
The Morning Star Natural Resources Conservation Area is 36,037 acres in the middle and high elevations around Spada Lake Basin. It’s located north of Index and southeast of Granite Falls. It’s the largest of 36 such conservation areas in the state, and the only one in Snohomish County.
Conservation areas are meant to protect native plants and important habitats. At Morning Star, those habitats include subalpine meadows, wetlands and lakes. There’s enough space there to provide habitats for endangered or threatened animals that need room to roam, such as the Pacific fisher, grizzly bear and gray wolf, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.
The area is open for hiking and backcountry camping. Trails and camping destinations include Ashland Lakes, Greider Lakes and Cutthroat Lakes.
A meeting about trail planning is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Cavelero Mid High School in Lake Stevens, 8220 24th St. SE. The state Department of Natural Resources is working on a plan that would guide how they expand, add and manage trails for the next 10 to 15 years.
Those who can’t make the meeting are invited to join a trails planning committee and take an online survey. To apply for the committee or take the survey, go to dnr.wa.gov/MorningStarTrails. The survey and committee applications must be done by Jan. 15.
There also is a proposal to exchange about 280 acres of State Forest Trust Land for equally valued Common School Trust forestland, both of the parcels located near Sultan. Re-designating the types of trust land for those parcels would pave the way for DNR to add up to 2,885 acres to the Morning Star Natural Resources Conservation Area. Public comments are being accepted until Wednesday and more information is available at dnr.wa.gov/proposed-morning-star-inter-trust-exchange.
Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.
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