Cross_cutting

1:22 And then in 2011, the WSU Extension administration offices, as well as some of the different programs that they run, the Small Acreage Program, Master Gardeners, and 4-H, they also moved to this site. On June 17, approximately 50 members of the community gathered to celebrate the completion of the Heritage Farm Wetland Restoration Project. This project restores a wetland at the headwaters of Cougar Creek. And this Heritage Farm Wetland Restoration site is actually the first step in a 2020 master plan that was approved by Council with public input. And other things coming at the Heritage Farm will include accessible trails with interpretive signs and a pavilion that will be the centerpiece for a children's garden. Not only through environmental improvement, but also through the successful procurement of state and federal funding.

2:20 One of the best examples is right here, the Heritage Farm Wetland Project. Through strong partnerships and careful planning, this project secured approximately $500,000 in state and federal grant funding, along with $3.5 million in low-interest loans. This demonstrates how local investment can attract substantial outside resources that would otherwise not come to our Clark County. The celebration included tours where participants visited four stations and learned about how the project fits into the Heritage Farm Master Plan. One of the stations was discussing the Heritage Farm Master Plan, of which this is a part of. Another station talked about the engineering and design that went into this project. Another station discussed the water quality and stream health benefits that will be coming from this project. And finally, we wanted to make sure that we touched on some of the other benefits,

3:19 including the native plants and the wildlife that they will support. The restored wetland provides a state-of-the-art assessment of the project. The restored wetland provides multiple ecological and community benefits. It provides a unique opportunity to educate the community on how agricultural practices can coincide with native wetland habitat. It's going to be a great water quality improvement project for Cougar Creek and the Salmon Creek watershed. This project will help to recharge groundwater and also help to slow the flow of water,