Springwood Ranch

Springwood Ranch is a special place with deep importance to the people of Washington’s Yakima Basin. Two hours east of Seattle and sprawling across 3,600 acres, its sun-soaked landscape radiates with life as six miles of the Yakima River weaves its way through like a silvery ribbon. With its natural beauty, wildlife habitat, agricultural practices, and cultural importance to the Yakama Nation, these acres are critical to the region.

Our work here is a collaboration between the Yakama Nation, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Kittitas County, Kittitas Reclamation District, and TPL to improve water resources for fish, farms, forests, and communities. In essence, we’ve partnered together to preserve a way of life in eastern Washington.

The protection of Springwood Ranch will safeguard wildlife habitat and working lands in central Washington. Droughts reaching back to the 1960s have left crops to wither and salmon-bearing streams to dry up, threatening Salmon in the Yakima and Columbia Rivers and the Yakima Basin’s $3 billion agricultural industry. Protecting spaces like Springwood Ranch will enable the region to manage water flow to support fish and agriculture.

This land also includes culturally and historically important areas to the Yakama Nation. As part of this effort, the Yakama Nation will receive lands back and once again have access to food sources and spaces that hold significance.

Preserving Springwood Ranch also supports the local economy, as a portion of the landscape’s rich hay fields will continue to operate, providing revenue, and boosting the nearby community. Safeguarding Springwood Ranch ensures that these acres will serve as a vital community asset with far reaching benefits for future generations.