Preserving the Forests and Rivers of the Upper Yakima River Basin
If our forests, rivers, wildlife and fish could talk, what would they say? Our conservation and habitat restoration work have given us a picture of what that might be. We give their important stories a platform through our blog and videos. We also share stories about the work we are doing to ensure critical habitat in Kittitas County remains accessible and healthy for wildlife, fish, and people.
Featured Videos
A Bull Trout Story
In this video, learn about the work of conservationists and biologists to save our endangered Bull Trout in the Upper Yakima River Basin. Our Bull Trout are on the verge of extinction, but there is work underway to save them. If you care about salmon, you should care about Bull Trout too. If we lose our Bull Trout, our salmon and native trout populations are next. Headwaters really do matter in our watershed!
Kachess River Restoration Project
See what KCT was up to the summer of 2023. The whole project was completed in under 4 months. Following returning flows in the fall, there were 26 Bull Trout redds (or nests) reported above the restoration area. This is the second highest redd count since 2000, when redd surveys began annually in Kachess River. It is the hope that the restoration will provide the necessary elements for the rearing Bull Trout – Cold, Clean, Complex, and Connected Habitats.
Blog Posts
COMPLETE: Upper Kachess River Restoration Project
2019-2025 After 6 years, KCT’s work on the Upper Kachess River Restoration Project is officially COMPLETE! Starting in 2019, KCT began working with the US Forest Service (the landowners for this project) to develop required agreements and permits for the project. In 2022, KCT brought on experts
Birding and Stewardship at Eagle Bend!
Birding and Stewardship adventures at our Eagle Bend Property were a Success! KCT staff and volunteers had just enough good weather on Saturday (5/17/25) to complete our stewardship checklist for the day. These tasks included repairing fencing, removing an old duck hunting blind and other
Gold Creek Valley Restoration: Progress and Hurdles
Decades of resource extraction from the Gold Creek Valley have left it in a severely degraded state. How Did We Get Here? Aerial imagery from 1942 shows Gold Creek Valley in a mostly intact state, but by 1954, clear-cut logging had occurred along the banks of much of
The Conservation of Eagle Bend
Many people don't realize that conserving land requires a lot of work and sometimes, a lot of time. This was true for the Eagle Bend Property, which took over 5 years to complete. But like all of our conservation projects, the results were worth the wait.
Out With The Old, and In With The… Nothing?
Fish passage barrier is anything that inhibits fish, from adults to small fry, from moving up or down stream. As you can imagine, they come in all shapes in sizes. On this project, the barrier came in the shape of a ford. Working with our partners, we were able
Gold Creek Pond Restoration FAQ
Gold Creek once was home to a thriving population of bull trout and salmon. However, today salmon no longer live here and bull trout numbers are rapidly dwindling. The past 5 years we and our partners have collected data in Gold Creek Valley to understand the causes of bull
Newsletters & Annual Reports
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November 2025 Newsletter
March 2025 Newsletter
2024 Annual Report
