The Green Cove Creek watershed is the largest watershed on Cooper Point. It is designated as an environmentally sensitive area, as it largely consists of critical area wetlands and highly sensitive aquifer areas. The basin includes Green Cove Creek and the Grass Lake wetlands, both of which are relatively intact.
In 2020, OlyEcosystems conserved 8.5 acres of forested wetlands at the headwaters of Green Cove Creek on Kaiser Road, just downstream of the Grass Lake Nature Preserve. In 2024/2025, we conserved another 32 acres of forested wetlands in this area.
Green Cove Creek is one of the few streams in Thurston County documented by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as supporting critical habitat for ESA-listed Puget Sound steelhead. Its estuary is also designated by NMFS as critical habitat for ESA-listed Puget Sound Chinook salmon. In addition, the creek provides habitat for chum, coho, and cutthroat trout.
The riparian corridor features a diverse mix of conifer and deciduous forest, along with dense willow thickets that shelter a wide range of wildlife. The area supports beaver populations, the threatened Olympic mudminnow, and many other species that depend on healthy stream and wetland ecosystems.
This conservation project protects and restores the health of the Green Cove Creek watershed, strengthening this vital salmon-bearing stream and helping ensure the long-term survival of these species in our region.
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