The Central Kitsap Riparian Corridor project begins the 2nd phase of the Hood Canal Salmon Sanctuary (HCSS), an acquisition and stewardship campaign to protect and improve Hood Canal salmon and wildlife habitat. This grant will allow us to permanently preserve and protect 330 acres of key salmon habitat on Big Beef Creek, home to coho, summer chum, fall chum, cutthroat and steelhead. We intend to purchase (fee-simple) 105 acres on the lower mainstem of the creek, thereby completing the acquisition efforts begun with previous IAC grants. Using fee-simple and conservation easements we will acquire 225 acres of headwater wetlands, thereby protecting an area critical to the stream's hydrology and a place of refuge for juvenile salmonids. The HCSS is a cooperative effort among the state, county, tribes, and nonprofit groups. It has broad support from the local community, businesses, and area media. This effort implements early action recommendations of developing ESA recovery plans. Future phases of the HCSS will be closely coordinated with ESA recovery efforts and will continue to safeguard the headwater wetlands areas targeted in this phase.