WDFW's Union River estuary project seeks to acquire 56.7 acres of habitat on the Kitsap Peninsula near Belfair for protection and enhancement of estuarine and riparian habitat. With adjacent land owned by WDFW and land trusts, the project will protect over 280 acres of quality estuarine and upland habitat, nearly the entire lower Union River estuary. Permanently preserving this land will protect the habitat functions for the entire area and facilitate estuarine habitat restoration. Losses of saltmarsh habitat in Puget Sound are estimated at over 70% since the 1800's, making saltmarsh habitat a high priority for protection and restoration. The Hood Canal and the Union River support federally protected Hood Canal summer chum and Puget Sound Chinook salmon, as well as many other important marine resources associated with marine shorelines and estuarine waters. The lower Union River supports spawning grounds for summer chum and Chinook salmon. Juvenile summer chum and Chinook salmon depend upon estuaries and shallow protected nearshore waters for refuge from predators and abundant food sources. Waterfowl are seasonally abundant during migration and overwintering. The Johnson property acquisition site is the last major land parcel of the lower Union River estuary acreage and the key parcel for restoration of estuarine natural processes. Existing trails along the dike will remain, allowing the public an opportunity to view a salt marsh habitat restoration project in action.