The main objective of this project is to acquire an additional 32 acres of critical habitat for the western pond turtle, a Washington state endangered species. This site is known as Balch Lake and Sondino Ponds, a part of WDFW's Klickitat Wildlife Area. This habitat supports one of two known natural populations of the western pond turtle in Washington. Balch Lake and Sondino Ponds have the best remaining habitat in the state and have the largest of two natural western pond turtle populations. In addition, this site contains some of the best remaining oak-pine savannah/grassland habitat in Klickitat County. This acquisition will provide an additional 32 acres of habitat to the existing western pond turtle habitat area. This area will provide additional grassy savannah for turtle nesting, cliffs and talus for raptors and reptiles, and nesting habitat for neotropical migrant birds. The large oaks and pines on this site provide critical habitat for several cavity nesting species and the western gray squirrel, a Washington threatened species. The additional acreage provides a buffer to further land divisions and development adjacent to the critical wildlife habitat.