The City of Tacoma has submitted a grant application to the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) to help fund the purchase of open space in South Tacoma.

The area, located near South 52nd Street and South Mullen Street, is part of a city-designated “habitat corridor” and has high open space value, both as forested land and as one of the largest remaining wetland systems in Tacoma, according to a memo in Tacoma City Manager T. C. Broadnax’s April 26 weekly report to city council.

The application requests $500,000 from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, with no required match, to expand the total area in conservation status, enhance habitat connectivity and function, and increase the potential for public access and enjoyment of the habitat corridor. The specific parcels to be acquired will be determined based upon consideration of habitat quality and the willingness of property owners to sell.

WWRP provides funding for a broad range of land protection and outdoor recreation, including park acquisition and development, habitat conservation, farmland preservation, and construction of outdoor recreation facilities, according to the organization’s Web site. The deadline for the grant application is May 1, 2012. Grants will be awarded in June 2013.

More information about the City of Tacoma’s open space habitat and recreation plan is online at http://cms.cityoftacoma.org/planning/OSHP/OpenSpace_FactSht.pdf .

More information about the program is online at http://www.rco.wa.gov/grants/wwrp.shtml .