Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee

The Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee unanimously recommended approval of a resolution authorizing staff to proceed with acquiring conservation easements on four properties totaling 1,144 acres—a significant expansion that would increase the county's conservation easement program by over 50%. The four properties, all located in the Mount Baker foothills area, represent the largest forest easements the program has ever pursued, with three working forest properties ranging from 240 to 610 acres. The total estimated cost is $3.538 million, with an exceptional 81% match rate from state and federal funding sources, requiring only $650,000 in local conservation futures funds. Staff highlighted two new major funding streams: a $1 million Forest Legacy Program award (the county's first use of this federal program) and a $2 million Puget Sound Riparian Systems grant requiring no local match. The easements would extinguish 57 development rights while preserving commercial timber operations and, in one case, farming opportunities. Committee Chair Galloway emphasized that today's approval only authorizes staff to proceed with acquisition processes, with actual budget requests coming later this year for one property and next year for the remaining three. The program has grown significantly since adding dedicated outreach staff, with 11 applications currently in process covering an additional 2,000 acres beyond these four properties. #