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Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) - Mason County
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Program level:
Local
Provider:
Mason Conservation District
Benefits provided:
Financial, Free technical assistance
Land use:
Agriculture, Forest
Water-focused program:
Yes
Technical and financial assistance for conservation practices and active land management.
Overview
Description:
The program’s goal is to promote plans that protect and enhance critical areas within the area where agricultural activities are conducted, while maintaining and improving the long-term viability of agriculture in the state of Washington and reducing the conversion of farmland to other uses. It focuses on maximizing voluntary incentive programs to encourage good riparian and ecosystem stewardship as an alternative to historic regulatory approaches used to protect critical areas.
Eligibility:
This program is not limited to farmers and not limited to land that is either designated agriculture or taxed as agriculture. The program is about the activity on the land; qualifying agricultural activities include:
producing, breeding, or increasing agricultural products;
rotating and changing agricultural crops;
allowing land used for agricultural activities to lie fallow in which it is plowed and tilled but left unseeded;
allowing land used for agricultural activities to lie dormant as a result of adverse agricultural market conditions;
allowing land used for agricultural activities to lie dormant because the land is enrolled in a local, state, or federal conservation program, or the land is subject to a conservation easement;
conducting agricultural operations;
maintaining, repairing, and replacing agricultural equipment;
maintaining, repairing, and replacing agricultural facilities, provided that the replacement facility is no closer to the shoreline than the original facility; or
maintaining agricultural lands under production or cultivation.
Under this program agricultural products INCLUDE MARIJUANA, but DO NOT INCLUDE AQUACULTURE.
Financial benefit:
There is cost-sharing available and it varies per project. Please contact Justin or Nick to learn more.
Contact information
Information last updated on July 15, 2025.
Planning Importance
Developing a forest, agricultural, or conservation plan helps identify and prioritize objectives for landowners. These objectives can determine what type programs to search for. Supporting organizations in your area often provide free consultation and planning.
Landscape Characteristics
See how your land fits into the broader context of regional conservation, ecosystem services, and working lands' values across the landscape through our interactive mapper tool. It could help you determine which program is a good fit for you!
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