Community Forest Trust Program

Program level:

State

Land use:

Forest

Provider:

Washington DNR

Benefits provided: 

Financial

Water-focused program: 

No

Create a community forest out of land that is threatened by development.

Overview

Description:

Since the 1980s, more than seventeen percent of Washington’s commercial forests have been converted to other land uses. As working forests vanish, so do many of their benefits, such as local timber sources, jobs, clean air and water, and open land for outdoor recreation. The Community Forest Trust program gives DNR and communities a way to protect these vital landscapes from conversion and to maintain all of these benefits.

Eligibility:

Selected based on nominations by communities and purchased from willing sellers of private forestland or from other state land trusts.

DNR prioritizes nominations based on the program’s statutory goals and presents those projects to the Board of Natural Resources for consideration. Projects approved by the Board are submitted to the legislature for funding of the state's portion of property acquisition costs.

The community partner is responsible for a local financial contribution of at least fifty percent of the difference between the parcel’s appraised fair market value and the parcel’s timber and forest land value.

Financial benefit: 

Payment from fee simple purchase, transfer of development rights, or easement.

Contact information

Contact person: 

Leah Dobey

Organization:

Washington Department of Natural Resources

Phone number: 

360-902-1624

Email: 

Link to full program details

Information last updated on December 1, 2020.