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March 18 – 20, 2014

Federal Grants Program Review

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Forest Legacy Purpose

Carbon River Conservation Easement, Pierce County

• Protect environmentally significant forest areas threatened by conversion

• Maintain ecologic and economic contributions of working forests

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Summary/Overview

• Program oversight by Forest Stewardship Committee and State Forester

• Implemented by Transactions Section

• Funded by federal administrative grants and state general fund appropriation

• Staff is 1 – 2 FTEs depending on funding level

• Federal dollars purchase development rights (“conservation easement”) or the entire property (“fee ownership”)

• 25% cost share by state and/or partners

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Strategy• Initial projects helped build the Mountains to

Sound Greenway along I-90

• After 2001, emphasis shifted to protecting large forest blocks

• Conversion threat and significance are keys to identifying successful projects:- In path of urban development - Risk of fragmentation (rural areas)- Protect habitats, species, water quality- Protect timber-related jobs, local economy- Support other federal, state, local initiatives

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Performance MeasuresEarly Years – I-90 Greenway1995-2001

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Skykomish River CE 2003

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Mt St Helens CE 2010

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Skykomish River

Tahuya

Mt St Helens

Carbon River

Yakima River

Cedar GreenGrouse Ridge

Kimball Creek; Plum Creek (State & Fed)

Raging RiverMitchell Hill

Forest Gateway EdgeIssaquah Creek

Lind (Fed)

Forest Legacy Properties

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Acres protected through fee or easement: 37,906Acres of cost-share property: 4,112Total 42,018

Conservation easements 11Fee ownership 3Total sites 14

Project grants received in 12 out of 16 years applied (1998-2013) About $29 million spent on program and projects(± $700/acre)

20 years of Forest Legacy in Washington

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Positive results:• Recognized good management • Successful even with limited staff and state

budget issues• Strong commitment to conserving working

forest• Leverages conservation dollars • Regularly submits competitive projects• Good quality appraisals, knowledgeable staff

2011 Program Review 2012 Quality Assurance Inspection

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Improvements needed:Issue Corrective Action

Consistently follow procedures when appraisal revisions needed.

Revised internal appraisal procedure for CEs to be consistent with USFS guidelines.

Conservation easement template requires additional language; tighter restrictions on reservations by grantor

Revised template to add required language, added notes regarding allowable reservations.

Complete documentation, file organization, clearer maps

Organized all files, obtained missing documentation, improved internal checklist and project instructions, created new map templates

2011 Program Review 2012 Quality Assurance Inspection

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Skykomish River

Tahuya

Mt St Helens

Carbon River

Yakima River

Cedar Green

Grouse RidgeKimball Creek

Raging RiverMitchell Hill

Forest Gateway EdgeIssaquah Creek

Lind (Fed); Rattlesnake Mtn. (State & Fed)

Pysht

Klickitat Canyon

New Projects

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What’s ahead:

• “Building Capacity” grant – program development for WA FLP through workshops involving federal, state, non-profit conservation partners

• Update to Forest Action Plan in 2015 will include update to Forest Legacy Assessment of Need

• On-going grant applications and grant management

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Forest Legacy Program

Forest Legacy website:

www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/Topics/ConservationTransactions/Pages/forest_legacy.aspx

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