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If you’re a forest landowner in Washington State, there are many programs and resources to help you achieve your stewardship goals. Check out the information below to get started.
FOREST PLANNING ASSISTANCE
Interested in learning how to manage your forest for long-term health, wildlife habitat, timber, or aesthetics? Your local conservation district forester can provide tailored guidance for land management and help you make the most of the natural beauty of your forest. Find your local district at betterground.org! Forest planning staff are also available at the Washington State University Extension Forestry program and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources Small Forest Landowner Office. Visit forestry.wsu.edu and dnr.wa.gov/sflo for additional information.
EDUCATION AND CONSULTANT DIRECTORIES
Your local conservation district forester can help connect you with all of the resources available to you as a small forest landowner. If you need additional information, the Washington State University Extension Forestry program offers a wide variety of research-based forest stewardship classes, publications, videos, and other resources at forestry.wsu.edu. They also host the following directories:
- The Washington State Consulting Forester and Silvicultural Contractor Directory has a list of forestry professionals who provide professional services to private forest landowners at forestry.wsu.edu/consultingdirectory.
- The Washington State Small-Scale Sawmill Directory has a list of professional sawyers who provide milling services to private forest landowners at forestry.wsu.edu/sawmilldirectory.
CONSERVATION EASEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Interested in preserving your forest for future generations? A conservation easement is a voluntary, legal agreement that permanently limits uses of the land in order to protect it based upon your conservation values. Whether a landowner sells or donates the development rights on their property, conservation easements enable them to be fairly compensated for their land’s development potential. Learn more about conservation easements at the Washington Association of Land Trusts at walandtrusts.org.
BENEFICIAL TAX PROGRAMS FOR ELIGIBLE FOREST LAND
There are two primary incentive programs in Washington State that provide landowners with a property tax reduction for conserving forest land on their property. The Public Benefit Rating System is for landowners who want to protect or restore open space resources on their property, while the Designated Forest Land Program focuses on the sustainable management of commercial timber stands. To learn more, visit the Washington Department of Revenue at dor.wa.gov or read a tax guide on the Open Space Taxation Act which establishes these programs at bit.ly/OpenSpaceTax. Please contact your district’s forester for your county’s tax information.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR FOREST PRACTICES
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides eligible landowners with financial assistance and one-on-one help to plan and implement conservation practices that improve the health and productivity of their forests. Visit bit.ly/EQIprogram for more information.
WANT HELP GETTING STARTED?
Conservation districts serve thousands of landowners a year and provide free services on private property. Find your local District at www.betterground.org.
