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PRESS RELEASE
Ebey’s Reserve Conifer Seed Orchard Sold to Longview Timberland
For Release – June 29, 2007
Whidbey Camano Land Trust Contact:
Patricia Powell, Executive Director, Whidbey Camano Land Trust, (360) 222-3310
Greenbank, WA – The Whidbey Camano Land Trust today announced the sale of the former Plum Creek conifer seed orchard to Longview Timberland LLC of Longview, Washington. The sale is the final step in the Land Trust’s year-long project to keep the 38-acre seed orchard in agricultural production while permanently protecting its ecological and scenic values.
The property is located inside Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve at the intersection of State Highway 20 and Parker Road. It’s the latest project completed by the Land Trust, which has conserved nearly 5,800 acres in its 23-year history. Of those, 4,310 acres valued at almost $19 million have been protected in just the past 4 ½ years.
“This property was a very high protection priority for us because of its notable agricultural and scenic qualities and its location inside Ebey’s Reserve,” said Patricia Powell, Land Trust executive director. “We couldn’t be more pleased that the site will remain undeveloped and be managed for continued conifer seed production.”
The seed orchard could have been sold for light industrial use or residential development, but the Land Trust partnered with the Navy and Island Transit to put together a unique and complicated conservation solution to keep most of the land undeveloped and in agricultural production.
The deal worked this way: First, the Land Trust obtained a loan to purchase the 46-acre property from its former owner, Plum Creek Timberlands. Simultaneously, it sold the Navy a deed of restrictive easement to keep the property from being developed in a way that might prove incompatible with flight operations at the nearby Navy Outlying Field. Subsequently, the Land Trust sold eight acres to neighboring Island Transit for expansion of its transit yard, thus benefiting public transportation in Island County.
The Land Trust then placed its own permanent conservation easement on the remaining 38 acres, with terms much more restrictive than the Navy easement. Finally, the property was offered for sale, in a closed bidding process, to timber companies interested in continuing to use it as a seed orchard. The sale to Longview Timberland accomplishes that goal and assures the property will remain in agricultural production as a conifer seed orchard.
Conifer seed orchards are used by forest companies and government agencies to produce seeds for reforestation. It is estimated that more than 80 percent of the Douglas fir seedlings planted in Western Washington each year come from seed orchards.
Ideal conifer seed orchard locations are increasingly rare and it takes at least 10 years for an orchard to become productive. The Plum Creek orchard has been in operation for more than 25 years and is the result of a region-wide collaboration with the Forest Service, University of Washington, Oregon State University, and many private companies. It is considered an outstanding site because of its well-drained prairie soils, gently sloping land, and rain-shadow climate. It also has the necessary infrastructure in place.
Proceeds from the $950,000 sale to Longview Timberland will be used to repay the Land Trust’s loan for the initial purchase of the land from Plum Creek. The remainder will be used for other land conservation projects.
The Land Trust has well over 20 land conservation projects in progress. “We’re proud of our resolute focus on the mission of land conservation,” said Charles Arndt, who chairs the Land Trust Board of Directors. “We have very low overhead and a strong track record of putting our money to work to permanently conserve important lands in Island County.”
“This sale didn’t just save an important seed orchard,” Arndt said. “Other distinctive places will be conserved as well, thanks to this deal.”
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