Whidbey Camano Land Trust Contact:

Lisbeth Cort, Director of Outreach & Development, Whidbey Camano Land Trust, (360) 222-3310

Greenbank, WA - After more than three months of hard work and an enormous outpouring of community support, tomorrow 7.3 acres of land that includes the Wilbert Trail will be sold to Washington State Parks. “This effort has been a shining example of how citizens, non-profits and government can cooperate effectively. The Wilbert Trail now has one more legacy attached to it,” said Sue Ellen White of Save The Trees.

Save The Trees sprang into action when a “For Sale” sign went up on the Wilbert Trail in mid-July of this year.  Within days, an anonymous conservation-minded buyer signed a purchase option.  This bought time for the Whidbey Camano Land Trust to facilitate a deal for sale and permanent protection.

First, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission approved paying for half the appraised value of the property plus all direct costs of the acquisition.  Next, the Island County Commissioners initiated a proposal for Conservation Futures funding that ultimately provided $187,000 of the purchase price. “People say the wheels of government move slowly, but when an issue like this emerges that requires quick action, I think we demonstrated that we can move fast to help solve the problem,” noted Island County Commissioner Mike Shelton.

As the state and county funding was being approved, State Parks received a property appraisal on October 9 that valued the parcel below the purchase price. That left the Whidbey Camano Land Trust just three weeks to raise the $26,000 needed to close the funding gap in order to meet the October 31 closing deadline. “We’re so appreciative of the more than 40 donors who contributed to close the gap. They are real heroes. The Land Trust couldn’t have done what we did without the great community support and the incredible partnership of Island County and State Parks,” said Patricia Powell, executive director. 

The partners gathered at the trailhead today in a quiet celebration of swift action and broad support.  As they stood together, Sue Ellen White noted: "There are so many creative, dedicated people to thank, from the government officials who were determined to find a way and the Whidbey Camano Land Trust that did such an amazing job of pulling all the pieces together to the many people who pitched in so quickly, so well and so continuously." Commissioner Shelton added, “This is a wonderful example of cooperation between the community, the county and State Parks to preserve a piece of property that is so valuable to the community.”

With the closing tomorrow, the parcel becomes part of South Whidbey State Park.  Island County will hold a conservation easement on the property and it will be owned and managed by State Parks. “The citizens of Washington are a big ‘hiking step’ closer to a healthy future, thanks to the support of Save The Trees, the Whidbey Camano Land Trust and Island County. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is fortunate and grateful to partner in saving the Wilbert Trail. What a joy to steward our islands together like this,” said State Parks Director Rex Derr.

Save The Trees is planning a celebration sometime soon so all can gather to enjoy the trail the community rallied to save. Looking up at the ancient cedar, April Sanders remarked: "It has become my family's legacy to protect this amazing, beautiful forest, which will always hold a very special place in my heart. So I am proud to be president of Save The Trees on a day when protection of the Wilbert Trail — one of the last large stands of rare lowland old growth forest here — is ensured. I plan to go for a walk on the trail and sit on the bench dedicated to my father Jerry Sanders.  It faces the huge ancient cedar. He would be pleased." 

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The Whidbey Camano Land Trust protects the natural habitats and rural lands on Whidbey and Camano Islands in partnership with landowners and the broader community.  The Land Trust is a local, non-profit, non-political organization that assists private landowners to voluntarily protect their scenic, wildlife habitat, natural, historic, farm, forest or shoreline properties. The Land Trust also works with community groups to protect those places that islanders hold precious and that are important for current and future generations. 

Save The Trees was formed in 1977 to preserve the largest remaining old-growth forest on South Whidbey, which was owned by the University of Washington and scheduled for clearcutting. Finally, in 1992, the forest was permanently preserved, and Save The Trees was responsible for forever changing forest practices in the State of Washington through litigation, electoral politics and legislation that has evolved to preserve more than 100,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land via the Land Transfer Program.  With the transfer of Classic U to State Parks, a system was initiated that provides protection to sensitive lands within the state park system. It is also believed that the first time in North America people entered a forest to stop active clearcutting was by members of Save The Trees in August, 1977, as they sought to protect the old growth in Classic U. For more information contact: savethetrees@whidbey.com