Trust Land Transfer Project
Take Action Today to Protect At-Risk Nature Preserves
AT RISK—IRREPLACEABLE FORESTS, WETLANDS AND BLUFFS
Island County has a rare opportunity to permanently protect the 173-acre Elger Bay Forest Preserve on Camano Island, and two shoreline feeder bluff properties on Whidbey Island. Leases from the State to Island County are expiring soon and community support is needed now to help ensure their permanent protection and transfer to the County—without it, these lands could be sold and developed.
The Whidbey Camano Land Trust is assisting with this effort, including developing grant applications, conducting public outreach, and if successful, facilitating the transfer of the properties to the County.
Sign in Support of Permanent Protection
Elger Bay Forest Preserve – Why It Matters
- 173 acres of native forest on Camano Island with Douglas fir, red cedar, madrona, alder and lush understory.
- Three vital wetlands including a 20-acre beaver marsh and rare, high-quality bog.
- Education and recreation hub with public trails, viewing platform and amphitheater next to Elger Bay Elementary School.
- Wildlife refuge supports birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and fish lying within Port Susan Bay critical salmon habitat area.
- Climate resilience benefits include carbon storage, drainage support, clean water and air, groundwater recharge, habitat connectivity and salmon recovery.
Elger Bay beaver marsh. Photo by Linda Dunk.
Two Feeder Bluffs on Whidbey – Why They Matter
- Two of the Island’s remaining exceptional feeder bluff shorelines—Strawberry Point on Skagit Bay, and Smugglers Cove on Admiralty Inlet—together span more than 2/3 mile of shoreline with 24 acres of mature forest.
- High-priority salmon habitat supports fish and wildlife, including small fish for salmon, seabirds and orcas, while keeping nearshore waters clean, cool and productive.
- Climate resilience benefits include storm buffering, carbon storage, groundwater recharge, water retention, clean water and air, habitat connectivity and protecting marine and land ecosystems.
Smugglers Cove feeder bluff shoreline. Photo from WA Department of Ecology.
Trust Land Transfer Program Explained
WHAT IT IS
The Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) manages three million acres of state trust lands that are intended to generate revenue—primarily through timber harvest—to support schools and other public needs. The state-funded Trust Land Transfer (TLT) program is a way for WDNR to transfer lands with low revenue potential but high conservation and public value to public agencies for permanent protection and outdoor recreation. TLT funding is highly competitive and only a small number of top-scoring applications are funded each cycle. WDNR then acquires replacement lands better suited for long-term revenue generation.
LOCAL PARTNERSHIP
With the assistance of the Land Trust, in the early 2000’s, Island County permanently acquired eight properties (1,412 acres) through the TLT program. An additional seven properties (334 acres) were leased to the County rather than permanent transfer. The Land Trust and County are now working together to permanently protect these leased lands, with an initial focus on the three properties with leases that are nearing their expiration and face the risk of being sold by WDNR for development. The Land Trust is leading this partnership effort by securing grants and other funding.
