About Us
A Place Worth Protecting
Local residents as well as people from around the world enjoy our scenic vistas, our diverse fish and wildlife and pristine qualities of water, air and life on this far northwest corner of Washington state. Recreational opportunities such as wildlife viewing, hiking, scuba diving, hunting, fishing and shellfish gathering abound. Just next door to North Olympic Land Trust’s service area is Olympic National Park, which is recognized internationally as one of the exceptional places on the planet. Fertile farmland and sustainable timberland contribute to the local economy and also enhance the area’s beauty.
Challenges and Continuing Efforts
Salmon have long been at the heart of our Northwest culture and livelihood, and many of our area’s fish runs enjoy a healthy status. Others have been listed as depressed, critical or threatened. Farmland is all privately owned; so is much of the sustainable timberland, streamside habitat, shorelines and other areas that provide clean water and air, scenic vistas and open spaces so important to residents and visitors.
Olympic National Park protects exceptional beaches, primeval temperate rain forests, and mountains. But government alone can’t take care of all the special lands that contribute to our quality of life and economy.
In addition, plants and animals in such protected areas as Olympic National Park have needs that extend beyond their boundaries. For example, salmon need the entire length of streams as well as the salt water beyond in order to survive and thrive. Protecting and restoring this important habitat is identified by biologists as a keystone to salmon recovery.
Add to these factors the economic pressures brought on by land prices climbing beyond the reach of many farmers and making subdividing for housing developments or other uses tempting to landowners. Some property owners, especially farmers, have been counting on accelerating land values to provide for their retirements. It’s easy to see why many fear our North Olympic Peninsula quality of life is threatened. As land prices continue to rise and it becomes increasingly difficult to protect special lands, broad-based support from donors and volunteers is more important than ever.
Even though the Land Trust has obtained several grants for purchasing development rights, those grants have not covered most of the organization’s related operating expenses. Those are covered through memberships, fundraising projects such as StreamFest, the “Elwha Return” art and plaque listings in the Clallam County Courthouse, grants from a federal program the County administers, and other grants and donations.
In addition to our dedicated Board of Directors and dozens of active volunteers, we have a staff of two. More than 200 members help provide essential financial and other support. But our resources are never adequate for the enormous challenge of protecting special lands before it is too late.
During most of North Olympic Land Trust’s history, property owners have donated selected development rights and paid for related costs such as surveys and appraisals. But many property owners can’t afford such donations, even though they can qualify for federal tax deductions.
So protecting protecting special lands takes more money than ever.
Most property owners donate development rights and pay for such related expenses as appraisals and surveys. The Land Trust’s Landowner Assistance Fund defrays some costs for property owners who need that help.
Protecting exceptional lands, especially easily developable farmland, can require purchase of development rights, so the Land Trust is cooperating with another local nonprofit organization, Friends of the Fields, to raise funds to protect farmland.
North Olympic Land Trust doesn’t own most of the land it protects. Instead, it uses permanent legal agreements with property owners who continue to be able to own the land, use it and sell it or will it to heirs. The organization takes responsibility for upholding the agreements in perpetuity and maintains a stewardship fund for that purpose.
To learn more about how you too can help protect special lands, click here. From that page or here, you may also want to click on the name of each special fund to learn more about it: Landowner Assistance Fund, Operations Endowment Fund, Farmland Fund, Stewardship Fund. Unrestricted funds also are important, especially until the Operations Endowment Fund, produces enough income to cover day-to-day functions of the Land Trust.