We have some very exciting news to share with you!
Today, the Land Trust received the largest donation of land in our organization’s history, 161 acres of biodiverse working forestland near Port Angeles.
This forestland is comprised of various stands dominated by species including grand fir, Douglas-fir, western redcedar, and western hemlock, with a woven tapestry of abundant groundcover like sword fern, evergreen and red huckleberry, and salal.
Home to charismatic native creatures including cougar, bobcat, black bear, and mountain beaver, this property has been owned and cared for with love and respect by the same family since the 1950’s. Inspired by local conservationist John Willits, the prior landowner (who would like to remain anonymous) donated a conservation easement on the property to the Land Trust in 2010. Its purpose was to guarantee the sustained, natural capacity of the property and its soils. Active forest management here is designed to maintain and enhance a healthy and biologically diverse forest that supports a full range of native flora and fauna.
We are humbled and honored to have that same anonymous donor entrust us with ownership of this property.
Owning the land means that we will be able to further engage in active forest management practices that first and foremost promote ecosystem health, while also providing income to support the costs of property management and the Land Trust’s overall mission. We look forward to sharing this knowledge and these skills with the community as we move forward. The generosity of this gift and our humility in accepting it cannot be overstated.
Thank you for your ongoing support,
Tom Sanford, Executive Director
tom@northolympiclantrust.org