Feb. 5, 2005

King County, state DNR join Vashon community to celebrate conservation of 237 acres of open space

Jointly released by King County and Washington State Department of Natural Resources

A unique collaboration involving King County, Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and half a dozen Vashon and Maury Island community groups has resulted in the conservation of 237 acres of forestland as open space.

"This is a great example of what local communities can accomplish by working in partnerships, and how government can support them," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "We are proud to be part of an effort to conserve lands that protect natural ecosystems and the rural character of the island. By preserving a balance of areas for open space and working forest, we can be sure these wonderful forests are here for generations to come."

Sims, County Councilmember Dow Constantine, and state DNR South Puget Sound Region Manager Eric Schroff joined Vashon community members today to celebrate the transfer of 237 acres of forestland from state DNR to King County through the state Trust Land Transfer Program. The transfer includes the 200-acre Island Center Forest at the headwaters of Judd Creek, the 17-acre Marjorie R. Stanley Wildlife and Wilderness Area, and the 20-acre Dockton Forest.

"We greatly appreciate the state's cooperation, which has allowed this transfer to become a reality," said Constantine. "Conserving this land as forest will help protect Judd Creek and the island's aquifer, while creating a legacy of green space for Vashon and Maury Islands."

The Trust Land Transfer Program provides funds in the state budget that allows the transfer to counties or other public entities parcels of state Common School or Escheat trust lands that are difficult to manage for natural resource revenue production, or that have a high value as open space or parklands.

"We applaud the local citizens for their work in helping to maintain the long-term health of their island ecosystems and preserving public open space for generations to come," said Schroff. "Some isolated trust land parcels have unique or special values as protected ecosystems for open space or parks. These island parcels are such candidates. But it is the active partnerships that get the job done."

The county and state DNR worked with the Vashon Park District, Vashon Maury Island Land Trust, Vashon Forest Stewards, Vashon-Maury Island Audubon, Vashon Mountain Bikers, and Vashon-Maury Island Equestrian Trails club to coordinate the transfer.

"This success would not have been possible without the support of all of these groups," said Constantine. "Once again, the resourcefulness and dedication of islanders is benefiting the environment and the community."

King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks is in the process of developing a management plan for the Island Center Forest property. Management will focus on protecting the ecological health of the forest while at the same time generating enough revenue from sustainable timber production to cover the costs of management.

"The land serves a very important role in providing opportunities for low-impact recreation, and we intend to keep it that way," said Sims, noting that equestrians, hikers, mountain-bikers and birdwatchers all use the land regularly. "While we will face certain challenges in managing recreational use in conjunction with timber harvest and the protection of the ecological resources, we are confident that we can develop a plan that meets everyone's needs."

Sims said King County is committed to working with the equestrian community to develop a parking area that can accommodate horse trailers.

The Marjorie R. Stanley Wildlife and Wilderness Area was donated to state DNR in memory of Marjorie R. Stanley and, now deeded to King County, will be managed as open space for the protection of wildlife habitat.

The Dockton Forest is 20 acres on Maury Island that state DNR managed to produce revenue for the Escheat (School) Trusts. It is adjacent to Dockton Park and will provide a wonderful addition to this open space complex.

The Island Center Forest property is part of a larger complex of open space totaling 363 acres. This includes 83 acres in the headwaters of Judd Creek that the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust has worked hard to conserve. It also includes 80 acres owned by King County Solid Waste that provides a buffer to the local transfer station.

Sims said the county will work hard to protect the property from damaging activities, such as garbage dumping, motorized off-road vehicles and the establishment of illegal campsites. Ecological issues include forestland that is over-stocked in places, diseases impacting the Douglas Fir, and invasive weeds. In some places, trails are eroding and having a negative impact on streams.

"We look forward to working with the groups here today to steward the property and address these concerns," Sims said.

The 237 acres adds to nearly 1,000 acres that have been permanently conserved by the citizens of Vashon and the groups mentioned above. In addition, more than 3,000 privately owned acres are enrolled in the King County Current Use Taxation programs and thus will not be further developed in the near future.