Published: Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Whidbey group needs $2.5 million to preserve forest
WHIDBEY ISLAND — With only nine days to go, community groups here are trying feverishly to raise the money to preserve the last remaining large contiguous forest on Whidbey Island.
Greenbank-based Whidbey Camano Land Trust is leading the campaign to raise $4.2 million by June 10 to buy the 664-acre former Trillium property.
The non-profit group earlier raised $30,000 to secure an option on the acreage.
The amount of money yet to raise, nearly $2.5 million, seems an insurmountable goal, except that it’s been coming in pretty fast over the past week, said Elizabeth Guss, development director for the Land Trust.
“We’ve had a real groundswell of support, so I feel very optimistic,” Guss said. “Lots of people on the island have significant networks in Seattle. These are people who come to Whidbey as a getaway and who want to support the very thing they love about the island. They want to give back.”
Located northwest of Freeland, the forestland has been logged several times during the past 120 years, most recently in 1988. That’s when the land was acquired by the Trillium Corp., a Bellingham-based real estate and forestry company. In recent years, the property was sold to developers and subdivided into 124 lots. Soon after, it fell into foreclosure, and is now owned by several banks.
If the Whidbey Camano Land Trust can’t come up with the money by next week, the forest most likely would be sold in small parcels and developed, Land Trust executive director Pat Powell said.
If the Land Trust is able to reach its financial goal, the property would be given to Island County, with the Land Trust holding a conservation easement on the land. A site-management plan, funded in part by the Land Trust, would then be developed by community members and county officials.
Recreational uses allowed in the forest could include hiking, bird-watching, mountain biking, horseback riding and hunting. The needs of the forest’s flora, fauna and wetlands also would be part of that management plan.
Detractors of the idea believe that Island County is suffering through such a tremendous budgetary problem now that giving the forest to the county isn’t a good idea.
However, many groups have already stepped forward to volunteer for maintenance duty, Land Trust officials said.
More than 80 community groups have endorsed the Save-the-Forest project, including the Whidbey Island Yacht Club, Holmes Harbor Rod and Gun Club, Whidbey Island Fly Fishing Club and the Island County Trails Council, which offered to donate funding for trail construction and maintenance once the property is acquired.
Sixth graders at South Whidbey Middle School also are collecting pledges and donations. The South Whidbey Centaurs 4-H Club has started a competition between the local 4-H clubs to see which can gather the most pledges. Members of “Save the Trees” challenged the community to donate and offered to match.
On May 23, more than 100 hikers, bikers and horseback riders raised $110,000 in pledges and donations at trail rides organized by Island County Back Country Horsemen, M Bar C Ranch, Harmony Hills, Whidbey Walks and the Whidbey Animal Guild.
The events were so successful, another fundraiser is planned at M Bar C Ranch on Saturday to coincide with National Trails Day.
“We’re picking up speed, like a snowball rolling down hill, and the community is really starting to rally,” Guss said. “But we need everybody to make this happen. We still need major donors. The time is now.”
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
How to help
To donate to the Save the Forest Now campaign, or for more information, go to www.savetheforestnow.org, call 36-222-3310, or mail your donation to the Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Attention: Save the Forest Now, 765 Wonn Road, Barn C-201, Greenbank, WA 98253.
To celebrate National Trails Day, people can bring their pledges to save the Trillium forest to M Bar C Ranch on Saturday.
A noon lunch and speakers bureau follows a tour of the forest at 10 a.m. The ranch is located at 5264 Shore Meadow Road near Freeland.
To reserve a place, call 206-730-2519 or e-mail Jerrytoy@whidbey.com.
Greenbank-based Whidbey Camano Land Trust is leading the campaign to raise $4.2 million by June 10 to buy the 664-acre former Trillium property.
The non-profit group earlier raised $30,000 to secure an option on the acreage.
The amount of money yet to raise, nearly $2.5 million, seems an insurmountable goal, except that it’s been coming in pretty fast over the past week, said Elizabeth Guss, development director for the Land Trust.
“We’ve had a real groundswell of support, so I feel very optimistic,” Guss said. “Lots of people on the island have significant networks in Seattle. These are people who come to Whidbey as a getaway and who want to support the very thing they love about the island. They want to give back.”
Located northwest of Freeland, the forestland has been logged several times during the past 120 years, most recently in 1988. That’s when the land was acquired by the Trillium Corp., a Bellingham-based real estate and forestry company. In recent years, the property was sold to developers and subdivided into 124 lots. Soon after, it fell into foreclosure, and is now owned by several banks.
If the Whidbey Camano Land Trust can’t come up with the money by next week, the forest most likely would be sold in small parcels and developed, Land Trust executive director Pat Powell said.
If the Land Trust is able to reach its financial goal, the property would be given to Island County, with the Land Trust holding a conservation easement on the land. A site-management plan, funded in part by the Land Trust, would then be developed by community members and county officials.
Recreational uses allowed in the forest could include hiking, bird-watching, mountain biking, horseback riding and hunting. The needs of the forest’s flora, fauna and wetlands also would be part of that management plan.
Detractors of the idea believe that Island County is suffering through such a tremendous budgetary problem now that giving the forest to the county isn’t a good idea.
However, many groups have already stepped forward to volunteer for maintenance duty, Land Trust officials said.
More than 80 community groups have endorsed the Save-the-Forest project, including the Whidbey Island Yacht Club, Holmes Harbor Rod and Gun Club, Whidbey Island Fly Fishing Club and the Island County Trails Council, which offered to donate funding for trail construction and maintenance once the property is acquired.
Sixth graders at South Whidbey Middle School also are collecting pledges and donations. The South Whidbey Centaurs 4-H Club has started a competition between the local 4-H clubs to see which can gather the most pledges. Members of “Save the Trees” challenged the community to donate and offered to match.
On May 23, more than 100 hikers, bikers and horseback riders raised $110,000 in pledges and donations at trail rides organized by Island County Back Country Horsemen, M Bar C Ranch, Harmony Hills, Whidbey Walks and the Whidbey Animal Guild.
The events were so successful, another fundraiser is planned at M Bar C Ranch on Saturday to coincide with National Trails Day.
“We’re picking up speed, like a snowball rolling down hill, and the community is really starting to rally,” Guss said. “But we need everybody to make this happen. We still need major donors. The time is now.”
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
How to help
To donate to the Save the Forest Now campaign, or for more information, go to www.savetheforestnow.org, call 36-222-3310, or mail your donation to the Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Attention: Save the Forest Now, 765 Wonn Road, Barn C-201, Greenbank, WA 98253.
To celebrate National Trails Day, people can bring their pledges to save the Trillium forest to M Bar C Ranch on Saturday.
A noon lunch and speakers bureau follows a tour of the forest at 10 a.m. The ranch is located at 5264 Shore Meadow Road near Freeland.
To reserve a place, call 206-730-2519 or e-mail Jerrytoy@whidbey.com.
Comments
(
