Category Overview
Farmland Preservation protects valuable farmland and habitat for recreationally important animals, like salmon, birds, deer, and elk. These projects allow families to continue farming the land they have worked on for generations, and provide Washingtonians with healthy local food and a diverse economy. WWRP is the only source of farmland preservation funding in the state budget.
Project Highlights
The Teas Ranch conservation easement permanently protected 439.76 acres of grassland and forest in the Okanogan Highlands that constitute a critical component of a cattle ranching operation owned by Brian and Cynthia Nelson. The easement is adjacent to two other conservation easements held by Okanogan Land Trust, as well as Washington DNR land. The easement is key to long term agricultural viability in the Okanogan Highlands, as it connects rancher-owned rangeland and public lands leased for grazing to support a multi-generational cow-calf operation. The Teas Ranch property itself provides both spring grazing for cow-calf pairs and fall gathering pasture. Small pocket wetlands throughout the area and infrastructure to support rotational grazing are present on the property. The mix of pasture grasses and native grassland plant communities supports populations of grassland birds, such as savannah sparrows, which are in steep decline in North America.