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 Whidbey Camano Land Trust acquired two farmland conservation easements on 214 acres of historic, working farmland near Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve on Whidbey Island. The 84-acre Historic Bell’s Farm was protected on June 1, 2023, leading to the extinguishment of six development rights. Three months later, on September 6th, the 130-acre Bell’s Farm North, aka Sher-footed Farm, was protected with a conservation easement that also removed six total development rights from that property. In total 12 development rights were extinguished through these projects. The Bell’s Farm North conservation easement acquisition utilized WWRP-Farmland Preservation funding while the Bell’s Farm acquisition was funded using U.S. Navy funding through Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program and used as match for the WWRP-Farmland Preservation grant. Together these easements allow for the continued agricultural use of these properties, with a focus on sustainable practices in livestock and crop production, including ancient white park cattle, sheep, and hogs, as well as crop lands that grow hay, strawberries, and a market garden. The Bell’s Farm North conservation easement also included language that would allow the creation of a public trail and parking on the property, providing a future public access opportunity at the door step of Oak Harbor.