Thurston County is seeking qualified projects to apply for Conservation Futures funding for 2026.
The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, May 22. It is an opportunity for landowners who want to keep their land undeveloped but would like the financial benefits of selling their property, a news release from Thurston County stated.
Applications must be sponsored by an eligible organization such as a land trust or city government.
Conservation Futures is a land preservation program that allows landowners to sell property or future development rights to a qualified conservation organization. To be eligible, a property must have unique or valuable wildlife habitat, agricultural, forestry, historical or recreational features.
This year’s cycle includes updated administrative guidelines for project sponsors. The guidelines have been changed to provide more information on how the program is administered and clarify specific situations and questions that have arisen over time.
For more information or to download the application, visit https://tinyurl.com/2x8ms6ek.
Once the application is completed, it can be submitted one of three ways:
• Via email to andrew.deffobis@co.thurston.wa.us
• In person: Board of County Commissioners Office, Suite 200 of the Atrium Building, 3000 Pacific Ave. SE, Olympia
• Via mail: Thurston County, ATTN: Andrew Deffobis, CPED, 3000 Pacific Ave. SE, Olympia, WA 98501
The program is made possible by a Conservation Futures tax levy first authorized by the Legislature statewide in 1971. Thurston County began collecting the tax levy in 1989 and uses the funds to make conservation purchases, resulting in approximately 5,900 acres of preserved farmland, historic sites, recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat, according to the news release.
