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Whatcom County Awarded Funding to Compensate Landowners for Preserving Working and Ecologically Significant Land

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Washington
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Whatcom County

Whatcom County is working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and partners through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to provide financial assistance for landowners to sell unused development rights in Whatcom County.

Bellingham, Wash. (September 24, 2024) – Whatcom County is working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and partners through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to provide financial assistance for landowners to sell unused development rights in Whatcom County in exchange for placing a conservation easement on their property.  To help address the loss of land with high agricultural, forestry, or ecological value, Whatcom County was awarded funding through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service RCPP. The RCPP award provides funding to help purchase conservation easements over working and ecologically significant private lands. Easements will support the agricultural, forestry, or ecological values of the property. The landowner is compensated for extinguishing subdivision and development rights on all or a portion of their property. This is the second sign-up for this five-year program, which has a total of $900,000 in financial assistance to purchase conservation easement.  The Whatcom County Conservation Easement Program Regional Conservation Partnership Program funding sign-up period begins September 24, 2024 until October 25, 2024. This RCPP covers all of Whatcom County, outside of city limits and urban growth areas. RCPP funding is limited, and applications will be subject to a ranking system. To be eligible, it is important that interested parties visit their local Farm Service Agency offices as soon as possible to ensure that their farm records are established. Funding is also provided b the Whatcom County Conservation Futures Fund.

 

Grant Requirements:

  • Each person listed on the deed for the property must establish themselves as a USDA customer and complete all Farm Service Agency (FSA) eligibility requirements. For more information about those requirements, contact the local FSA field office at 914 Citadel Drive, Everson, WA or 360-318-8121.
  • Conservation easement restrictions will protect land from development and will protect the agricultural, forestry, or ecological values of the property.
  • Develop a Farm Plan or Forest Management Plan (free, no cost to landowner).

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