The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office is seeking applications for its Forestland Preservation-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to provide funding to lease or buy voluntary land preservation agreements also called conservation easements for forests to ensure they remain available for timber production in the future.
Donor Name: Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office
State: Washington
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/30/2026
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The program is part of the larger Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, which was created in 1990 to conserve land for outdoor recreation and wildlife, to keep pace with a growing population. In 2016, the Legislature expanded the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to include preservation of forestland with the goal of supporting working forests that also provide habitat for wildlife, environmental benefits, and public access.
Funding Information
- Funding comes from the sale of state bonds and is estimated to be $575,000 every two years.
- Grant applicants may request any amount up to $500,000.
Eligible Projects
- Land acquisition through easements or leases (required for all projects). Public access is not required.
- Habitat enhancement or restoration, in conjunction with land acquisition. These activities, such as installing fences or bridges, replanting riverbanks, and replacing culverts, must further the ecological functions of the forestland.
- Combination of land acquisition and either restoration or enhancement.
Eligibility Criteria
- Cities and counties
- Nonprofit nature conservancies
- Washinton State Conservation Commission.
Ineligible Projects
- Acquisition of rights for a term of less than perpetuity, of land already owned by the grant applicant or sponsor, of properties acquired via a condemnation, and of land to satisfy a Habitat Conservation Plan under the Endangered Species Act
- Consumable supplies such as fuel, fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, except as a one-time application if they part of otherwise eligible acquisition or restoration activities
- Elements that cannot be defined as fixtures or capital items
- Environmental cleanup of illegal activities, such as meth labs
- Indoor facilities
- Purchase of maintenance equipment, tools, or supplies
- Restoration work done before a grant agreement is signed
- Restoration work required under the Forest Practices Act or other regulatory mitigation requirement, except as described under the Fish Passage
- Barriers section
- Routine operation and maintenance costs
- Transfer of development rights
- Utility payments such as monthly water or electric bills.
For more information, visit WSRCCO.
