King County Executive Dow Constantine is bringing together a wide range of experts to create a long-term strategy for protecting the most valuable remaining farms, forests, habitats and other green spaces from development as the region’s population continues to rise.
“It was the determination to protect our region’s last, best open spaces that originally drew me to public life,” said Constantine in a county media release. “We’ve saved unprotected forest land, working farms and popular trail corridors throughout the region. With the help of talented experts representing the public and private sectors, we will set a course to finish the job.”
King County has made significant progress over the past three decades conserving open spaces, preserving more than 200,000 acres of working forests and protecting about 15,000 acres of farmland.
But surveys of current development patterns show important gaps in conservation of these valuable lands. For example, less than one-third of land in Agricultural Production Districts is protected from development, and wooded acreage along shorelines and river corridors remains subject to development in many areas of the county.
The land conservation and preservation work plan that Constantine sent to the King County Council in March includes proposals for how the county could help preserve natural lands, farms, forests, river corridors and regional trails corridors.
One of the proposals is to convene an advisory group, which will host its first meeting in September to help review and refine conservation strategies. The advisory group will be co-chaired by former King County Councilman Larry Phillips and Tukwila City Councilman De’Sean Quinn
The advisory group members include representatives from regional businesses – including REI, Microsoft and the Boeing Co., – along with the King County Agriculture and Rural Forest Commissions, and past and current members of city councils and the King County Council. It will also include representatives from philanthropic organizations, the local real estate industry, and nonprofit organizations, including Forterra and The Nature Conservancy.
The advisory group’s first meeting is scheduled for Sept. 15 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Preston Community Center, 8625 310th Ave. SE, Preston. The panel’s final report is expected to be delivered to Constantine by the end of the year.
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