Land Conservation Initiative Project Highlights

65,000 acres to sustain us.

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Scenic photo of Middle Fork Snoqualmie RIVER on a beautiful sunny day, framed by the overhanging trees along the rocky shoreline.

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Point Heyer Natural Area

Maury Island Big Beach

Frog Holler Forest

Cold Creek Natural Area

Glendale Forest

King County Rural Forest Carbon Project

Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park

Tiger Mountain State Forest

Soos Creek Hatchery Natural Area

Big Spring Creek

Krainick Dairy

Lower Newaukum Creek Natural Area

Enumclaw Farms

Lake to Sound Trail

Emerald Necklace Happy Valley

Midway Park

Tennant Trailhead Park

Ballard P-Patch 

Bear Creek

Big Finn Hill Park 

Brandjes Farm

Čakwab

Camp Kilworth

Camp Sealth

Cleveland Memorial Forest

Duwamish Waterway Park

Soaring Eagle Forest

Hylebos Wetlands

Snoqualmie River Farm

Little Lake Forest

Southcenter Office Park Revegetation Partnership

Taylor Creek

Windy Ridge

Point Heyer Natural Area

This project supports a vision to protect naturally functioning marine shoreline beaches in Puget Sound. Forested and unarmored shorelines and bluffs form and sustain beaches that provide recreational opportunities and important habitat for plants and animals that support salmon and orcas. Point Heyer is the largest barrier lagoon and salt marsh remaining in King County. Nutrient rich salt marshes provide excellent habitat for small fish and birds, store carbon and absorb greenhouse gases. 

Maury Island Big Beach

The shoreline adjacent to the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve is both a tremendous scenic resource and an important stretch of habitat for key regional bird species like the marbled murrelet, pileated woodpecker, and great blue heron. The project aims to create one contiguous protected reach of shoreline.

Frog Holler Forest

Known for the chorus of tree frogs in the area, Frog Holler is part of a long-term partnership to eventually protect more than 500 acres of forest on the south end of Vashon Island. The 150-acre site is the largest public forest on the south end of Vashon Island.

Cold Creek Natural Area

Cold Creek is an important tributary of Bear Creek, together creating high quality habitat for salmon, black bears, bobcat, cougar, elk, fox, and great blue herons. The ongoing project to protect properties along this creek supports both salmon recovery and nature-based recreation opportunities.

Glendale Forest

This five-acre forested property in North Highline (near White Center) provided a rare opportunity to protect a large, undeveloped parcel in an urban area. Adjacent to apartments and near schools, churches, and temples, the acquisition closes a critical gap in open space access. The area contains forest and wetlands - and offers opportunities for trails and outdoor education. Glendale Forest was the first county acquisition under the new   Conservation Futures match waiver program  . Two other King County programs,  Healthy Lands  and  Community Litter Cleanup  , are working to prepare the site for safe and enjoyable community access. 

King County Rural Forest Carbon Project

The City of Issaquah and King County partnered to purchase a 46-acre forest property, with 33 acres being added by the city to Harvey Manning Park and 12.5 acres added by the county to Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, along with a total of 20 additional acres acquired and conserved by the county in the same area since 2016. These properties were enrolled in the city’s and the county’s forest carbon projects, and the credits generated by Issaquah’s project were included in the largest sale of urban forest carbon credits in the U.S. Together, these acquisitions expand the area of contiguous forest, providing ecological benefits and expanded recreation opportunities. The sale of carbon credits supports the maintenance of these forests and the protection of additional forestland.

Read more about this project

Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park

With over 35 miles of trails wending through diverse habitats and offering sweeping views, Cougar Mountain is a tremendous recreation resource for all King County residents and visitors. Recent acquisitions help to improve access from rapidly growing Issaquah neighborhoods and support the development of new trailheads.

Tiger Mountain State Forest

The last undeveloped property on Tiger Mountain is protected forever thanks to help from The Trust for Public Land and Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Public ownership of the 1.18-acre parcel will allow for future trail connections to popular hiking trails in the West Tiger Mountain trail system. Only with the assistance of our partners was King County able to acquire this important conservation easement.

Soos Creek Hatchery Natural Area

Acquisitions along an ecologically important stretch of Big Soos Creek near Auburn will allow the county to record a conservation easement and transfer development rights to areas more suitable for development. As one of the two largest tributaries in the Duwamish-Green River Watershed, Soos Creek provides spawning and rearing habitat for both Chinook and steelhead salmon. Public ownership of this stretch will allow for restoration and perpetual protection of critical habitat.

Big Spring Creek

Part of a wetland complex that forms one of the most valuable wildlife habitat areas on the Enumclaw Plateau, the goal of this conservation effort is to preserve and restore a large complex of native forest, wetland, and riparian habitat. It also protects scenic viewsheds, buffers an urban growth area, and enhances ongoing efforts to improve water quality.

Krainick Dairy

While many acres within the Krainick operation are already protected, key lands are still at risk of conversion to non-farmland uses. Protecting lands like the Krainick dairy ensure farmers will flourish in Enumclaw and across King County.

Lower Newaukum Creek Natural Area

The county is working to protect a mile-wide corridor of forested, mature second growth trees along Newaukum Creek's lower reaches, which is one of the two largest tributaries in the Duwamish-Green River Watershed. Portions of the creek are important as spawning and rearing habitat for the endangered Chinook and steelhead salmon species.  

Enumclaw Farms

Between 1960 and 1980, more than half of the farmlands in King County were lost to other uses. In partnership with local farmers, this conservation effort preserved 65 acres for agricultural use by acquiring development rights and recording a farmland easement. The property remains in private ownership for farm use, while the county support ensures that use will continue in perpetuity. 

Lake to Sound Trail

With a Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, King County cut the ribbon on 1.2 miles of the Lake to Sound Trail. The trail will eventually run 16 miles from the south end of Lake Washington to Puget Sound, linking the cities of Renton, Tukwila, SeaTac, Burien, and Des Moines and connecting four existing regional trails.

Emerald Necklace Happy Valley

Acquisition of a 70-acre conservation easement in the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area will allow the City of Sammamish to increase density in their urban core through the  Transfer of Development Rights Program  while preserving salmon habitat along Evans Creek and important habitat for critical species. High quality wetlands, located so close to urban areas, are rare and difficult to replace. The project also furthers the city’s vision for a buffer of greenspace entirely around the city.

Midway Park

Partners:  City of Des Moines , Reach out Des Moines and  Highline School District  

The City of Des Moines was one of the first partners to be awarded grant funding under the new Conservation Futures match waiver program aimed at protecting open space where it is needed most. The expanded park will mainly serve the Pacific ridge neighborhood, where 326 units of affordable housing were completed between 2019 and 2020. This project gets the city one step closer to closing their 60-acre deficit in open space.

Tennant Trailhead Park

This 30-acre acquisition helped the community realize their vision for a new trailhead. The project protects mature mixed forest and the scenic viewshed for the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area. The partnership leveraged King County Parks levy funding, and a Conservation Futures award against federal support for trailhead construction through the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund via the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.

Ballard P-Patch 

One of Seattle’s oldest and largest community gardens, Ballard P-Patch, is protected so it can continue to serve as a vibrant community hub, create gardening opportunities for all abilities, and annually provide over 2,500 pounds of fresh, organic produce to the Ballard Food Bank. With dense development occurring in Crown Hill and Ballard neighborhoods, this .66-acre garden will play an increasingly important role in providing a public green space and local food for the expanding population.  

Bear Creek

A community vision for land conservation coupled with early advocacy by Water Tenders and long stewardship by local area residents has led King County to preserve and restore large stretches of Bear Creek – one of the most productive habitats for Chinook salmon. In the rapidly growing Redmond area, integrating acquisition, restoration, and stormwater retrofits is key for achieving the principles of Clean Water Healthy Habitat to produce better outcomes for people, salmon, and orcas.  

Big Finn Hill Park 

An additional 6.25 acres of beautiful open space was recently added to Big Finn Hill Park in Kirkland. The parcels protect aquatic resources including a substantial portion of Denny Creek and some of its headwaters. Preserving this stretch of the waterway will help protect water quality and flow regime downstream in sections of the creek that could be suitable for salmonids, as well as help maintain habitat connectivity between Lake Washington and the uplands. The property is dominated by native vegetation, including tree cover and other important habitat for wildlife.  

Brandjes Farm

A key aspect of the Land Conservation Initiative is leveraging public-private partnerships to benefit both farming and fish habitat on the same property. This Brandjes Farm project brings together the  Farmland Preservation program , which works with local farmers to keep critical farmland in production, and the  Transfer of Development Rights  program, a voluntary, incentive-based, and market-driven approach to preserve land and steer development growth away from rural and resource lands into King County’s urban area. This project protects 73 acres of farmland and open space adjacent to the urban growth boundary in Enumclaw and will allow restoration of a 3,000-foot, salmon-bearing stretch of Newaukum Creek. 

Čak w ab

Formerly known as Lones Levee

Partners: Many funding partners made this project possible and can be viewed  here .

One of the largest capital projects ever conducted along the Green River, Čak w ab is a large-scale, multi-benefit effort to remove a damaged levee and restore a critical section of the salmon-bearing Green River to its natural state. The project enhances fish and wildlife habitat while also protecting farms and homes from flooding and erosion. Thirty acres of floodplain were reconnected to the river, catalyzing natural processes critical to the formation of high-quality, diverse salmon habitat, which support endangered orca. Replacing the aging levee with a modern setback facility will also protect nearby property and farmland from flooding for generations to come. The site will be known by its traditional Lushootseed name, Čak w ab, pronounced “chock-wob,” meaning “to bring something to the water.”

Camp Kilworth

From the early 1930s to 2016, Camp Kilworth was a Boy Scout camp perched above Puget Sound with sweeping sea views. When the camp closed, its future remained uncertain. The property and its shoreline are one of a few places in rapidly growing Federal Way considered a highly sensitive environmental area, with a high bank coastal forest that serves as a wildlife corridor. After receiving a  Conservation Futures  grant, Forterra has worked to preserve the site and plans to reopen it as an outdoor education site in partnership with the YMCA and a group of local advocates known as Kilworth Environmental Education Preserve (KEEP). The project also received King County Flood Control District Cooperative Watershed Management funding through WRIA 9.

Camp Sealth

At 381 acres, Camp Sealth is the second largest private land holding on Vashon Island. It is also almost entirely undeveloped forest, supports Puget Sound marine habitat, and is home to a thriving youth summer camp. King County continues a long-term effort to conserve this area. An easement will permanently prevent development on site, reduce habitat fragmentation, and create public trail connections to  Frog Holler Forest . It will also advance Camp Sealth’s longstanding mission to provide quality outdoor education for all.

Cleveland Memorial Forest

At the height of World War II, the students of Seattle’s Cleveland High School wanted to memorialize classmates who had died in the armed forces. They raised funds and worked over many years with King County to protect the land forever. Inviting trails weave through 131 acres of Sitka Spruce, Douglas Fir, and Western Red Cedar which protect a salmon spawning stream. Closing a key public lands gap, the conservation easement connects thousands of acres of county and state natural lands - and opens opportunities for miles of new recreation trails.

Duwamish Waterway Park

The community along the Duwamish River has been working since 2009 to create the South Park Riverwalk. The City of Seattle and King County are partnering in this effort to realize the vision for an integrated and connected network of shoreline access points and waterfront parks in South Park. Current acquisitions continue to build on and expand previous work.

Soaring Eagle Forest

Soaring Eagle Regional Park is home to a pilot urban forest carbon project as well as parcels included in the county’s rural forest carbon project. These properties were acquired and protected by King County, allowing them to maintain the carbon stored in the trees and soil and to continue storing more carbon over time, while expanding the park. This is particularly valuable here in the Pacific Northwest, where our forests are among the best in the world at storing carbon because many native tree species have long, productive lifespans. Microsoft was the first company committed to purchasing the county’s ruralcarbon credits. Fishermen’s Finest was the first company to purchase urban carbon credits.

Hylebos Wetlands

One of the last remaining wetland complexes in south King County is easy to reach and explore, thanks to the work of Federal Way and partners along with funding from King County. Recent acquisitions closed gaps in public land between wetlands on the West Fork and an existing city park, enabling a contiguous trail network through 120 acres of unique old growth forest and bogs in the heart of the city. The project ensures the preservation of a wildlife corridor and provides the possibility of future trail expansion.

Snoqualmie River Farm

The Beyers family knew they wanted to keep their Snoqualmie Valley farm in agricultural production. After working with King County’s  Farmland Preservation Program , over 20 acres of fertile land is secured as a peer learning farm – where new farmers have access to land and are able to learn about sustainable practices. King County partnered with SnoValley Tilth to place growers on the farm, provide start-up equipment, and coordinate trainings on organic agriculture. This joint effort lessens the start-up cost burden for farmers and gives them space to test out their business ideas.

Little Lake Forest

Sitting at the base of the Cascade foothills, the Little Lake Forest property serves as a buffer between the City of Enumclaw and land protected by the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. The park contains mature forest habitat and a beautiful small lake. King County is leveraging Conservation Futures and Parks levy funding against a grant from the  National Park Service  through the  WA Recreation and Conservation Office   to build a trailhead and trail in the park.

Southcenter Office Park Revegetation Partnership

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe identified this highly urban stretch of river as having a high need for tree shade. Tukwila, in partnership with the private property owner and their property managers, restored nearly 1,000 lineal feet of shoreline. A Land Conservation Initiative acquisition of a conservation easement using Conservation Futures and Cooperative Watershed Management funding enabled the county to protect the restoration improvements in perpetuity. Additional funding was provided by the city and the Rose Foundation along with in-kind donations by the property owner.

Taylor Creek

Agencies are partnering to preserve the headwaters of Taylor Creek – a perennial, salmon-bearing tributary to Lake Washington at Seattle’s southern border with Skyway. Seattle now owns 115 acres of natural land in the watershed, with Seattle Parks and Seattle Public Utilities doing wetland restoration and removing fish passage barriers for juvenile Sockeye, Coho, and Chinook. King County’s  Mitigation Reserves Program  (MRP) has protected and stewarded approximately 11 acres of wetland and forest. Using private funding such as that generated by the MRP is an important component of the Land Conservation Initiative funding strategy. This project provides a rare opportunity to save a high functioning urban wetland and from imminent development and increases public access to green space in southeast Seattle.

Windy Ridge

Partners:  Forterra 

Some of the most pristine and breathtaking scenery in the Central Cascades can be found at Windy Ridge. King County and Forterra have worked to preserve over 600 acres of alpine forest, meadows, and trout-bearing lakes – including some of the last unlogged forest in the state. The project protects 300-year-old trees, prevents habitat loss, and establishes landscape-level connectivity in the Skykomish Valley and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.