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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHumbleberryFarm_CFF_Final_20240322 1 2024 CF Program Application FINAL Please complete the following application in its entirety. Be sure to answer “N/A” for questions that don’t apply to the project. Incomplete applications will not be accepted for consideration. Unless directed otherwise, use as much space as needed to answer each question. Contact program staff at 379-4498 or tpokorny@co.jefferson.wa.us with questions. Background and Eligibility Information 1. Project Title Humbleberry Farm 2. Conservation Futures Acquisition Request: $140,000 Conservation Futures O&M Request: $12,000 3. Total Conservation Futures Request: $152,000 4. Please indicate the type of interest contemplated in the acquisition process. __ Warranty Deed X Easement __ Other (Please describe below.) In whose name will the property title be held after acquisition? Debora Dearie will continue to hold title, with a conservation easement held by Jefferson Land Trust and a REPI easement held by the US Department of Defense. 5. Applicant Information Name of Applicant or Organization: Jefferson Land Trust Contact: Sarah Spaeth Title: Director of Conservation & Strategic Partnerships Address: 1033 Lawrence St. Port Townsend, WA 98368 Phone: (360) 379-9501, ext. 101 ________________________________ Fax: (_____) _____-________, ext. ____ Email: sspaeth@saveland.org 6. Sponsor Information: (if different than applicant) _________________________________________________ Organization Name:___________________________________________________________________________ Contact: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Title: ______________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: (_____) _____-________, ext. ____ _______________________ Fax: (_____) _____-________, ext. ____ Email: _____________________________________________________________________________________ 2024 Jefferson County Conservation Futures Program Property Acquisition Project and/or Operations and Maintenance Project Application 2 2024 CF Program Application FINAL This application was approved by the sponsor’s legally responsible body (e.g., board, council, etc.) on February 20, 2024 7. Project Location Street Address or Description of Location: 190 McInnis Rd. Quilcene, WA 98376 Driving Directions from Port Townsend: From Chimacum, take Center Road south for 13.8 miles and turn left onto McInnis Rd. Section: 18 Township: 27 N Range: 1W Assessor’s Parcel Number(s): 701 182 003, 702 131 003, and 702 131 020 Please differentiate current and proposed ownership of each APN and indicate if the parcel is to be acquired with CF funds or used as match. All parcels listed above will remain in Debora Dearie’s ownership and will be preserved with a conservation easement held by Jefferson Land Trust, along with a Navy Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) restrictive easement. Please list the assessed values for each property or APN, as applicable. 701 182 003 –$753,203 current market value assessed (includes improvements), and the total current use taxable value of $658,251 702 131 003 - $192,465 current market value, with total current use taxable value of $6,345 702 131 020 - $39,375 current market value, with total current use taxable value of $1,125 8. Existing Conditions New Site: Yes X No _________________________ Number of Parcels: 3 Addition to Existing Site: Yes No X ____________ Acres to Be Acquired: 50.9 Total Project Acreage (if different):______________ Current Zoning: AP1:20 Existing Structures/Facilities: One residence, large barn, carriage barn/shop, multiple wells and three pump houses, car port, sheds, livestock shelter, and agricultural ponds. Any current covenants, easements or restrictions on land use: None Current Use: Residential and agricultural uses Waterfront (name of body of water): Donovan Creek Shoreline (linear feet): Approximately 688ft of Donovan Creek Owner Tidelands/Shorelands: No tidelands or shoreline 9. Current Property Owner X is __is not a willing seller. Project Description 3 2024 CF Program Application FINAL 10. In 1,000 words or less, provide a summary description of the project, the match, overarching goal, and three top objectives. For each objective, identify the metric(s) that will be measured to determine if the objective is being achieved and the timeframe for meeting the identified metric. Include information about the physical characteristics of the site that is proposed for acquisition with Conservation Futures Program funds including: vegetation, topography, surrounding land use, and relationship to parks, trails, and open space. Describe the use planned for the site, any development plans after acquisition (including passive development), characteristics of the site which demonstrate that it is well-suited to the proposed use, and plans for any structures currently on the site. If applicable, describe how the site project relates to a larger conservation program (please identify), and whether the project has a plan, schedule and funding dedicated to its completion. Please also list any important milestones for the project or critical dates, e.g. grant deadlines. List the dates and explain their importance. Please attach a spreadsheet of the budget. Jefferson Land Trust is seeking Conservation Futures funding for the permanent protection of Humbleberry Farm located in Quilcene, WA near the head of the Quilcene Bay. The goal of the project is to protect productive and historic farmland as well as a stretch of salmon-bearing Donovan Creek with a conservation easement. The conservation easement will allow the landowners to continue their residential and agricultural uses and will ensure that the property is available for agricultural production into the future, and protect the riparian buffer of Donovan Creek. The conservation easement will be held and enforced by Jefferson Land Trust in perpetuity. The protection of this property will fill in a gap in the protection of a continuous corridor throughout the upper Quilcene Bay watershed, as the Humbleberry Farm is surrounded by Land Trust nature preserves, Land Trust conservation easements, Jefferson County-owned land, and property owned by the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group. This protected connection enables species movement both from day to day and over time as the climate changes, thereby increasing resilience and supporting biodiversity. For this project we have the opportunity to work with the current landowners to preserve their 50.9-acre farm comprised of prime agricultural soils. The property has three tax parcels that are zoned Agricultural Production 1 development right per 20 acres and is designated as Open Space Agriculture by the Jefferson County assessor, and after the conservation easement in place the parcels will be required to stay under one ownership to reduce fragmentation. Humbleberry Farm has been in agricultural use for over one hundred years, historically as a dairy and most recently for hay and beef production until the farm came under new ownership in late 2021. Since the change in ownership the farm has been undergoing significant and impressive improvements to the land management, soil quality, and business operations. The new owners are committed to regenerative agriculture practices including rotational grazing of livestock; deep bedding systems for wintering animals in the barn; increasing bioavailability in the pastures through liming, manure spreading and adding biochar; gradually increasing the stocking capacity of the property over time; and managing water runoff. Top objectives: 1. Protect the property with a conservation easement and Navy REPI restrictive easement which will reduce the development rights, protect the agricultural soils, and protect the riparian area of Donovan Creek – late 2025/early 2026 4 2024 CF Program Application FINAL 2. Once protected with the easements, the landowners will be able to invest in agricultural management improvement projects and expand their business which provides local food products directly to the east Jefferson County community – 2026 and beyond 3. After protection of the property, the landowners and restoration partners will be eligible to apply for and implement restoration on the 680 ft. stretch of Donovan Creek on site – 2026 and beyond Humbleberry Farm has varied topography ranging from east-facing slopes and flat pastureland on the east side of McInnis Road surrounding Donovan Creek, as well as east-, north-, and west-facing slops on the west side of McInnis Road. The topography and soils provide opportunities for diverse pastureland, orchard development, and perennial crops. On the property in addition to the one residence located in the eastern parcel, agricultural infrastructure includes a large barn, a smaller carriage barn/shop, car port, three well houses, sheds, livestock shelters, and ponds, all of which support the agricultural viability and production potential of this farm. The pastures are currently set up with 5 large, fenced paddocks allowing for livestock rotation, and the landowner currently practices ever smaller rotations within the paddocks using electric fencing. In 2023, Jefferson Land Trust was successful in securing funding from the Recreation and Conservation Office’s (RCO) Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program’s (WWRP) State Farmland Preservation Program grant for protecting both Humbleberry Farm and the adjacent Schmidt Farm with a conservation easement. This farmland grant program conducts a thorough review of farmland viability including soils, infrastructure, water rights, and threat. The Humbleberry Farm and Schmidt Farm joint grant application ranked highly amongst several statewide projects. Jefferson Land Trust intends to protect this farm with a conservation easement before the end of 2025, and CFF funds will provide essential funding toward this goal. In addition to CFF and state funds, funding from the Navy Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program for the REPI easement will also provide a substantial amount of the funding for this project, matching the funds from the CFF program. These state and federal grant dollars contributing to this project have reduced the overall amount of funding needed from the CFF program, and the remaining necessary funding is expressed in our CFF request. Jefferson Land Trust, Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group, and Jefferson County have all focused efforts on permanent protection of properties surrounding Quilcene Bay for two decades. To date, Jefferson Land Trust protects over 140 acres of riparian, wetland, farmland, and estuarine habitat at the head of Quilcene Bay through two conservation easements and fee ownership of two nature preserves. Extensive restoration efforts have been undertaken over the past decade on Donovan Creek by Jefferson County Conservation District (JCCD), Jefferson County, Jefferson Land Trust, and the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG). Subsequent to the 2007 replacement of a 5-ft. culvert (identified as a fish barrier) under East Quilcene Road, only 2,000 ft south of the subject site, with a 70-ft. concrete bridge by Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group and Jefferson County Public Works, Jefferson Land Trust worked with project partners on a major restoration project to restore lower Donovan Creek to its historic channel. Included in this restoration work, immediately upstream and downstream of Humbleberry Farm, the Land Trust replanted the riparian buffer and wetlands with thousands of native plants in 2016 and have been managing the restoration site since. Additionally, Jefferson Land Trust is close to purchasing a conservation easement on Schmidt Farm directly to the east which hosts Jakeway Creek, a tributary of Donovan Creek. The overarching goal of this project is to protect the agricultural soils of Humbleberry Farm so that they will always be available for commercial production, in perpetuity. Additionally, the protection of this property and creation of a delineated riparian zone surrounding Donovan Creek will allow project partners like Hood Canal 5 2024 CF Program Application FINAL Salmon Enhancement Group to secure funding for and implement a restoration project along this stretch of the creek that would otherwise not be available for unprotected property. 11. Estimate costs below, including the estimated or appraised value of the propert(ies) or property right(s) to be acquired, even if Conservation Futures funds will only cover a portion of the total project cost. In the case of projects involving multiple acquisitions, please break out appraisals and estimated acquisition costs by parcel. Estimated or Appraised Value of Propert(ies) to be Acquired: Total Estimated Acquisition-related Cost (see Conservation Futures Manual for eligible costs): $825,000 Total Operation and Maintenance Cost: $12,000 Total Project Cost: $837,000 Basis for Estimates (include information about how the property value(s) was determined, anticipated acquisition- related costs, general description of operation and maintenance work to be performed, task list with itemized budget, and anticipated schedule for completion of work): Quilcene Headwaters to Bay Preserve Phase II Project related costs Timeline Est. Total Cost CFF Request Match Easement acquisition 2025 $790,000 $140,000 $650,000 Land acquisition related costs, i.e. appraisal, survey, Baseline document, closing costs 2025 $27,000 $0 $27,000 Project management admin and legal fees ongoing $8,000 $0 $8,000 O&M (stewardship plan and monitoring) ongoing $12,000 $12,000 $0 Total $837,000 $152,000 (18.2%) $685,000 (81.8%) The estimate for the value of the easement acquisition is based on the current Jefferson County fair market value assessment of the property, combined with our knowledge of the appraised value of other conservation easements on local farmland recently. Similarly, Jefferson Land Trust completes multiple acquisition projects a year which helps us provide experienced estimates for project management and other administrative costs that will be needed for this project. O & M only go to question #15: Scored Questions 6 2024 CF Program Application FINAL 1. To what degree does the project leverage contributions for acquisition from groups, agencies or individuals? 1 a. Sponsor or other organizations X will __will not contribute to acquisition of proposed site and/or operation and maintenance activities. 1 b. If applicable, please describe below how contributions from groups or agencies will reduce the need to use Conservation Futures program funds. 1 c. Matching Fund Estimate Acquisition O&M % Conservation Futures Funds Requested $140,000 $12,000 18.2% Matching Funds/Resources* $685,000 $0 81.8% Total Project Acquisition Cost $825,000 $12,000 100% * If a prior acquisition is being proposed as match, please describe and provide documentation of value, location, date of acquisition and other information that would directly link the match to the property being considered for acquisition. 1 d. Source of matching Amount of Contribution If not, Contribution If not, funds/resources contribution approved? when? available now? when? Navy REPI _____________ $351,000 __ Yes No _________ Yes No ________ State Farmland Preservation $340,000 __ Yes No _________ Yes No ________ ______________________ $_________ Yes No _________ Yes No ________ ______________________ $_________ Yes No _________ Yes No ________ NOTE: Matching funds are strongly recommended and a higher rating will be assigned to those projects that guarantee additional resources for acquisition. Donation of property or a property right will be considered as a matching resource. Donation of resources for on-going maintenance or stewardship (“in-kind” contributions) are not eligible as a match. 2. To what degree does the project sponsor commit to provide long-term stewardship for the proposed project? 2 a. Sponsoring agency X is __is not prepared to provide long-term stewardship (easement monitoring, maintenance, up-keep, etc.) for the proposed project. Protection and stewardship actions for this property are designed to protect the agricultural viability of the farm and region. Jefferson Land Trust has developed a rigorous program for stewardship and monitoring of conservation easement terms over the 35 years since we were formed, including at least annual on-the- ground monitoring of the property by professional staff and trained volunteers, data collection and management, help with stewardship planning, as well as legal defense of the conservation easements should it become necessary. As of 2024, Jefferson Land Trust has a legal defense fund of over $832,000 and continues to build this fund with each new easement acquisition, recognizing the legal obligation and responsibility of protecting conservation values in perpetuity. In addition, Jefferson Land Trust carries legal defense insurance for conservation easements through a program called Terrafirma, developed through the national Land Trust 7 2024 CF Program Application FINAL Alliance (the national umbrella organization for land trusts). This program covers up to $500,000 in legal enforcement costs per conservation easement that Jefferson Land Trust holds and stewards. 2 b. Describe any existing programs or future plans for stewardship of the property, including the nature and extent of the commitment of resources to carry out the stewardship plan. In addition to our regular easement monitoring program described above, we plan to help the landowners partner with the Jefferson Co. Conservation District (JCCD) and the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG). These entities have worked with landowners in the Quilcene Bay watershed both to implement best management practices on agricultural land and to enhance riparian habitats. These partners provided technical expertise, support, and on the ground oversight of restoration activities. We expect that JCCD and HCSEG will be able to work with the Humbleberry Farm managers to incorporate additional agricultural BMPs and also hopefully to restore the section of Donovan Creek on the property. 3. To what degree has the project sponsor demonstrated effective long-term stewardship of a similar project? 3 a. Describe the sponsoring agency’s previous or on-going stewardship experience. Over the 35 years since it was formed, Jefferson Land Trust has managed many acquisition projects with several project partner organizations, including Jefferson County, The Trust for Public Land, Northwest Watershed Institute, North Olympic Salmon Coalition (NOSC), JCCD, HCSEG, the Navy and others, and we have been responsible for conducting or coordinating restoration activities in partnership with many of those same agencies and organizations. We hold 68 conservation easements on 4,526 acres and have helped with the preservation and stewardship of another 12,844 acres in Jefferson County. The Land Trust also holds title to over 1,027 acres of preserves, including the nearby Lower Donovan Creek Preserve and Donovan Wetlands Preserve (adjacent to the south and north of Humbleberry Farm) as well as the Big Quilcene and Duckabush Rivers south of this project site which directly affect Quilcene Bay and the Hood Canal. Jefferson Land Trust stewardship and monitoring protocols were developed with the guidance of the national Land Trust Alliance, and adherence to those protocols is one of the requirements for our formal land trust accreditation. 3 b. Has the project sponsor and/or applicant been involved in other projects previously approved for Conservation Futures funding? _____No, neither the sponsor nor applicant has been involved in a project previously approved for Conservation Futures funds. X Yes, the sponsor and/or applicant for this project has been involved in a project previously approved for Conservation Futures funds. Please provide details: Jefferson Land Trust has worked with many willing landowners and has sponsored 40 CFF applications over the years since Jefferson County approved collection of the conservation futures property tax and developed the program in 2003. These projects are found in almost all areas of East Jefferson County and range from fee simple acquisition of nature preserves that are held by Jefferson Land Trust, or by other entities such as the City of Port Townsend, Jefferson County or the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, to permanent conservation easements held by Jefferson Land Trust on privately owned properties. 4. To what degree is the acquisition feasible? 4 a. Property X can __cannot feasibly be acquired in a timely fashion with available resources. 4 b. Necessary commitments and agreements __are X are not in place. 8 2024 CF Program Application FINAL 4 c. All parties __are X are not in agreement on the cost of acquisition. If “not” to any of the above, please explain below. We have begun drafting the conservation easement and REPI restrictive easement documents in partnership with the landowners. The landowners are in strong support of the preservation effort and are in general agreement with the Land Trust on the draft provisions of the easements. We will work out the details, followed by the appraisal process which will determine the cost of the acquisition. The Land Trust will offer the Humbleberry Farm landowners the fair market value purchase price of the higher-valued conservation easement. The Humbleberry Farm and neighboring Schmidt Farm ranked fourth out of 18 applications statewide for the State Farmland Preservation Program funding in 2022 and we were awarded funding in 2023, which means that additional funding is already in place to make this conservation easement acquisition feasible. 5. To what degree is the project a part of an adopted open space, conservation, or resource preservation program or plan that was open to public review and comment, or identified in a community conservation effort that provided opportunities for public input? The proposed acquisition __is specifically identified in an adopted open space, conservation, or resource preservation program or plan, or community conservation effort, that is publicly available. Please describe below, including this project’s importance to the plan. Please also reference the website of the plan if available or include the plan with this application. X complements an adopted open space or conservation plan, but is not specifically identified. Please describe below, and describe how the proposed acquisition is consistent with the plan. __is a stand-alone project. Collaboration is at the heart of our approach to conservation. We engage with partners in the “Chumsortium” Consortium to bring back vibrant salmon runs on Hood Canal, and in the Jefferson LandWorks Collaborative to support big-picture thinking around the ongoing economic viability of local farms and working forests. We partner with regional government, local and national agencies, Tribes, peer organizations, and individual citizens to safeguard the places we love and that are crucial to the health of our community, now and into the future. The Jefferson Co. Comprehensive Plan says that "It is Jefferson County’s intent to protect and foster opportunities for the successful practice of agriculture. Land with prime agricultural soils clearly must be preserved”. The Open Space Agriculture tax classification and Commercial Agricultural zoning of the property also reflects the County's goals and support for this land. The American Farmland Trust’s 2012 report Losing Ground: Farmland Protection in the Puget Sound Region includes a Jefferson County Scorecard which identifies the need for additional farmland protection and acknowledges the important role of the Conservation Futures Fund in that effort. A 2009 State Office of Farmland Protection Report notes “The legislature finds that the retention of agricultural land is desirable, not only to produce food, livestock, and other agricultural products, but also to maintain our state economy and preferable environmental conditions.” and this report also documents decreasing farmland acreage and land prices rising with development pressure. The Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development proposed Adaptation Strategies in their “Climate Change Preparedness Plan for the North Olympic Peninsula” (2015). In this plan, they suggest to “acquire and preserve existing vegetated, unprotected areas adjacent to river systems” and to “designate and prioritize funding for additional land designated for agriculture”. 9 2024 CF Program Application FINAL Jefferson Land Trust’s community-vetted 100-Year Conservation Plan (2010) articulates the importance of preserving agricultural lands with the community vision – “A thriving, sustainable agricultural industry is prominent in the local economy, culture, and landscape and is supported by a greater demand for local food.” It also identifies "prime farmland soils and/or proven productivity" and "proximity to population centers" as priorities for agricultural lands to be protected, which Humbleberry Farm can be characterized as having. The Land Trust’s Conservation Plan also states the importance of healthy rivers and streams that enter into Hood Canal – “Many salmonid species spend a large part of their early life stages in the estuaries, and water quality conditions in Hood Canal are essential to their continued survival” (pg.14 and pg.17). It also states that we should “integrate aquatic corridor and watershed scale conservation tactics”. A section of Donovan Creek runs through Humbleberry Farm and directly into Quilcene Bay, meaning that a permanent designation of a riparian corridor on either side of Donovan Creek will have a positive effect on the water quality of Quilcene Bay in Hood Canal. One of the most significant and unique features of this project is the opportunity to protect a waterbody that directly feeds into Quilcene Bay, where clean water is critical for ecosystem health. Because of substantial intact tidal marsh habitat, Quilcene Bay has been recognized as a priority ecosystem for protection and restoration by many groups. It is a priority nearshore conservation area according to The Nature Conservancy’s Willamette Valley-Puget Trough-Georgia Basin Ecoregional Assessment (Floberg et al. 2004) because of its importance for conservation targets such as surf smelt (an important forage fish) and Olympia oysters. Priority Conservation Areas are defined as areas of biodiversity concentration that contain target species, communities and ecosystems and are considered the highest priorities for conservation. It is also a priority zone for the recovery of threatened Hood Canal summer chum salmon (Summer Chum Recovery Plan 2007) and Puget Sound bull trout (USFWS Draft Recovery Plan for the Coastal-Puget Sound Distinct Population Segment of Bull Trout 2004). Furthermore, Quilcene Bay and its estuarine and palustrine wetlands nearby provide many habitat and foraging values that are recognized by national and regional plans aimed at conserving shorebirds, waterfowl, and water birds. Finally, the Humbleberry Farm property is specifically identified as a Highly Resilient Working Farm Area through Jefferson Land Trust’s Climate Resiliency Spatial Conservation Planning. More information about the Land Resilience Study can be found in the hyperlink or see #11 below. 6. To what degree does the project conserve opportunities which are otherwise lost or threatened? 6 a. The proposed acquisition site X does __does not provide a conservation or preservation opportunity which would otherwise be lost or threatened. 6 b. If applicable, please carefully describe the nature and immediacy of the opportunity or threat, and any unique qualities about the site. Jefferson Land Trust, JCCD, and HCSEG had attempted to partner together to preserve and restore Humbleberry Farm in the past when the farm was under different ownership. Due to resistance from those landowners, these efforts were unsuccessful in the early 2000s. Now that Humbleberry Farm is under new ownership, these multiple conservation entities are thrilled that we have a renewed opportunity to preserve this historic farm, one of the larger farms in the Quilcene area from fragmentation, and also to implement some habitat enhancements on Donovan Creek. 7. Are the conservation values of the project commensurate with or greater than the amount of CF funds requested, and will both the timeframes for meeting project objectives and associated metrics demonstrate achievement of the conservation objectives? 10 2024 CF Program Application FINAL 7 a. Summarize the project’s conservation values and how the CF funds requested support these values. The conservation values of Humbleberry Farm include filling in a missing puzzle piece of protection in the upper Quilcene Bay landscape. This property’s primary conservation value is agricultural productivity but also includes riparian salmonid habitat of Donovan Creek. Conservation Futures Funds will contribute significant funds to the purchase of a conservation easement that will protect this important agricultural property from subdivision, allowing for continued commercial agricultural production and potential future riparian planting and enhancement activities on Donovan Creek. 7b. Summarize how the project’s conservation values are related to the project’s specific objectives. The project’s conservation values described in 7a relate to the project’s objectives described in the Project Description because the objectives will allow the conservation values to be protected and thrive in perpetuity. Protection through a conservation easement and restrictive easement will ensure that the conservation values are always upheld. The objective to restore Donovan Creek in the future will allow the riparian habitat conservation value to thrive more than it is able to in its current conditions. 8. To what degree does the project preserve habitat for flora and fauna other than habitat for anadromous fish species? 8 a. X provides habitat for State of Washington Priority Habitat specific to the project and/or State or Federal (NOAA and USFWS) Candidate, Endangered, Threatened or Sensitive species (provide list and references). 8 b X provides habitat for a variety of native flora or fauna species. 8 c. X contributes to an existing or future wildlife corridor or migration route. If affirmative in any of the above, please describe and list the Priority Habitat(s) and Threatened, Endangered, or Sensitive species below, and cite or provide documentation of species’ use.1 WDFW Priority Habitat Species Report lists trumpeter swans (waterfowl concentration area), Freshwater Emergent Wetlands, Freshwater Forested/Shrub Wetland. Water quality from the property is important to the health of Quilcene Bay and the conservation values of this tidal estuarine habitat as indicated in #5 above. 8 d. Does the current owner participate in conservation programs that enhance wildlife habitat? If so, please provide details. The current landowners have been working with the Jefferson County Conservation District to implement best management practices (BMPs). Projects thus far include catching rainwater from the barn roof to reduce runoff (high in nitrogen) on the sloped fields which lead into Donovan Creek, and also allows the farmers to conduct drip-line irrigation for some of their perennial crops. Any extra water not stored is drained into agricultural ditches to reduce nitrogen loading from running across the fields. The farmers are already working with the JCCD to implement additional rain catchment on their infrastructure, getting them up to 10,000 gallons or more of water storage. Other current conservation and wildlife habitat enhancement activities include facilitating hedgerow “patches” throughout their pastures to allow habitat and refuge for birds and other wildlife, protecting their 1 See, for example, http://www.dnr.wa.gov/researchscience/topics/naturalheritage/pages/amp_nh.aspx http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/phs/list/ http://www1.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/plants.html http://www1.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/pubs/wa_ecological_systems.pdf 11 2024 CF Program Application FINAL 5.7-acre forested patch for wildlife habitat, as well as conducting regenerative agricultural practices that enhance soil health and allow for biodiversity and carbon sequestration. 9. To what degree does the project protect habitat for anadromous fish species? 9 a. Describe to what degree the project protects habitat for anadromous fish species (for example: marine shorelines, stream or river corridors including meander zones, and riparian buffers). Please provide documentation and maps that demonstrate the location, quality and extent of the existing buffer and adjoining habitat. According to DNR SalmonScape, the approximately 690 feet of Donovan Creek hosts several salmonid species (coho occurrence & breeding area, coastal cutthroat, fall chum occurrence & migration, winter steelhead occurrence & migration). The current conditions of this stretch of Donovan Creek have significant opportunity for improvement since it is completely unshaded and is experiencing incision (narrow erosion lowering the streambed below the floodplain) due to the previous owner’s refusal to work with habitat organizations to improve the conditions of this stretch. However, the Humbleberry Farm landowners are interested in improving this stretch of Donovan Creek by working with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group or JCCD, and Jefferson Land Trust will ensure that the permanent easement terms allow for habitat enhancement. 10. To what degree does the project preserve farmland for agricultural use OR forestland for silvicultural use? 10 a. Describe the extent and nature of current and planned agricultural or silviculture use of the proposed acquisition, including any anticipated changes to that use once the property, or property right, is acquired with Conservation Futures funds. The Humbleberry Farm property has been in agricultural condition for over 100 years. Under the previous ownership, the property had mostly just been hayed for the last several decades. However, since 2021 when the new landowners acquired the property, the land has been undergoing a series of projects and improvements that have been bringing the farm back to life and bringing it back into commercial agricultural production. In the last two and a half years, the landowners have brought on cattle, dairy cows, sheep, chickens, planted a commercial strawberry patch, and planted the first phase of a commercial fruit orchard. The farmers are dedicated to regenerative agriculture and to improving the health of the pasture soils, the animals, and the plants that they are cultivating. The soils on the property are all characterized as Farmland of Statewide Importance, Prime Farmland if Drained, or Prime Farmland by the Natural Resources Conservation Services. The soils on site include Cathcart gravelly silt loam, Alderwood gravelly sandy loam, Quilcene silt loam, Lummi silt loam, Casey silt loam, and Belfast silt loam. The property is currently set up with 5 permanent fenced paddocks and the farmers utilize electric netting to do rotational grazing on even smaller sections of pasture. The property has three wells and an associated water right claim and certificate of water right. The planned agricultural activities after the purchase of the conservation easement are consistent with what the owners have been accomplishing for the last 2.5 years. They plan to continue raising lamb, expanding their strawberry operation, maintaining and expanding the fruit orchard, increasing the bioavailability of the western pastures for grazing, and responding to local food production gaps for other products to offer. 10 b. Describe the current owner’s record of implementing management practices that preserves and/or enhances soil, water quality, watershed function and wildlife habitat. 12 2024 CF Program Application FINAL During the two and a half years that the owners have been on this property, they have demonstrated a strong commitment and desire to implement management practices that enhance the soil through regenerative practices and improve water quality by working the JCCD. Please see #8d above for more details. 10 c. Describe how the acquisition or proposed easement will likely preserve and/or enhance soil, water quality, watershed function and wildlife habitat. The acquisition of the conservation easement and REPI easement on the entire farm will provide protection against subdivision of the property and limit the number of residences allowed on the property. Additionally, the conservation easement will include impervious surface limitations which serves to preserve the prime soils and agricultural viability. The continuation of BMPs on the farm and the landowner’s intention to enhance the riparian buffer of Donovan Creek will preserve soil, water and habitat quality. Continued agricultural use will also reduce the likelihood of increased impermeable surfaces that often accompany development—surfaces that lead to increased runoff and reduced groundwater recharge abilities. 10 d. Does this project preserve a mix of quality farmland and forestland? There is an approximately 5.7-acre forest patch in the northwest section of the property along Center Road, however it is not anticipated that this forested area will be subject to much forest management and will instead be managed as an ecological and habitat refuge for native wildlife. 11. Climate change: 11 a. To what degree does this project increase resiliency to and/or mitigate climate change, and is the project’s scale significant in regards to increasing climate resiliency? Jefferson Land Trust and the North Olympic Land Trust have been involved in a Land Resilience Study of the North Olympic Peninsula since 2020. This study included working with a GIS consultant to utilize over 90 data sets and draw from 18 public and private sources to develop a set of climate resilience metrics that is helping to structure conservation initiatives in both partner organizations and shape future collaboration. The metrics are analyzed through the four pillars of our work including working farmland, working forestland, habitat and biodiversity, and community opportunity areas. Through this analysis, the Humbleberry Farm is identified as a Working Farmland Conservation Opportunity Area through this spatial resiliency study. Working Farmland Conservation Opportunity Areas are defined as the lands on the Olympic Peninsula that are most likely to retain robust productivity for food and fiber, continue to have water availability, and are close to populated areas where farmers can market their products. 12. What area does the project serve? 12 a. Describe how the proposed acquisition benefits primarily a __local area X broad county area including the area served, the nature of the benefit, the jurisdictions involved, and the populations served. Permanent conservation of Humbleberry Farm’s agricultural values provide broad benefit to Jefferson County by ensuring that a large local farm will be able to thrive and continue to expand their contributions to the local food markets. As described previously in this application, the Humbleberry Farm landowners have already been working to fill market niches that other farms are not able to fill, such as lamb and strawberries, and they plan to continue to expand their production on local product gaps. The conservation easement funding will be able to serve as further seed money to improve the farm facilities and allow for more production. Improving soil management on farms through good practices such as previously described in this application benefits people widely because it results in sequestering more carbon and helps the soil hold more water 13 2024 CF Program Application FINAL which in turn makes the soil more resilient to stressors. These practices protect and build organic matter content in the soils, increasing resilience against potential threats to continued agricultural productivity, such as erosion, flooding, pest pressure, and drought. As climate change progresses, these threats will continue to become more frequent and/or severe. All of this results in future generations being able to continue to farm this property, adding to Jefferson County’s local agricultural resilience. Quilcene Bay is recognized nationally as a critical estuary for commercial shellfish production, and good water quality from the watersheds above is paramount for this industry. Salmonid populations also benefit from limits on development of farmland and are critical species of concern in the Hood Canal and Puget Sound regions. Additionally, The REPI (Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration) program is a national land-conservation funding source available through the Department of Defense. The Hood Canal region is of great strategic importance to the Department of Defense. As such, the Navy works with conservation partners to identify areas with common interest for preservation of working forests, farmland, and high-value wildlife habitat. The Humbleberry Farm project represents an opportunity for the Navy and the Land Trust to work with willing landowners to conserve land, thus protecting and buffering military installations and operating areas from development. 12 b. Is the project located in an area that is under-represented by CF funded Projects? Areas that Conservation Futures has not been able to support to date include, Toandos Peninsula, Dosewallips Valley, Bolton Peninsula, and the West End. No. 13. To what degree will the acquisition provide educational opportunities, interpretive opportunities, and/or serve as a general community resource that does not reduce the conservation value(s) of the project? 13 a. Describe the educational or interpretive opportunities that exist for providing public access, educational or interpretive displays (signage, kiosks, etc.) on the proposed site, including any plans to provide those improvements and any plans for public accessibility that will not reduce the conservation value(s) of the project.2 While Humbleberry Farm does not have plans to provide general public access to the property, the management of the farm provides opportunities to educate the public on a comprehensive approach to sustainable agricultural land management practices and eventually the continuation of restoration of Donnovan Creek. 14. To what degree does the project preserve historic or culturally significant resources3? 14 a. The proposed acquisition __ includes historic or culturally significant resources4 and __ is registered with the National Register of Historic Places, or an equivalent program. __ is recognized locally has having historic or cultural resources. __ is adjacent to and provides a buffer for a historic or cultural site. X none of the above. 2 The words “education” and “interpretation” are interpreted broadly by the CF Committee. 3 Cultural resources means archeological and historic sites and artifacts, and traditional religious ceremonial and social uses and activities of affected Indian Tribes and mandatory protections of resources under chapters 27.44 and 27.53 RCW. Hwy101 Hwy003Hwy005Hw y 1 0 4 Hwy099Hwy525H w y 0 1 9 Hw y 3 0 5Hwy020 Hwy303Hwy522Hwy524Hwy116 Hwy307Hwy090 Hwy520 Hwy005RL005EXPHwy166Hwy304 For informational purposes only. Alldata represented are from varyingsources and approximate.Map created in July, 2022 0 3.5 71.75 MilesHumbleberry FarmRegional Locator ´ Project Area Jefferson County Service Layer Credits: Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMapcontributors, and the GIS user communitySources: Esri, HERE, Garmin, Intermap, increment P Corp., GEBCO,USGS, FAO, NPS, NRCAN, GeoBase, IGN, Kadaster NL, Ordnance SEATTLE PORT TOWNSEND QUILCENE Center R d East Quilcene RdMcInnis RdW Rose St Fra n k B e c k R d Washington StBowen St Herbert St E Rose St Linger Longer Rd Jakeway RdSmith St E Columbia St Old Lindsay Hill RdWalker StMcArdle RdOld Church RdCenter RdU S 1 0 1 Ea s t Q u i l c e n e R dMcInn is Rd W Rose St Frank Beck Rd Casca r a D rCamelot RdMaury Anderson RdElkhound P a s s R d Sharons WayQu i l c r e s t L n McArdle RdMap created in March 2024 0 1,000 2,000500 Feet Humbleberry Farm Project Area Humbleberry Farm Schmidt Farm Jefferson Land Trust Conservation Easement Jefferson Land Trust Preserves Parcels DNR Forest Board Jefferson County State Department of Natural Resources Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group For informational purposes only. All data represented are from varying sources and approximate. 2019 Aerial Image (NAIP) These data are provided on an "AS-IS" basis, without warranty of any type, expressed or implied, including but not limited to any warranty as to their performance, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose.This map is not a substitute for accurate field surveys or for locating actual property lines and any adjacent features. Date: 1/30/2024 ± 0 420210 ft Jefferson County, WA Scale: 1:4,514 Humbleberry Farm Application Photos Lower pastures, facing west. Infrastructure seen includes: well pump housse, carriage barn/shop, residence, and barn. Western pastures facing foothills of the Olympics. Fruit orchard development. Dairy cow and water catchment cisterns installed with Jefferson County Conservation District. Eastern grazing pastures with strawberry fields in the foreground and Schmidt Farm and Mahan (conservation easements) in background. Current conditions of Donovan Creek (facing south toward Lower Donovan Creek Natures Preserve). The conservation easement will allow for the landowners and restoration experts to enhance the riparian conditions of this salmon- bearing creek.