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County manager outlines long-running conservation acquisition program, seeks future extension
Summary
The county public lands manager described a conservation acquisition program that has preserved roughly 6,000 acres and is funded by an annual levy; staff said they expect to ask the board in 2028 to extend the program and are pursuing state funding for a 153-acre acquisition in the district.
The county’s public lands manager told residents the county has maintained a voter-approved land-acquisition program since 1988 and revived it in 2008, saying the program now provides predictable funding for conservation acquisitions.
“Right now, we're collecting roughly about $2,000,000 a year in funding that is going towards the acquisition of the environmental incentive management,” the public lands manager said, and added that staff manage about 12,000 acres of conservation land countywide. He said the program has secured several recent acquisitions and leveraged outside funding to increase purchasing power.
The manager identified one active parcel near the district — a 153-acre tract the county hopes to fund in part with state dollars — and described the Local Advisory Committee (LAC) process used to rate applications and recommend parcels for the acquisition list.
He said staff anticipate returning to the board in 2028 to request an extension of the program so it can continue for another term.
Why it matters: the program provides a standing, voter-approved revenue stream for conservation purchases and for management of acquired properties; county officials said acquisition is only part of the work and that ongoing stewardship consumes substantial staff time and resources.
What the record shows: the manager said roughly 6,000 acres have been acquired under the program and described activities on conserved lands including prescribed burns, invasive species control and neighbor‑encroachment responses. He credited staff and partners for recent acquisitions and noted efforts to leverage state funding.
The presentation did not specify exact current balances of the fund or provide formal sales documents; the manager’s stated dollar amounts are reported as spoken at the meeting.
