Conservation Easements; An important tool for land protection

Appleby Conservation Easement. One of several easements within our region. Click on the image for more information. Photo by Capitol Land Trust.

Humans have a unique relationship to land; it is at the same time familial, emotional and legal. Some land is passed down from one generation to the next and represents family history and significance beyond its physical attributes. Some landowners bought their land because of the beautiful setting or the richness of its natural features. Landowners who cherish their land often want to ensure it is managed in a way that maintains what they love about it into the future, including after they’re gone. One way to ensure the land is used in line with the owner’s wishes is through a conservation easement.

A conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and another party – often a land trust – regarding how the land will be used for years to come. This agreement is recorded by the appropriate government entity and becomes part of the permanent legal description of the land.

Capitol Land Trust has partnered with many landowners to develop these agreements, which can be tailored to the desires of the owner while protecting important ecological values – Capitol Land Trust’s goal. Conservation easements also can be employed to maintain working farms and forests ensuring they can continue to produce agricultural or forest products, often for local use.

An easement can identify different uses for distinct parts of a property. For example, land surrounding a stream might be left in its natural state, while a field can be used for growing crops, and yet another area for residential use.

With an easement, the landowner continues to own the land while the land trust agrees to ensure that the land is used in accordance to the agreement. This includes making sure future owners comply with the easement and, if necessary, bring legal action to enforce the agreement.

Capitol Land Trust’s first conserved property was protected through a conservation easement. While the trust also has purchased land for conservation purposes, protecting land through conservation easements can be cost-effective and lessens the burden of long-term management on the land trust. With 38 easements in our portfolio, this partnership with private landowners has meant that some of our area’s most ecologically significant and important working lands are protected forever.

– reprinted with permission from the Issue 63, Fall 2017 of the Capitol Land Trust News

Click here to learn more about conservation easements and land trusts.

Click here to begin learning more about how you can conserve your land

In 2009, the Griffin Neighborhood Association and Capitol Land Trust formed the Steamboat Conservation Partnership. Conservation easements are one important tool available to help the Partnership meet its goal of conserving the rich and diverse natural landscapes of the Steamboat Peninsula region. Click here to learn more about the Steamboat Conservation Partnership.

Remember the Steamboat Conservation Partnership in Your Year-End Giving

This time of year, many of us are receiving requests to make year-end contributions to various worthy causes. With the Steamboat Conservation Partnership there exists a unique opportunity to give in a manner that will directly benefit those of us living here in the Griffin area. If your year-end planning includes making contributions to non-profit organizations, consider this your invitation to learn more about the SCP.

The Steamboat Conservation Partnership is a unique-in-the-nation collaboration between a local neighborhood group and the very successful Capitol Land Trust. The mission of the Steamboat Conservation Partnership is “to conserve the rich and diverse natural landscapes of the Steamboat Peninsula region.” Since this collaboration took effect, we have been able to protect more than 300 acres in the Steamboat Peninsula region.

The Capitol Land Trust has a proven record of working with land owners, businesses, and government to identify and preserve shorelines, rivers, forests, prairies, and working lands. You can learn more about the Steamboat Conservation Partnership on our web page at steamboatisland.org/scp  You will find a video there, that describes the work of the Capitol Land Trust.

We welcome contributions of any size.

Should you choose to make a contribution to the Steamboat Conservation Partnership, you will find a link on our web page and you can make a secure donation using a credit card. If you prefer, you may mail a check directly to the Capitol Land Trust. Insert “SCP” or “Steamboat Conservation Partnership” in the memo part of the check so we can receive credit. Your check should be mailed to Capitol Land Trust, 4405 – 7th Ave SE, Suite 306, Lacey, WA 98503. In reply you will receive a letter, for your tax records. And thank you, for supporting the Steamboat Conservation Partnership.

Our Community Credit Union Opens Branch in Steamboat Square

Steamboat Square OCCU branch photoOur local business district is on the grow as Our Community Credit Union announced the opening of their newest branch located in the newly-expanded Steamboat Square, at 6541 Sexton Dr. NW. The 2100 square foot facility includes seating and ample space to provide customer service. There’s also an indoor teller machine that accepts both check and cash deposits. Current members of OCCU will certainly benefit from the closer location. And local residents who are looking for alternatives to for-profit banks now need not go very far to learn of the advantages of joining a credit union.

“We believe this is a perfect fit for the families and businesses in the Steamboat community, in addition to being a great convenience for our OCCU members who commute from Shelton,” said Bert Fisher, President/CEO of OCCU. “We are excited to get to know the Steamboat community and have the opportunity to provide them with local, affordable, financial products and services.”

Our Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit, full-service, financial alternative to a bank. One member’s savings deposit is another member’s loan. As a member-owned financial cooperative, credit unions are not-for-profit. They function to serve their membership. As a result, credit unions can pay very competitive dividends on savings and offer great interest rates on loans. Anyone living, working, or attending school in Washington State can join. You can even join OCCU online. A minimum deposit of $25 into a savings account is all it takes to become a member.

OCCU offers a wide variety of financial services. Personal checking and savings accounts, different kinds of loans, mortgages, and home equity lines of credit, and Visa cards. Retirement planning and investment advisory services are available. For those of you seeking business services, including an assortment of merchant services, “you will get the kind of rates and attention you deserve as a business owner.”

An online banking portal and mobile apps are available, too. You can access your OCCU account details and perform various tasks, online, from practically any location on the planet. Click here for more details regarding their mobile apps.

Founded in 1941 by employees of Simpson Logging Company, OCCU is now a $350 million, 5-star community-oriented financial institution with 29,000 members. Steamboat Square is their 8th branch. Their other locations are in Shelton, Union, McCleary, Elma, Montesano and on Vashon Island.

To learn more about OCCU, come to their new branch and visit. Their hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 5:35 pm, and Friday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Or visit their web site at www.ourcu.com.

Feline Friends Asks Community to Assist with Building a New Shelter

Feline Friends logoFounded in 2000, Feline Friends is a non-profit, volunteer-only operated, no-kill cat shelter that provides rescue, rehabilitation, medical attention and rehoming to at-risk cats in and throughout Thurston and Mason counties. Their mission is to, “provide unconditional love and care for any cat in need no matter what the circumstance may be.” Feline Friends Volunteers receive calls from Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pierce and many other counties in Washington State. They take in cats rescued from natural disasters such as the recent Oregon wildfires and they operate a trap-spay/neuter-release program for ferals in an effort to decrease unwanted breeding.

To raise funds for their new cat shelter, Feline Friends is hosting the 1st Annual Purr-fect Hearts Affair. This gala event will be held February 3, 2018 at Pellegrino’s Event Center in Tumwater. But before we can get to an evening of dinner, drinks and live music, culminating with a silent and live auction, Feline Friends is asking for donations of gifts and services from friends in the community.

Your generous donation would assist in building our new, larger facility and in turn allow us to provide our services to a greater number of cats in need. Our goal for the evening is $20,000, which would provide the necessary funding for construction, landscaping, and supplies at our new 8-acre location! In addition to service items and gift donations, we are also seeking sponsorships to help fund the event. Donors and sponsors of all levels will receive recognition for your charitable assistance with this event. For more information on how we will recognize your sponsorship or donation please click here.

If you can donate an item or service – pet sitting, tax preparation, landscaping, etc. – download a copy of the donation solicitation. If you would like your donation picked up, please contact Rebecca Reavis.

If you would like to make a financial donation, the donor/sponsorship levels may be of interest to you. Those details are on the donation solicitation, too.

If you have friends, family, or businesses that would want to help out as well, please send them a copy of the donation solicitation. Our feline friends need you.

Whether you can make a donation of goods and services or not, don’t forget to mark your calendar for the Purr-fect Hearts Affair.

Feline Friends Purr-fect Hearts Affair
February 3, 2018
6:00 PM
Pellegrino’s Event Center
5757 Littlerock Rd SW, Tumwater 98512

The evening will begin with a silent auction, Italian vegetarian buffet, and cash bar. Live music will be provided by Roger and Deb Hamilton. The live auction is hosted by Garrison Auctioneers. Each $40 ticket includes all you can eat and a beverage token. Event tickets are available online (click this link).

Thank you, neighbors, for your support of Feline Friends!

Feline Friends banner art