The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office is accepting grant applications to conserve working farms and forests and to build facilities for large boats.
Under the Wildlife and Recreation program, landowners can receive cash for voluntary land retention agreements, also called conservation easements, that prevent future development on farms, ranches and working forests.
According to the agency, Washington lost more than 2.6 million acres of farmland since 1950, and about 700,000 acres of forestland since 1978 to urban development.
The maximum grant for forestland preservation is $350,000. There is no cap for farmland preservation grants.
In addition, the office is accepting applications to develop, renovate and maintain boating facilities for recreational vessels 26 feet and longer. Grants may also be used to provide boater education.
Anyone wishing more information may contact Susan Zemek at susan.zemek@rco.wa.gov or (360) 902-3081.
The office also will host an online webinar at 10 a.m. Thursday to help people prepare for the grant applications. Registration for the webinar is at: https://bit.ly/2NxXgrY.
