Mountains to Sound, acre by green acre

CONVERSATIONS that began in 2001, and resulted in the protection of views and vistas at Snoqualmie Falls, have yielded a plan to preserve 7,000 acres of forestland near the headwaters of the Raging River.

The deal, still being wrapped up, joins King County and the state Department of Natural Resources in an effort to purchase development rights and maintain an existing tree farm. The working forest and investment property is owned by Fruit Growers Supply.

This is another piece of the Mountains to Sound Greenway along Interstate 90. The plan will connect publicly owned land on Tiger, Rattlesnake and Taylor mountains and Seattle's Cedar River watershed.

King County is buying the development rights on 4,000 acres for approximately $3.6 million, and the state DNR is paying an estimated $22 million for the entire property, which will remain in forest production. The Metropolitan King County Council and the state Board of Natural Resources must approve their respective pieces.

The Greenway trust has been brokering agreements, purchases and conservation easements for almost two decades, and 200,000 acres. This deal was no different. The cast included Greenway visionary Jim Ellis, King County Executive Ron Sims, County Council members Reagan Dunn and Larry Phillips, Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark and his predecessor Doug Sutherland, and Cascade Land Conservancy, an early convener of key parties.

Creation and completion of the Greenway continues to rely on the collaborative efforts of public and private parties, who combine resources, skills and a shared vision of a verdant corridor in a growing metropolitan region.