Jonn Lunsford, Manager of the Forest Lands, revealed to the City Council this week that he has been offering conservation easements at $500 per acre for the past two years for a tract that the city's sewer fund purchased for sludge dumping. The area is southeast of Heart Lake and is shown in blue in the illustration, above. Green areas denote protected forest tracts.
Through the program, people could protect an acre of Anacortes Community Forest Lands from logging, mining or development by donating $1,000. The program is nearing an end, with over 1,500 acres of Anacortes Forest Lands permanently protected.
But, Lunsford's revelation of the $500/acre price surprised the City Council this week.
City Council member Cynthia Richardson said, "I don't see why we don't keep it at $1,000. That's worked so well for a number of years. It would bring in a little more money if we kept it at that level." She pointed out what she called an inequity for those people who donated $1,000 per acre and others, in the past two years, who donated only $500 per acre.
Lunsford said the Conservation Easement Board and the Forest Advisory Board thought the lower price was justified because the new 160 acres, which was not a part of the original 1998 ordinance, was already owned by the city. But, Mayor Dean Maxwell pointed out, "There's a policy to never use the principal and the goal is to manage the forest in perpetuity."
Council member Bill Turner said, "I really feel strongly that we're missing $80,000 to the program. That's where I draw the line. He said "I don't think you have the authority to offer it at $500. I think the Council has that authority," adding, "I have an issue here."
The money donated to preserve the forest goes into a fund to pay for managing the forest. The original plan was to manage the forest with no taxpayer dollars, but using income from the Conservation Easement account.
Richardson said, "So, you have a donation and what you're really asking the Council is whether the donation can be applied the way you're envisioning." Lunsford answered, "I wasn't so much as asking. I was just letting you know this happened."
Council member Erica Pickett said, "We're stuck with it. You struck a deal for these parcels."
Council member Brian Geer said, "It seems like a bit of an oversight and mis-communication. I can't be happier to see another 160 acres conserved,"