By Linda Kast

I am writing in support of the proposed assessment of $5 per parcel and five-cent per acre beginning in 2010 to fund Whidbey Island Conservation District (WICD) and Snohomish Conservation District (SCD) services.

I am aware that funding from parcels on Whidbey Island would fund WICD and funding from parcels on Camano Island would support SCD.

Approving this assessment is a great way for the Island County commissioners to show their support for small forest landowners in Island County. As they may know, 78 percent of Island County is covered with some type of forest cover and over 7,913 individuals own forest land 2 acres or larger. (2007 Washington Forestland Database Report.)

In March this year the final report prepared for the Washington State Legislature and Washington Department of Natural Resources by the U.W. College of Forest Resources entitled “Retention of High‐Valued Forest Lands at Risk of Conversion to Non‐Forest Uses in Washington State” was published. Facts presented about Island County in that report: 99.6 percent of the 76,537 acres of forestland in our county is owned by small forest landowners, only 299 acres are considered industrial. Also stated in this report is a fact I find alarming. Island County, at 97 percent, has the highest percentage of all the counties, of private forestland acres at risk of conversion to non-forest use.

Who is helping these 7,913 individuals promote healthy forests and provide information on how to continue to afford growing trees?

As of July 1, the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has eliminated all of their west side stewardship and Small Forest Land Owner field forester positions so John Keller is no longer able to provide us assistance. In his May 7 letter giving us his sad news, he suggests that we contact our local conservation district or our county’s WSU Extension office.

We do not have a forester in our county’s WSU Extension office. Island County has not funded a WSU Extension Forester for several years. Kevin Zobrist, WSU Area Extension Educator, Forest Stewardship, is funded by Snohomish, Skagit (at $2,000 to $4,000 per year), and King counties. Since Island County does not fund him, Island County forest owners must travel to these counties to attend workshops and receive services. No WSU Extension forestry workshops or on-site consultations are provided in Island County at this time because of this lack of funding. Kevin is happy to help us but we must go to him.

Ken Drecksel, Farm & Forest planner for the Whidbey Island Conservation District, is the only person we have dedicated to help Whidbey residents with our trees. And he is part-time, working in Island County only 16 hours per week. A reliable source of funding for the WICD would certainly benefit his programs and thereby all the citizens of Island County.

Please keep the small forest landowners in mind when you make your decision. The trees we grow are an inherent part of our county.

Linda Kast owns Red Truck Tree Farm in Langley.