Island County commissioners are considering a total of four applications this year for a program that preserves and maintains lands of public interest.

During a recent workshop meeting, Jen Schmitz and Kelly Webb from the county’s Department of Natural Resources presented the 2025 funding requests for the Conservation Futures Fund.

The program’s purpose is to preserve, protect, maintain, improve, restore and limit the future use of lands of public conservation importance, which can include shorelines, wildlife habitat, wetlands, farm, agricultural and forest lands that are under pressure from increasing urban development.

Just last year, the commissioners approved updated evaluation criteria that prioritizes environmental justice and health equity, including accessibility.

Two of the applications this year are for acquisitions of land and the other two are for maintenance and operations of existing properties.

The Whidbey Camano Land Trust is seeking $300,000 in funding for 257 acres of “exceptional coastal forest, lake, wetland, marine feeder bluff and shoreline habitat located along Useless Bay on South Whidbey Island,” according to the application. The Double Bluff project’s total cost is an estimated $7.5 million and support from the Conservation Futures program will help leverage substantial matching funding from state and federal partners.

In addition, the land trust is requesting $250,000 for another acquisition project, the Holmes Harbor Community Forest. This land consists of 40 acres, located near East Harbor Road, and is heavily forested. It will provide a “critical” trailhead and parking area for future public access. This is part of a larger project; the land trust acquired 80 acres nearby in fall 2024, and the acquisition of an additional 70 acres north of Goss Lake Road is pending.

Lastly, the land trust is asking for $127,000 to create an ADA trail and signage for the Keystone Preserve. The construction project will consist of nearly one mile of trail that’s accessible by wheelchair, creating an inclusive outdoor experience for people of all abilities. The request will cover costs associated with the contractor portion of the project and for signs.

The Island County Parks Department applied for $100,000 that will go towards maintenance and operation of all the Island County Parks properties purchased with Conservation Futures funds. This includes “hardscapes,” such as bathrooms, portable toilets, parking lots, water and power systems, fencing signage, kiosks, picnic shelters, off leash areas and “softscapes,” described as lawns, trees, shrubs, mowing, trimming, pruning, pest control and fertilization.

The funds would also help with maintaining equipment used in the parks, controlling and removing invasive species and restoring habitat, identifying and improving ADA access, and identifying and controlling environmental risks and hazards.

The applicants will provide their presentations next month, as Schmitz told the commissioners last week. The Citizens’ Advisory Board will also give its recommendations in May. Decisions about the Conservations Futures funding comes in June. The “robust” number of applications this year, Schmitz said, is fantastic and built on Webb’s efforts to expand awareness of the program.

Commissioner Melanie Bacon lamented the loss of Freund Marsh, an Oak Harbor project that was up for funding last year but fell through in the end. The City of Oak Harbor decided not to go forward with the project and did not collect the funds.

Commissioner Janet St. Clair said her top two choices this year would probably be the Island County Parks project and the Keystone Preserve trail, since ADA access is an important board priority. Schmitz told her that if the commissioners want to fund all four projects, they will be able to do so.

Bacon said she was particularly excited about the Double Bluff property acquisition since so much of the commissioners’ time is spent talking about shoreline. She wondered if the County Parks staff could relocate driftwood that is blocking access to Double Bluff.

The Holmes Harbor Community Forest is located near East Harbor Road. (Photo provided by Whidbey Camano Land Trust.)