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Harper Conservation Easement:
63 Acres located on Kaiser Rd. NW.
Protected with Conservation Easement in 2002.
This
property contains the forested areas of the Green Cove
Creek Basin, containing Green Cove Creek, a stream that
provides anadromous fish habitat. The property also contains extensive wetlands, deciduous
and coniferous forests that provide valuable habitat for
a variety of important species. Species benefited by the
property include Olympic mud minnow, Coho, Chum,
Chinook, Steelhead and Cut-throat salmon, flying
squirrel, beaver, Pacific tree frog, red frog,
Townsend’s big-eared bat, bald eagle, band-tailed
pigeon, great horned owl, great blue heron, osprey,
Townsend’s warbler, pileated woodpecker, purple
martin, red-tailed hawk, and western gray squirrel.
Habitat and Homestead: A Story
of Success in Green Cove
by Eric Erler
(Issue 36 Winter 2002)
Last
year, Joann Harper put up for sale part of the land she has always
lived on. Despite her desire to quietly enjoy the Green Cove Basin
property her family homesteaded over a century ago, she felt she
was left with no choice but to sell. In the summer of 2001, a committee
of Capitol Land Trust board members, staff and area residents met
to prioritize the Trust’s conservation efforts within the basin.
They identified Joann’s property as the highest priority for many
reasons.
The Harper property is the largest parcel with a single owner remaining
along Green Cove Creek and straddles both sides of the creek along
a critical wildlife corridor. The site contains large stands of
coniferous trees with considerable timber value. Located along the
Urban Growth Area boundary, the property was a prime candidate for
development. The combination of extensive open-water wetlands and
forested uplands provides critical protection from pollution for
Green Cove Creek and from stormwater runoff for area residents.
After learning of Joann’s need to sell the property, Capitol Land
Trust approached her real estate agent and arranged a meeting to
discuss potential options. CLT’s Board of Directors voted to put
$5,000 of its funds at risk to secure an earnest money agreement
on the property. The earnest money would buy precious time to seek
adequate funding for permanent protection efforts. With the support
of her real estate agent, Joann agreed not to sell the property
for six months.
The Trust then proposed partnering with Thurston County to accomplish
the mutual goals of both. The proposal would use $160,000 from the
Conservation Futures fund to purchase a conservation easement over
63 acres of Joann Harper’s property. Conservation Futures is a program
authorized by the state legislature enabling counties to collect
funds specifically for acquisition and protection of conservation
and park lands. Over the next 6 months, county staff assessed the
proposal as Capitol Land Trust negotiated the terms of the conservation
easement.
Last month, with just two days remaining before the expiration of
the earnest money offer, the Board of County Commissioners voted
to approve the purchase of the Trust-negotiated easement. The easement
eliminates all future subdivision, construction of new homes, cutting
of trees, mining, grazing, and other uses that would be detrimental
to this sensitive land. As a result of the easement, Capitol Land
Trust was able to assist Joann to qualify for an Open Space tax
designation that will substantially reduce her annual property taxes.
Capitol Land Trust would like to thank many people for their support
of this project. Thurston County Commissioners Diane Oberquell,
Cathy Wolfe and Kevin O’Sullivan have a difficult job making decisions
that effect all of us. Their support of this partnership benefits
all Thurston County residents and efficiently accomplishes the County’s
goals. Dan Sweeney and John Morrison supported this transaction
with their professional real estate expertise. Craig Holt (Joann’s
son) was encouraging and played a key role from the beginning.
This partnership would not have succeeded without the commitment
and tireless efforts of Michael Welter (Thurston County Parks and
Recreation Department), Susie Vanderburg, Scott Clark and Jim Bachmeier
(Thurston County Department of Water and Waste Management), Jennifer
Hayes (Thurston County Development Services), Jeff Fancher (Thurston
County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office), Donald Krupp and Dotty Tryk
(Thurston County Administration), and the Stormwater and Parks Advisory
Boards.
Joann Harper’s contribution to this community is immeasurable. Joann
chose the rewards of diverse habitat and natural character over
development and logging transactions that would have yielded a much
greater financial reward. To Joann, we all owe a debt of gratitude.
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