Forest and farmland

How is King County doing?

Forests naturally regulate stormwater runoff, provide habitat for many species and maintain healthy streams and rivers for salmon and other fish. Developed areas with large amounts of impervious surfaces are associated with the high rates of stormwater runoff, degradation of water quality, and substantial impacts on forest and aquatic species. King County has maintained its forest land with relatively little change in the total acreage of forest since 1995. The Forest and Impervious Surface Cover map illustrates both land maintained as forest and land converted to impervious surfaces.

There are 42,000 acres designated as farmland in the Agricultural Production Districts of King County. This has remained constant at about three percent of the county for the last 25 years. An additional 25,000 acres of active farming is found throughout the rural area. Like forestland, open farmland contributes less runoff than developed impervious surfaces, provides surface water storage, and facilitates groundwater recharge. Farmland preservation is also crucial for the economic viability of rural King County and helps ensure a reliable source of fresh nutritious food for King County residents.

What else influences these indicators?

Over the past two centuries, significant increases in population and intense development pressures have substantially altered King County's landscape. Development often results in the conversion of forest and natural land cover to hard or impervious surfaces, such as roofs, sidewalks, parking lots and roads. Increasing development has also resulted in the loss of productive forest and farmlands in the county. Finally, the financial viability of small-scale forestry and farming operations pose challenges to local foresters and farmers.

What role does King County government play?

King County's Rural Forest Commission offers policy guidance, identifies conservation strategies and promotes the practice of forestry in rural areas of the county. King County's Agriculture Commission gives farmers the opportunity to take an active role in land use decisions and in the development and evaluation of policies, regulations and incentives that can affect commercial agriculture in King County. Together these two commissions seek to integrate farm and forestry concerns into King County's operations and policies.

The King County Comprehensive Plan identifies areas of long-term commercial significance for agriculture and forestry. These designated Agriculture Production Districts and the Forest Production District are protected through zoning. The Comprehensive Plan also includes policies to promote and enhance the business of agriculture and forestry in these districts and the rural area.

The county's Farmland Preservation Program has protected over 13,000 acres of farmland through the purchase of development rights. The county provides marketing assistance to farmers through the Puget Sound Fresh program, and is working toward a regulatory environment that fosters increased agricultural activity in King County. Through a cost share program King County helps fund the implementation of farm plans conducted by the King Conservation District. Farm plans allow farmers to farm their land while complying with water quality, manure management and land use regulations.

In both the Rural Area and the Forest Production District the county encourages forest stewardship planning and active forest management as means of reducing conversion of forestland to other uses. The county employs financial incentives, transfer of development rights, landowner technical assistance, regulatory actions and community-based education to sustain the forest land base and forestry activities.