Land group approves money for Dungeness farm land buy

Monday, December 04, 2006

Peninsula News Network

Sequim, WA - Leaders of the North Olympic Land Trust have approved a plan to put more than $100,000 toward the purchase of development rights for a piece of farmland in Dungeness.

That leaves about $85,000 needed to match funding farmland proponents are hoping to acquire through a state grant. The parcel is part of the land farmed by organic farmer Nash Huber.

The Land Trust started a Farmland Fund last summer after selling 45-acres of agricultural land to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife so it could used for habitat restoration along the Dungeness River. The Trust set aside enough money from the $194,000 sale for investment income to replace some of the money the group had been making from graving cattle on the land. Donors also made additional contributions to the fund.

The Trust’s Board of Directors recently approved taking $107,000 out of that Farmland Fund to help with the drive organized by Friends of the Fields.

Friends of the Fields will use that money from the North Olympic Land Trust, as well as another $100,000 from an anonymous donor and individual contributions for matching funds to support the application for the state money next spring.

Friends of the Fields say that fund drive is only about $85,000 short of its goal.