Working Lands
By keeping working lands working, we can maintain vibrant agricultural and forestry industries, and we can reduce the pressure to convert those lands to more developed uses that can lead to greater pollution, expansion of urban heat islands, and loss of habitat.
This strategy aims to support the long-term viability of agricultural lands and working forests. It focuses on increasing agricultural resilience along with improving local jurisdictions’ adoption and implementation of plans, regulations, and policies that support healthy working lands. There is also an opportunity to expand the use of and support for incentives and technical assistance available for owners of agricultural lands and working forests.
Implementing the Land Development and Cover, Floodplains and Estuaries, and other, Implementation Strategies supports the success of this strategy.
Conversion of ag land and working forests Increase upland infiltration and holding capacity
Actions
Support the long-term viability and sustainability of agricultural lands and working forests to reduce pressure for conversion from the current use to a more developed use. (ID #4)
Key opportunities for 2022-2026 include:
- Increase and improve the creation and use of agricultural resilience planning for working lands
- Expand incentives and technical assistance for agricultural lands and owners of working forests;
- Streamline and increase funds disbursement to support Best Management Practices (BMPs);
- Improve regulations, policies, and plans that maintain a working lands base, particularly for those areas that are vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Support the expansion of market mechanisms to increase long-term viability and reduce conversion pressure for working lands. (ID #194)
Key opportunities for 2022-2026 include:
- Leverage carbon markets and carbon payment programs;
- Expand transfer of development rights and easements;
- Enhance tax benefits, particularly for those areas that have the potential to increase carbon sequestration.
Implementation Considerations
Key opportunities for 2022-2026 to integrate human wellbeing considerations and climate change responses into efforts include:
Human Wellbeing
- Engage and better understand diverse community values around agricultural and working lands to develop multi-benefit programs.
- Support value-added tourism opportunities on working lands as a way of generating revenue for agricultural, forestry, and shellfish businesses and enhancing the quality of life in the region.
- Develop engagement strategies that educate and provide technical and financial assistance to support working lands and local food production.
- Develop markets and incentives for safe and abundant local foods.
- Integrate human wellbeing and health data with ecological data to inform decision-making around protecting agricultural lands and working forests.
Climate Change
- Tailor specific climate change education for different producer audiences within agriculture, forestry, shellfish industries, and other communities of practice.
- Incorporate climate projections and projected impacts into the planning and implementation of land use decisions and working lands protection and restoration.
- Support accurate and effective carbon accounting for working lands and leverage carbon markets and other incentives, where appropriate.
- Promote working lands BMPs that also sequester carbon and increase resilience.
Ongoing Programs
Ongoing programs provide regulatory oversight, technical support, implementation resources, funding, or guidance and serve as the critical foundation for Puget Sound recovery. The following is a list of example state and federal ongoing programs that help to implement this strategy. Many more local, tribal nations, and nongovernmental programs exist that support this strategy.
What We're Measuring
We are achieving our recovery goals of increasing functioning habitat and improving water quality in the Puget Sound region by preventing conversion of working lands to residential or commercial development (for example, improving the rate of loss), increasing water infiltration and holding capacity of upland areas, and advancing innovative techniques in natural resource industries that promote a healthy environment along with industry growth. Working lands are intact and thriving, and access and enrollment to protection mechanisms are increasing. Indicators of success include:
This indicator measures the acres of farmland converted to a non-agricultural use. Farmlands can provide wildlife habitat, reduce air pollution, and mitigate the spread of urban heat islands while providing quality, locally sourced foods. Identifying where, when, and why farmland conversion has happened can help support the development of more effective policies and plans to protect farmland.
This indicator measures the acres of farmland permanently protected from development through agricultural or conservation easements. Farmlands can provide wildlife habitat, reduce air pollution, and mitigate the spread of urban heat islands while providing quality, locally sourced foods. Protecting farmlands can help slow the conversion of farmlands to non-agricultural uses, though conservation easements do not increase the amount of farmland actively used nor ensure that the land produces crops in the future. This indicator can help us understand progress expanding the protection of farmland across the region.
Figure 1. Acres of farmland permanently protected through conservation easements in Puget Sound by two-year period between 2014 through 2023.
Legislative Actions (9 Bills)
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