Acquisition Update

So far, our efforts have resulted in three Land and Water grants, three King County Conservation Futures grants, and one Snohomish County Conservation Futures grant to purchase North Creek Forest for the citizens of Bothell. We are almost there! The final grant to complete the purchase, from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) awaits state funding. 

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The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) is a state grant program funded from the capital construction budget that provides funding to protect habitat, preserve working farms and create new local and state parks. Independent experts rank the applications based on criteria such as the benefits to the public, level of threat to the property, or presence of threatened or endangered species. Learn more about the WWRP here.

Last fall we ranked fifth in the local parks division of WWRP, and with sufficient state funding of the program, we will receive a million dollar grant that should provide the last of the money needed to purchase the final three parcels of North Creek Forest.

Both the Governor and the House of Representatives have proposed budgets that include funding for the Forest. The Senate  proposal will be released this month, and the state budget won't be finalized until June, but we remain optimistic that it will include sufficient funding for the City of Bothell to complete the purchase of North Creek Forest. Be sure to check back here for updates. Or sign up for automatic updates via the WWRC website.