Photos taken in Grand Ridge/Fall City area by Alan Bauer .

1. Partnership for Rural King County(PRKC)January 12th, 2007 Aerial TourJennifer Harrison-CoxJen@PRKC.org Photos taken in Grand Ridge/Fall City area by Alan Bauer.

2. Today • Takeaways: • This group is well-organized and motivated; • This project is exciting, has merit and is time critical; • PRKC is something I want to get behind and support! • Introductions • 20 minute briefing • Fly over area • Return for Refreshments, Q&A

3. PRKC: A Community Voice • News of a proposed 80 acre clearcut sparked discussions and sharing of ideas across neighborhoods and efforts. • Out of the grapevine came a unified community voice. PRKC Mission: To work together on strategies that protect our watersheds, wildlife and natural beauty in the rural central King County areas of Issaquah, Grand Ridge, Preston and Fall City while encouraging recreational opportunities for local residents, metropolitan King County residents and area tourists.

4. Who Are We? Friends for the Wetlands of Issaquah North Fork Preston Community Club Mitchell Hill Homeowners Association Friends of Woodland Ridge Raging River Riders Issaquah Environmental Council King County Executive Horse Council The Rural Majority Friends of Grand Ridge Friends of Soaring Eagle Regional Park Sammamish Saddle Club Horses for Clean Water Issaquah Alps Trails Club Friends of Fall City Arena (and more all the time) People with passion and interest in a healthy ecosystem and community.

5. Objectives for Today • Initiate partnership between County Officials and PRKC to complete the work started in 1990: • Connect the patchwork of protected land • Create a truly regional vision • Present an immediate request

6. Rallying Behind the Greenprint* • Ecological Health • “focus on protecting natural areas that are important to water quality, salmon habitat, healthy forests and floodplains” • Cultural and Economic Values • “these special places are part of the local and regional culture that is shared between generations” • Connectivity • “the value of individual open space and resource lands is dramatically enhanced when it is part of an interconnected system” *Greenprint for King County prepared for WLRD by The Trust for Public Land, March 2005

7. Protection Avenues Coordinated efforts and tools: • Straight acquisition • Conservation easements • Transfer of Development Rights • Working Forestlands • PBRS and other CUT Programs • Farmland Trust • Private or non-profit Trust

8. Target Parcels • Each meets at least 2 of the Greenprint Goals: • Include much of the headwaters for Canyon Creek, Patterson Creek and Issaquah North and East Forks (ecological) • Preserve important rural view corridors including working forest land view-scapes as part of our local heritage (cultural) • Provide many opportunities for recreation (economic) • Connect a patchwork of already protected lands (connectivity) • Many previously targeted (and some even funded) in earlier acquisitions efforts, but have not yet been realized • Build upon and complete the great work the County has done with the Preston Vision, Mitchell Hill Forest Connector, Grand Ridge Park and the Fall City Subarea Plan. • Are the few remaining undeveloped parcels and are rising steeply in value

9. Private Conservation Wins • 10/10/06 Grand Ridge area neighbors meeting provided: • a summary of what it took to protect what we have today • an update on the Grand Ridge Park plan • info on King County PBRS and Managed Forest programs • info on conservation options and stewardship tools • The Results: • 37 people showed up, a great many were new faces • 25 properties were identified on our map as belonging to people in the room • 23 properties totaling 113 acres enrolled 84 acres in the PBRS program • At least 3 restoration/habitat projects are being planned in 2 neighborhoods

10. PBRS 2006 Results • Publicly Owned Land • 2006 PBRS Apps • Previous PBRS • Conservation Easements • Timber Land CUT • Agriculture CUT Program • Forest Land CUT Program

11. The 80 Acres • Previously targeted for acquisition • Borders Grand Ridge Park and Mitchell Hill Forest • Has mature 2nd growth forest, forested wetlands and 3 productive wild salmon streams • FPA for clearcut issued Aug 2006 • Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC) is willing to assist County in acquisition • CLC willing to manage PRKC fundraising dollars • Owners agreed to hold off beginning bridge/road building in Sept 06 to explore County purchase – County or CLC must respond to owner by March 1, ’07 with letter of intent.

12. Today’s Flight Plan Soaring Eagle floodplain/agri land 80 acres FC view corridor critical connectors Falls trail connectors

13. Notes on Flying • Flight time is approximately 40 min. • Headsets will be worn for talking with each other over an intercom. • Cabin temperature can be controlled as in a car. • Bring sunglasses if you have them. • Bring a water bottle (provided). • Please tell the pilot or guide if you are uncomfortable in any way. • Your pilot will return to the airport immediately upon your request.

14. Takeaways • This group is well-organized and motivated; • This project is exciting, has merit and is time critical; • PRKC is something I want to get behind and support!

15. Our Asks Next 6 weeks: • Issue a letter of intent to C&G Timber before March 1, 2007 to purchase parcel 1824079011, demonstrate County intentions to owner, and start acquisitions discussions (Executive Office and Council) • Provide resources to develop a strategy/plan to bring these lands into King County inventory or to protect by other means and to drive priorities and a timeline. (Executive Office) • Designate a senior-level official to liaison with a PRKC representative and to champion PRKC initiatives within King County. (Executive Office) Next 12 weeks: • Provide a staff member to support PRKC efforts by way of working with the Executive’s Office; drafting Motions and submitting for Council vote; and educating the Council on projects and status as appropriate. (Council) • Keep eyes open for funds that may become redirected from acquisitions projects that are funded but not going to be realized. (Executive Office and Council) Next Budget Cycle: • Fund King County DNRP to work with the community and to develop and execute budget, operating and maintenance plans in support of PRKC Visions. (Executive Office and Council)

16. PRKC Contacts & Information

17. PRKC would like to thank our sponsors and supporters for making this event possible… King County Councilmemember Kathy Lambert King County Councilmemember Jane Hague King County Councilmemember Larry Phillips King County Executive’s Office LightHawk Galvin Flying Services Cascade Land Conservancy Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust Washington State Department of Natural Reources Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Friends for the Wetlands of Issaquah Northfork Fall City Community Association (FCCA) Preston Community Club The Rural Majority The Issaquah Environmental Council The City of Sammamish The City of Issaquah

18. We would also like to especially thank: Maryanne Tagney Jones, CLC Board PresidentDoug Schindler, MTS Director of Special ProjectsDoug McClelland, Preston Community ClubKen Konigsmark, The Rural MajorityGordon Iverson, Property OwnerAlan Bauer, PhotographerJeff Wandling, WebmasterJack E. Kelley and Ruth Pickering, HistoriansDavid Kimmett, King County ParksBrett Roberts, King County ParksMary Maier, King County Issaquah Basin StewardSally King, King County PBRS ProgramBenj Wadsworth, King County ForestryKristi McClelland, King County Forestry and our neighborhood leaders and residents in Issaquah North Fork, Black Nugget, Grand Ridge, High Point, Mitchell Hill, Preston, Woodland Ridge, Soaring Eagle, Fall City, West Fall City, Klahanie, Beaver Lake, Trossachs, Issaquah Highlands

19. Questions?

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