Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 79.71 · 12 active provisions
The legislature finds that: (1) There is an increasing and continuing need by the people of Washington for certain areas of the state to be conserved, in rural as well as urban settings, for the benefit of present and future generations; (2) such areas are worthy of conservation for their outstanding scenic and ecologi…
Lands possessing the following characteristics are considered by the legislature to be worthy of consideration for conservation purposes:(1) Lands identified as having high priority for conservation, natural systems, wildlife, and low-impact public use values;(2) An area of land or water, or land and water, that has fl…
As used in this chapter:"Commissioner" means the commissioner of public lands."Department" means the department of natural resources."Conservation purposes" include but are not limited to: (1) Maintaining, enhancing, or restoring ecological systems, including but not limited to aquatic, coastal, riparian, montane, and…
The department is authorized to acquire property or less than fee interests in property, as defined by RCW 64.04.130, by all means, except eminent domain, for creating natural resources conservation areas, where acquisition is the best way to achieve the purposes of this chapter. Areas acquired or assembled by the depa…
The department is authorized to transfer fee simple interest or less than fee interests in trust land, as defined by Article XVI of the Washington Constitution, for the creation of natural resources conservation areas, provided the owner of the trust land receives full fair market value compensation for all rights tran…
The department shall hold a public hearing in the county where the majority of the land in the proposed natural resources conservation area is located prior to establishing the boundary. An area proposed for designation must contain resources consistent with characteristics identified in RCW 79.71.020. During the 2023-…
The department shall develop a management plan for each designated area. The plan shall identify the significant resources to be conserved consistent with the purposes of this chapter and identify the areas with potential for low-impact public and environmental educational uses. The plan shall specify what types of man…
The department is authorized to administer natural resources conservation areas and may enter into management agreements for these areas with federal agencies, state agencies, local governments, and private nonprofit conservancy corporations, as defined in RCW 64.04.130, when such agreements are consistent with the pur…
There is hereby created the natural resources conservation areas stewardship account in the state treasury to ensure proper and continuing management of land acquired or designated pursuant to this chapter. Funds for the stewardship account shall be derived from appropriations of state general funds, federal funds, gra…
The legislature hereby designates certain areas as natural resources conservation areas:(1) The Mt. Si conservation area (King County), RCW 79A.05.725, is hereby designated the Mt. Si natural resources conservation area. The department is directed to continue its management of this area and to develop a plan for its co…
The property currently designated as the Elk river natural area preserve is transferred from management under chapter 79.70 RCW as a natural area preserve to management under chapter 79.71 RCW as a natural resources conservation area. The legislature finds that hunting is a suitable low-impact public use within the Elk…
The state treasurer, on behalf of the department, must distribute to counties for all lands acquired for the purposes of this chapter an amount in lieu of real property taxes equal to the amount of tax that would be due if the land were taxable as open space land under chapter 84.34 RCW except taxes levied for any stat…