• Conservation news from Rachel Valdez, COO
• Blog:  100 year legacy delivered in 2 days
• Get your ticket for the Spring Fundraiser 
• Legislative update: Wildfire Resilience

From the COO:
Rooted Together, Growing Forward

Hello friend,

In times of uncertainty, Forterra stays grounded in hope and what we know matters most: protecting land for the long term, here at home. Our Land for Good™ mission is rooted in conserving wild and working lands across both urban and rural landscapes—places that will continue to benefit people, wildlife, and communities for generations to come. 

As the leader of Forterra’s Real Estate Program, I begin 2026 encouraged by the strength of our portfolio and the possibilities ahead—thanks to your support and belief in our work. 

We ended 2025 closing 485 acres of newly protected lands. 

Looking ahead, we anticipate closing 2,637 additional acres in 2026. Each conservation acquisition represents careful negotiation, complex financing, and an unwavering commitment to seeing these lands conserved, no matter how long it takes. 

To move this work forward, we are currently pursuing 12 state and local grant proposals, valued at between $13.6 million and $15.5 million. Conservation financing is a long game—one that requires patience, persistence, and bridge funding along the way. Your donations play a critical role in filling those gaps, sustaining our expertise, and keeping projects moving through our people.  

We are energized by new and expanding partnerships across Washington. In the Tri-Cities, community leaders organized as Save Our Shoreline are working to preserve public access along the Columbia River for both people and wildlife. In Benton County, Friends of Badger Mountain continue their determined efforts to protect and steward the ridges of the Lower Columbia Basin, advancing an expanded public trail system. We are continually inspired by the tenacity and ingenuity of these partners—and honored to work alongside them. 

As challenges grow in 2026, Forterra moves forward with precision, readiness, and resolve. Thank you for making our work, Land for Good ™ possible.

— Rachel Valdez 
Chief Operating Officer

Blog Post:
An $11 million Legacy in the Back of a U-Haul

What does it take to turn a two-day delivery for the Evergreen Restoration Program into a century of impact?  
 
Earlier this month, our team hit the road with a U-Haul full of something precious that will generate over $11 million in documented value over the next century for community health.  

Read the behind-the-scenes story and see the projected 100-year benefits for Washington communities. 

Instagram: Watch the delivery run >>>

Spring Fundraiser:
One Night. One Community. A Future to Shape

Our annual Spring Fundraiser on March 11, is a moment to gather around a shared belief: that protecting land across the Pacific Northwest is essential to addressing climate change, strengthening communities, shaping a more resilient future. It is also a chance to celebrate Forterra’s 36 years of innovative work – and to help build what comes next.

Since 1989, Forterra has led with innovation – finding practical, often unconventional ways to conserve land while responding to the evolving needs of people and place. From forests and wetlands to working lands and urban spaces, our work has always been grounded in the idea that healthy lands and healthy communities are inseparable.

This year’s event brings that commitment into focus. Environmental journalist and author, Lynda V. Mapes will join us to explore the deep connections between land, water, forests and community – connections that have guided Forterra’s approach since our founding and are increasingly urgent today. Lynda’s perspective helps illuminate why long-term land stewardship, strong partnerships, and public engagement matter now more than ever.

Hazel Wolf Wetlands offers a powerful example of Forterra’s approach. When rapid development threatened the site in the mid-1990s, Forterra brought together community members, local government, and private developers to protect the land. Nearly three decades later, the wetlands continue to provide critical habitat, manage stormwater and safeguard water quality flowing into Puget Sound. It’s the model we’ll need more of in the years ahead.

This evening is about more than an event. It’s about our future – Forterra’s next chapter – and the community that makes it possible. We’d be honored to have you join us.

RSVP now for March 11 to be part of shaping this challenging work for years to come.

Thank you to all our corporate sponsors, with special thanks to Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines for being our Champion Sponsors.

Event Details
Forterra’s Spring Fundraiser: “When the Trees Speak:
Listening, Learning, and Acting for the Land We Love” with Lynda Mapes
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Time: 5:30-8:00 PM
Where: Fremont Foundry, 154 N 35th St, Seattle, WA 98103

Legislative Update:
Wildfire Resilience Funding is Working – And it’s at Risk 

Wildfire resilience investments are making a real difference across Washington – improving wildfire response capacity, restoring forest health, and strengthening community protection.

That’s why Forterra joins the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and many partners in highlighting the urgency to fully restore the state Wildfire Response, Forest Restoration & Community Resilience Account by the 2026 State Legislature. The time is now with the supplemental budget session underway in Olympia.

Passed with unanimous bipartisan support in 2021, House Bill 1168 established the Wildfire Response, Forest Restoration, and Community Resilience Account to address Washington’s growing wildfire risk. Last year, however, $60 million was cut from this account.

The investments are working:

• $65.3 million delivered to front-line communities
• 151 firefighters, foresters, and community protection experts added statewide
• 88,893 acres of forest health restored
• 10 DNR helicopters upgraded, including two with night-vision capability

Prevention costs far less than suppression. In Washington, every $1 invested in mitigation saves $8.14 in state funds. 

Without full funding, community-based prevention efforts—central to HB 1168’s intent—will stall. 

The cost of inaction is steep: lives and homes at risk, dangerous smoke impacts on public health, degraded habitat and watersheds, and wildfire emissions that undermine Washington’s climate goals.

Thanks for checking out this month’s updates—Subscribe to get updates in your inbox and join us in making a difference—your donation drives real impact. See you soon!