land stewardship

Stewarding our conserved lands to sustain their ecological integrity and community benefit.

IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE LAND.

Land Acknowledgement: We gather and live on the plains, plateaus, mountains, and coastal lands that have been home to Indigenous peoples since time immemorial. We respect their Indigenous, Tribal and Treaty Rights while honoring their stewardship and culture today.

Lake Serene Trail
Land Stewards Forterra Staff
i90 corridor forterra land

caring for the land

Forterra actively stewards more than 17,000 acres of diverse landscapes in 12 counties across central and western Washington. Our Lands Stewardship program manages about 50 fee-owned properties and nearly 100 Conservation Easements, each with their own unique conservation values, opportunities and challenges. While all properties are stewarded to sustain their ecological value, some require management and preservation of trail networks, historic sites, and other cultural and community assets.

Bridal Veil Falls

Forterra properties

Where Forterra holds fee-title to a property, we focus on long-term solutions for maximizing the ecological and social value of these special places. In addition to annual monitoring and maintenance, we plan, fund and coordinate site-specific management and restoration programs of various type, size and scale. We are always striving to make these lands the best they can be.
Lake Serene Bridal Veil Falls Stewards

conservation easements

Conservation easements are voluntary legal agreements between a landowner and Forterra, permanently limiting uses of the land to protect its conservation values – regardless of ownership changes. Forterra staff monitor each easement annually, enforce the easement terms and provide counsel to landowners to ensure they understand their responsibilities.

Helis Pond Forterra

stewardship program

Forterra’s Lands Stewardship program often partners with other organizations to steward its fee-owned properties and easements. We are fortunate to work closely with local, state, and federal agencies, land trusts, tribes, volunteer groups and boards, and other stakeholders to fulfill our mission and maintain the integrity of the lands we steward.

Green City Burien Volunteers

Green City Partnerships

Healthy forested parks and green spaces have the power to strengthen neighborhoods, provide safe access to nature and offer numerous benefits to our cities. A coordinated regional effort, Green City Partnerships, restores and cares for our urban parks. Working today to protect and enhance the many benefits these forests and natural areas provide.

Lake Serene Bridal Veil Falls

visiting forterra properties

Forterra properties are generally open to the public unless posted as closed. Hunting, camping, harvesting, open fires, fireworks, and motorized uses are prohibited on all Forterra owned properties. Several properties have easements with additional restrictions. Thank you for respecting all signage and posted closures. If you have questions about uses at a particular property, please contact us.
Lake Serene

Lake Serene

Year Acquired: 2018 • Acreage: 189

Forterra acquired this property through fundraising efforts, protecting it from being logged and ensuring public access to one of the region’s most visited hiking trails

Morse Wildlife Preserve

MORSE WILDLIFE PRESERVE

Year Acquired: 1995 • Acreage: 98 

Established in 1995 by a donation of land from Lloyd and Maxine Morse. The 98-acre preserve is a mosaic of conifer forest, wetlands, oak savanna, and prairie.

Hazel Wolf Wetlands

HAZEL WOLF WETLANDS PRESERVE

Year Acquired: 1995 • Acreage: 116 

Hazel Wolf Wetland’s 116 acres of wetland and forest habitat, complete with trails and viewing platform, was one of Forterra’s early and beloved projects.

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