Conservation easements safeguard floodplain farmland while advancing climate resilience, food security, and community well-being
March 23, 2026 – Forterra has facilitated the protection of 193 acres of productive farmland in Snohomish County through two conservation easements in the Stillaguamish River floodplain. The adjacent 108-acre and 85-acre parcels, owned by Northwest Territory LLC and located along Pioneer Highway, will remain in agricultural use in perpetuity.
The conservation easements will be held by Snohomish County, ensuring long-term stewardship of land identified as a high priority in the County’s 2019 Agriculture Resilience Plan. Protecting these properties supports environmental health, strengthens local food systems, and contributes to long-term community resilience.
Conservation easements provide financial incentives to landowners to permanently protect agricultural land from development while ensuring that farming remains viable for future generations. This project reflects a coordinated approach that aligns agricultural preservation with floodplain function and climate adaptation.
“This project reflects Forterra’s role at the intersection of conservation, real estate, and public stewardship,” said Michelle Connor, President and CEO of Forterra. “By working alongside public agencies and Tribal governments, we are able to permanently protect high-value farmland while delivering lasting environmental and community benefits in a highly dynamic floodplain.”
Funding for the conservation easements included $347,626 from Snohomish County’s Conservation Futures program, along with $192,374 in funding provided by the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, supporting floodplain restoration and resilience through the Washington Department of Ecology’s Floodplains by Design grant program.
Beyond preserving farmland, these easements deliver critical environmental benefits in a dynamic floodplain landscape. During extreme weather events this winter, the Snohomish River reached its highest level in 25 years. Protected agricultural land in floodplains helps store and slow floodwaters, filter runoff before it reaches rivers and fish-bearing streams and improve soil health – benefits that become increasingly important as climate impacts intensify.
Farmland conservation also contributes to climate resilience by storing carbon and providing space for excess water during flood events, reducing pressure on downstream communities.
Forterra currently manages more than 100 conservation easements covering over 8,000 acres across Washington state, advancing solutions that protect land, support communities, and addressing climate risk.
ABOUT FORTERRA
Forterra is an unconventional land trust that works across Washington’s communities and landscapes. From the estuaries, farms and forests of Washington’s coast to the ranches and shrub-steppe of eastern and central Washington, reaching more than 100 counties, cities, towns, and rural communities. For 36 years, we’ve innovated and scaled land-based solutions to address the climate crisis, conserve and care for wild and working lands, and support equitable, green and prosperous communities. Visit Forterra.org.
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Media contact:
Kristi England, Chief Governance, Policy & Innovations Officer
media@forte
