30-acre Hancock Creek transaction preserves old-growth and mature forest

Oct. 11, 2024. KING COUNTY, Wash. – Located along the western rim of the Cascades, close enough to the Salish Sea for the endangered marbled murrelet to make a round trip back with food for nestlings hidden high in the branches of ancient trees, Hancock Creek is a PNW gem. Forterra now has acquired 30 acres of timber rights at Hancock Creek to fill a critical unprotected gap in the Mount Si area of the Central Cascades. The land trust had previously purchased the land, and now has purchased the timber rights from Cugini Land and Timber, permanently protecting this mature and old growth forest. 

Among the multiple benefits of this acquisition: 

• Permanent protection from logging of late-successional and irreplaceable old growth forest – including Pacific silver fir and mountain hemlock. 
• Protection of high-quality forest habitat that benefits threatened and endangered species – the northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet – also, peregrine falcon, mountain goat, and Roosevelt elk. 
• Consolidation of some of the last private inholdings around Mt. Si, securing and enhancing the ecological integrity of this entire region. 

“Forterra first approached the Cugini family in 1996 to explore a conservation strategy, and in 2014 we began systematically raising funds from sustaining donors to conserve these rare mountain private inholdings that have sheltered old growth forest over generations of family ownership,” said Forterra President and CEO Michelle Connor. “We are thankful for our longstanding partnership with the Cugini family and our shared commitment to protect this Pacific Northwest gem forever.”   

“For the last several years, the Cugini family has proudly partnered with Forterra to conserve hundreds of acres of rare old growth forest in King County, including these last portions of the Hancock Creek property,” said Robert Cugini. “This successful effort is a fitting tribute to our grandparents, Alex and Josephine Cugini, who acquired these unique timberlands in the 1940s, and to our parents, Norma and Alex Cugini, Jr., who continued to hold and steward the properties over the years.” This timber rights acquisition was the last transaction planned in Forterra’s Cugini Family Old Growth Initiative – a multi-phased conservation effort and longstanding partnership with the Cugini family to protect their remaining forestlands. This marks Forterra’s eighth acquisition at Hancock Creek, preserving 778 acres.

MEDIA CONTACT
Forterra
Sandi Peck, Forterra Communications
Speck@forterra.org (360) 870-1038