Land Transactions
In our nearly 30 years, we’ve worked with communities around Washington State to permanently protect 250,000 acres of wilderness, working lands, forests, rivers and streams, urban green space, parks and community gardens.
Lands that were at risk are now secure for a sustainable future.
-
Land conservation
As a nationally accredited land trust, Forterra has worked with landowners to conserve our special places for the past 25 years. We seek permanent conservation, either through outright acquisition (fee simple interest) or partial acquisition (limited interest, conservation easement).
-
Real estate advisory services
Forterra has worked with tribes and federal, state, and local governments in a variety of capacities to help protect and restore key conservation properties throughout the Pacific Northwest. In the process we’ve developed the relevant skills and experience in land transaction facilitation, land conservation strategy and fundraising and financing.
-
Community purpose land banking
We seek to capture select real estate opportunities in keystone neighborhood properties that someday will be important assets for the community, by purchasing and holding until a long term buyer can be secured. These include potential economic development, arts or cultural facilities and affordable housing on properties by future transit or town centers whose prices would otherwise be out of reach in the future. There are many potential applications for land banking that positively affect the health and sustainability of our communities, and we are always interested in exploring opportunities.
I learned there's a possibility for everyone to have success and everyone could have a win ... This is one small example of what potentially could happen in our bay, in our home and with our tribe and the reservation. And that makes me hopeful ... We definitely have Forterra to thank for that.
Related Perspectives and News
A Proud Partnership
Forterra is working to conserve Little Skookum Inlet, 816 acres of riparian habitat, wetland and forest with two miles of marine shoreline in Mason County. Generations of Native Americans, family foresters and shellfish farmers have tended to this inlet. Protecting this place will prevent the property from being developed while protecting critical habitat for shellfish and salmon. Our project partner, Port Blakely Tree Farms, has stewarded the forest at Little Skookum for over 150 years and was just named Puget Sound Business Journal’s Family Business of the Year.
Mass Timber: The Innovative Future of our Built Environment
New building code changes in Washington to permit mid and high-rise mass timber buildings, allowing the state to take a huge step forward for the sustainable future of our built environment and will revolutionize the way we design, build and grow.
Saving Lake Serene
Forterra officially closed on the last-remaining privately owned section of the popular Lake Serene Trail in October 2018. Thanks to massive community support, the purchase of this 190-acre property preserved the trees along the trail and guaranteed permanent public access to Lake Serene Trail’s breathtaking views, waterfalls, and reflective alpine lake—forever.
Forterra awarded Olmsted Medal
Forterra was recently awarded the prestigious Olmsted Medal of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Conferred annually at ASLA’s national conference, the Olmsted Medal is one of the Society’s premier honors.
Historic farm near Arlington to help Port Susan shellfish
Upriver from Stanwood, an historic farm in the Stillaguamish Valley won’t be covered over by MacMansions after all. By buying…
In record deal, more than 150 acres of farmland preserved in Pierce County
More than 150 acres along the Puyallup River will be preserved forever as farmland and wildlife habitat. It’s the biggest…
Historic agreement gives community chance to preserve Wayne Golf Course back nine
Forterra is interested in financing the purchase of the 89-acre Wayne Golf Course to provide the Bothell community an opportunity to creatively structure a permanent preservation strategy to support a variety of publicly-accessible uses and habitat restoration actions which will put the Wayne land at the very heart of the community.
Forterra conserves 128 acres of estuarine and forest land in Pacific County
Forterra has purchased 128 acres of high-quality estuarine and forest land on Willapa Bay in Pacific County for permanent conservation.…