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Whatcom County Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee

WHA-CON-CNR-2025-12-09 December 09, 2025 Public Works Committee Whatcom County 56 min
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The Whatcom County Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee advanced two significant environmental protection measures while receiving a comprehensive presentation on long-awaited forest management planning for the Lake Whatcom watershed. The committee unanimously approved both action items — a rapid response plan for invasive freshwater mussels and authorization for a high-scoring agricultural conservation easement acquisition. The forest management plan presentation revealed the scope of work ahead: a 30-year blueprint to manage over 12,000 acres of county-owned watershed property, transitioning former commercial timber plantations toward diverse, old-growth characteristics that better protect water quality. However, funding questions dominated the discussion, with Parks Director Bennett Knox acknowledging the plan "will not fully pay for itself" despite potential revenue from selective timber sales. The invasive mussel response plan represents a coordinated regional approach to protecting Lake Whatcom from zebra and quagga mussels, which have been detected as close as Idaho's Snake River. With Washington and Oregon being the only lower-48 states without established infestations, the urgency for prevention planning has intensified. The committee's final action authorized pursuit of what Planning Department staff called their highest-scoring conservation easement application ever — an 89-acre dairy farm that exemplifies successful agricultural succession planning. The Steensma family's acquisition will preserve productive farmland while enabling the next generation to continue multi-generational dairy operations in an era when many county dairies are closing.

**AB2025-793 - Lake Whatcom Invasive Freshwater Mussel Rapid Response Plan:** - **Vote:** 3-0 approval (Donovan, Galloway, Stremler) - **Staff recommendation:** Approval aligned with Council action - **Key details:** Establishes county support role for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's lead response authority; minimal county costs anticipated - **Implementation:** Plan already adopted by City of Bellingham and Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District in October 2025 **AB2025-871 - Steensma Family Agricultural Conservation Easement:** - **Vote:** 3-0 approval (Donovan, Galloway, Stremler) - **Staff recommendation:** Approval aligned with Council action - **K…

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**Forest Management Funding Challenge** The presentation of the Lake Whatcom Watershed Forest Management Plan highlighted a significant policy tension between environmental stewardship goals and fiscal constraints. Matthew Schmidt of Northwest Natural Resource Group outlined an ambitious 30-year vision to transform 12,000+ acres from commercial timber plantations into diverse, ecologically functional forests that better protect water quality for the region's primary drinking water source. However, Parks Director Bennett Knox's frank acknowledgment that "it will not fully pay for itself" sparked extended discussion about funding mechanisms. While some selective timber harvesting could generate revenue to offset costs, the plan's primary focus on ecological restoration rather than commercial timber production means ongoing county investment will be required. Council Member Elenbaas pressed for fiscal impact analysis before adoption, noting the importance of understanding financial trajectories for major policy initiatives. The funding discussion revealed broader challenges in environmental management: how to balance ambitious conservation goals with limited local revenue. Executive staff mentioned ongoing work to identify new revenue sources, but specific mechanisms remain under development. **Agricultural Conservation Easement Concerns** Council Member Elenbaas raised detailed concerns about unintended consequences o…
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**Committee Members:** - **Chair Kaylee Galloway:** Strongly supportive of all three initiatives; emphasized Lake Whatcom's critical importance as drinking water source for 50% of the county; praised forest management plan's comprehensiveness - **Council Member Todd Donovan:** Focused on technical details, asking about water rights and scoring methodology for conservation easement; supportive of both action items - **Council Member Mark Stremler:** Emphasized personal knowledge of the Steensma family and their commitment to dairy farming; strongly supportive of conservation easement based on family's long-term agricultural plans **Non-Committee Members Present:** - **Council Member Ben Elenbaas:** Expressed concerns about conservation easement restrictions potentially limiting future agricultural operations; requested fiscal impact analysis for forest management plan; emphasized need to preserve farming viability while supporting conservation tools **Staff Presenters:** - **Bennett Knox (Parks Director):** Acknowledged forest management plan won't pay for itself but emphasized potential revenue o…
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**Bennett Knox, on forest management plan funding:** "The short answer is, it's not going to fully pay for itself, but there are prescriptions in here that could generate revenue and be used to offset costs." **Council Member Kaylee Galloway, on Lake Whatcom's importance:** "Like, welcome, right? We know it's our drinking water source for about 50% of the county. It's our plan. It's our plan. B. It's our plan. C. It's our plan. D. Everything so much relies on like, welcome." **Karen Steensma…
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**Immediate Actions:** - Both approved resolutions (AB2025-793 and AB2025-871) advance to full County Council for final consideration - Conservation easement will undergo appraisal process in early 2026 to determine final purchase price **Forest Management Plan Timeline:** - SEPA environmental review process currently underway - Plan adoption by Council resolution expected early 2026 - Staff will develop operational work plans breaking 30-year vision into implementable phases - All future forest activities will require Forest Practice Act a…

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**Policy Advancement:** The committee's unanimous approval of both action items moves two significant environmental protection initiatives forward, representing about $2.5 million in combined conservation investment when the forest management plan is eventually implemented. **Regional Coordination:** Adoption of the invasive mussel response plan completes the regional partnership between Whatcom County, Bellingham, and Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District, creating unified prevention protocols for the first time. **Agricultural Succession:** Authorization of the Steensma conservation easement enables a successful example of farmland succession…
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# Whatcom County Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee **December 9, 2025** ## Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee convened on a busy Tuesday morning, December 9, 2025, at 10:25 a.m. in Council Chambers. Committee Chair Kaylee Galloway presided over what would prove to be a packed agenda covering three substantial items related to forest management, invasive species response, and agricultural conservation. The committee members present were Council Members Todd Donovan, Mark Stremler, and Chair Galloway, with the full council in attendance as observers. Also present were Council Members Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Ben Elenbaas, and Jon Scanlon. The meeting operated in hybrid format, allowing both in-person and remote participation. What made this meeting particularly notable was the breadth of environmental stewardship topics on display — from the culmination of a year-long forest management planning process to proactive measures against invasive species threats, and the continuation of the county's agricultural conservation efforts. Each item represented significant policy work with long-term implications for Whatcom County's natural resources. ## Lake Whatcom Watershed Forest Management Plan The centerpiece of the morning was a comprehensive presentation on the newly completed Lake Whatcom Watershed Forest Management Plan, a year-long effort that addresses forest management across more than 12,000 acres of publicly owned land in the watershed. Bennett Knox, Director of Parks and Recreation, introduced the presentation with evident pride in what had been accomplished. "We appreciate Council putting this forward as funding to develop this forest management plan. It was funded with Park Special Revenue," Knox said, before highlighting the crucial partnership with the City of Bellingham. "I really want to appreciate and show some appreciation to the City of Bellingham for partnering with us on this project. Not only are we considering management of roughly 12,000 acres in the watershed that the county owns, the plan addresses 3,000 acres that the city owns, but more importantly, they really brought up some capacity to the project that really enhanced our community engagement part of the process, which is not something we might have been able to do on our own." Matthew Schmidt, a forester with Northwest Natural Resource Group who led the planning effort, then delivered a detailed …
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### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee met on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, to hear three substantial presentations. The committee discussed a comprehensive forest management plan for the Lake Whatcom watershed, approved an invasive mussel response plan, and authorized acquisition of an agricultural conservation easement near Lynden. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Forest Management Unit:** Spatial delineations at the stand level across a forest where management recommendations are applied, addressing specific issues like unstable slopes or forest health problems. **Variable Density Thinning:** A type of forest management that cuts some trees (but not all) at different rates across different parts of the forest to increase spatial diversity while allowing remaining trees to grow larger and accelerate stand development. **Zebra and Quagga Mussels:** Invasive freshwater mussels that have spread across the lower 48 states, with Washington and Oregon being the only two states without infestations. They can cause catastrophic damage to water systems. **Conservation Easement:** A legal agreement where a landowner voluntarily restricts certain uses of their property (like development) in exchange for payment, while retaining ownership and continuing agricultural or other permitted uses. **Ecological Forest Management:** A type of forestry that manages for multiple objectives rather than just timber production, guided by forest ecology and aimed at mimicking natural processes while maintaining full ecosystems. **Silviculture:** The practice of controlling forest growth, composition, and health through various management techniques like thinning and planting. **Conservation Futures:** A Whatcom County funding source used to purchase development rights and conservation easements, often leveraged with state and federal grant matches. **Lake Whatcom Watershed:** The area that drains into Lake Whatcom, which serves as the drinking water source for about 50% of Whatcom County residents and is managed by both the county and City of Bellingham. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Kaylee Galloway | Committee Chair, County Council | | Todd Donovan | Committee Member, County Council | | Mark Stremler | Committee Member, County Council | | Ben Elenbaas | County Council Member (non-committee) | | Bennett Knox | Director, Parks and Recreation | | Matthew Schmidt | Forester, Northwest Natural Resource Group | | Chris Thompson | Operations Manager, Parks and Recreation | | Mike Proskin | City of Bellingham representative | | Gary Stoyka | Natural Resources Manager, Public Works | | Alexander Harris | Planning and Development Services | | Paul Schissler | Chair, Conservation Easement Program Oversight Committee | | Karen Steensma | Property owner, dairy farmer | | Aly Pennucci | Executive's Office | ### Background Context Lake Whatcom serves as the primary drinking water source for roughly half o…
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Environmental Housing Budget & Finance Government Operations AB 2025 793 AB 2025 871 AB 2025 881 City Of Bellingham Conservation District Department Ecology Lake Whatcom Water Sewer District Northwest Natural Resource Group Steensma Family Steensma Family Dairy Washington Department Fish Wildlife Whatcom County Parks Recreation Alexander Harris Aly Pennucci Ben Elenbaas Bennett Knox Gary Stoyka Karen Steensma Kaylee Galloway Mark Stremler Matthew Schmidt Paul Schissler Todd Donovan Todd Donovan Agricultural Conservation Agricultural Conservation Easement Agricultural Succession Conservation Easements Conservation Futures Conservation Futures Fund Dairy Farming Forest Management Forest Management Plan Grant Funding Invasive Freshwater Mussels Invasive Species Lake Whatcom Watershed Riparian Buffers Timber Harvesting Water Quality Protection Zebra Quagga Mussels