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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, September 21, 2009
Contact:
Corina Hayes, Thurston County Planning, 360-754-3355 x 7011
Public
Meeting on Thurston County Working Lands Strategic Plan
OLYMPIA
– The public is invited to attend a
meeting next month to learn about plans for preservation of “working
lands” in
Thurston
County
. The lands under discussion are
those traditionally used for farming or forestry.
Thurston
County
has a long tradition of
agriculture and timber production yet today these working farms and forestry
lands are rapidly disappearing. While the rate of conversion has not been
specifically studied in
Thurston
County
, 2002 U.S census data shows
Thurston
County
with 74,442 aces in farms and forestry.
Overall these numbers are a sharp decline from 1954 when
Thurston
County
had 157,202 acres in active production.
Thurston
County
is one of the fastest growing counties in
Washington
State
, which has increased the demand for available land.
Since the 1960s, when the decline in working lands began, the county
has consistently been exceeding the state’s overall rate of growth.
This growth pattern is anticipated to extend well into the future. This
results in continued pressure on property owners to sell their lands and leave
production. The county’s Agricultural Advisory Committee, made up of county
residents, has developed a number of potential strategies designed to help
conserve working lands. These strategies will be discussed at this meeting.
What- Public
meeting regarding Thurston
County
Strategic
Plan for Working Lands
When- Thursday,
October 1st at 7pm
Where-
Tenino
Elementary School
,
301 Old Highway
99N, Tenino
Those who wish to find out more about the work of the
Agriculture Advisory Committee and review draft documents and meeting minutes
can visit the county on the Internet at- http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/agriculture-advisory-committee/draft-plan.htm
Project staff member Corina Hayes can be contacted at agriculture@co.thurston.wa.us
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