Stewardship Initatives
Once our precious lands are conserved, they need continual monitoring, restoration and stewardship. Forterra has an ownership interest in over 13,500 acres of diverse landscapes within King, Kittitas, Pierce, Snohomish and Mason Counties, as well as estuary land on the Washington coast. Of this total, we own 7,409 acres and hold either a conservation easement or a stewardship easement on the remaining 6,284 acres. We monitor our conservation easements annually and work with landowners to maximize conservation values while maintaining the uses permitted on the property.
Work For You
Since 1989, Forterra has offered a full spectrum of professional services to not-for-profit groups, businesses and government clients across the region. Our professional staff is committed to providing clients quality work from project conception to completion.
Employing Forterra's services will help you accomplish your objectives and align your efforts with the largest conservation and community building efforts of our time, The Cascade and Olympic Agendas.
Property Acquisition
Forterra works with landowners, local governments and developers to conserve wild and working lands.
Build Community
Forterra works with leaders and residents to make our cities and towns great places to live, work and raise our families. We recognize that by creating great communities, we can protect working and wild rural landscapes.
Conservation Initiatives
Forterra is working to conserve 1 million acres of land across Washington
Forterra is a leader in land conservation. We employ both traditional and cutting edge tools to help conserve land through out the Central Cascades and across the Olympic Peninsula. Learn more about our current conservation iniatives by clicking the links below.
Green Cities
Forterra’s Green Cities Program implements public-private partnerships to restore and maintain urban forests, natural areas, and greenspaces. Explore our work below and learn how to get involved in your community.
Conserve Land
In over twenty years, we’ve conserved more than 182,000 acres of important urban green space, working lands, and rivers, streams and forests throughout the region.
We employ traditional conservation tools such as land purchases, donations, conservation easements and ownership agreements. We’re also implementing innovative conservation tools like Transfer of Development rights and the Landscape Conservation and Landscape Infrastructure Program, a tool Forterra led through the 2011 legislative session.
Get Involved
The power to shape the future comes from you.
Forterra relies on the support of people like you to accomplish its goals of creating a healthy, sustainable, economically and environmentally sound region. There are many opportunities to get involved. You can make a donation, volunteer your time at an event, advocate for important issues on behalf of Forterra and more!
What We Do
Forterra is advancing an innovative new approach to conservation and community building.
Forterra is advancing an innovative new approach to conservation that encourages collaboration across all sectors and balances environmental, social and economic needs. We emphasize the link between vibrant cities and healthy rural lands and use creative new ways to protect land on a scale never seen before. Our efforts include conserving land, building better communities, advancing new policies providing a spectrum of professional services.
Who We Are
Forterra is the largest conservation and community building organization in the Northwest.
Forterra's mission is to act with immediacy to protect, enhance and steward our region's most precious resources—its communities and its landscapes. Filling a unique niche as the largest conservation and community building organization in Washington State, we are working to build the foundations for our sustainable environmental and economic futures in the face of a rapidly growing population. For over 20 years, Forterra has successfully led efforts to conserve more than 180,000 acres of forests, farms, shorelines, parks and natural areas and restore critical landscapes.
Guided by a belief that broad inclusion garners broader success, Forterra is advancing an innovative new approach to conservation that encourages collaboration across all sectors and balances environmental, social and economic needs. We emphasize the link between vibrant cities and healthy rural lands and use creative new ways to protect land on a scale never seen before.
Where We Work
Forterra works to build community and conserve land across Washington
Forterra's work stretches from the farmland and river canyons of Yakima all the way to the estuaries and forests of Washington’s coastline. We are committed to smart urban policy and urban forest restoration in the Puget Sound region’s many wonderful cities. We are working with communities across the Olympic Peninsula to create a sustainable plan for the next 100 years. The scope of our work has expanded dramatically over the past several decades, the circle in which we map “our region” continues to grow, but whether we’re conserving land in Mt. Vernon or building community gardens in Tacoma, Forterra’s mission to further economic and environmental sustainablity remains right at the heart of everywhere we work.
Shape Central Issaquah
Help create a great future for central Issaquah
Issaquah is currently finalizing the "Central Issaquah Plan" which will guide redevelopment of almost 1000 acres on the valley floor around I-90 for the next 50 years. Forterra is working with our members to support an ambitious plan that includes more housing in the valley floor, is affordable to a wide-range of residents, increases transportation choices and helps conserve natural landscapes within Issaquah and the region.
Issaquah’s Planning and Policy Commission needs your take at a public hearing on Thursday, July 19th. We’re asking people to speak up and show that Issaquah community members support key elements of the Plan – that they want the future of Central Issaquah to include housing affordable to all workers, good bike/pedestrian infrastructure, and helps conserve our lands.
Make your voice heard!
When: Thursday, July 19th, 2012, 6:30-8pm (arrive early to sign up)
Where: City Council Chambers, 135 E. Sunset Way, Issaquah, WA 98027
Agenda and documents: online here
More info: Skye Schell at (206) 446-8981 or email
Sample talking points:
Commissioners,
Thanks for the opportunity to speak about the Central Issaquah Plan. I’m _____, I live at ________, and I’m most passionate about ________ [making the city safe for biking / recreation opportunities for my kids / protecting the environment / etc].
I strongly support the guiding principles of the Central Issaquah Plan (CIP). Issaquah has clearly identified key components that enhance the vibrancy and livability of a city, and I believe ALL of these must be carefully balanced to create a thriving community. The following four points address opportunities in the Central Issaquah Plan that we want to see advanced.
1. Provide more housing on the valley floor that is attractive to and affordable to arrange of incomes, ages and abilities. Locating housing near jobs and transportation is smart planning. I support Issaquah seeking Regional Growth Center designation that encourages this housing.
a. Regional Growth Center designation can increase opportunities for transportation infrastructure funding that would support residential growth in Central Issaquah, and set the foundation for attracting additional jobs to Issaquah, improving the opportunity to live and work in the community.
b. We support the use of incentives to pioneering projects that build housing in Central Issaquah. We suggest you expand these beyond the first 200 units suggested in Housing Policy A 2.
2. Ensure that there are homes in Central Issaquah that are affordable for all who want to live and work here.
a. We are eagerly awaiting the incentives and proposed development codes that will ensure affordable housing will be available.
3. Make it easier and safer to walk, bike and take transit in Central Issaquah. We support the push to become a “Bike Friendly Community” and create a city-wide bike/pedestrian master plan – we’re glad to see the plan in council’s 2013 goals.
a. We would like to see funding prioritized for the planned I-90 overcrossings and innovative infrastructure that allows kids, seniors and others who choose to walk a safe, attractive way to get to where they need to go.
b. We strongly support policy C&M E1 that increases the portion of transportation funding to be used on non-motorized and transit infrastructure.
4. Protect the natural environment through public acquisition of green space, strengthening buffers as property is redeveloped and using natural systems such as LID and Green Infrastructure.
a. We support development codes that require new and redeveloping properties to meet standards and buffer requirements
b. The council needs to prioritize and aggressively work to protect open space and ecological benefits in the Central Issaquah Area.
Carbon Capturing Companies
The C3 Program provides an opportunity for Washington-based companies and residents to partner with local non-profit organizations and community service groups to plant native conifer trees in parks and natural areas in an effort to voluntarily reduce our impact on the climate.
Participants engage in the C3 Program annually by providing funding for Forterra to plant native conifer trees or distribute them to trusted partners who are ready to plant the trees in protected public spaces and care for them as they grow. These trees will sequester and store thousands of tons of CO2 over their lifetime.
Three Easy Steps For Getting Involved
1) Know Your Carbon Footprint
There are several great carbon calculators available online to help you calculate the carbon footprint of your business, office, home and more. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started with your calculations.
Click here to learn more about these carbon calculators and everything they can do.*
For further help calculating your carbon footprint, consider one of these carbon calculation consultants.
2) Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
The first step to addressing climate change is to reduce or prevent emissions of greenhouse gases. Reduce your power consumption through new technology such as:
http://www.greenmicroserver.info
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/6/prweb9615874.htm
Click here to read about some more easy ways to reduce your impact.*
3) Plant Trees in Your Community
Partner with Forterra in caring for our climate, our communities and our watersheds by joining C3 today!*
Apply today! Fill out a C3 Application for Companies to kickstart your effort to reduce your impact on our climate by planting trees in your community.
We are currently accepting applications for the 2013 C3 Program. 2013 program partners must submit carbon sequestration goals to Forterra (through the application) by June 28, 2013.
Receiving Free Trees
Those interested in receiving the trees purchased by C3 partners can fill out a simple “request for trees” (RFT). We will select and notify recipients in August.
*We endeavor to support the C3 Program and our partners with the best available science. Forterra strives to incorporate the best available science into the C3 Program. Click here to learn about the 
science and research behind C3. Do you know of another great carbon calculator, emissions reduction resource, or up to date information about CO2 sequestration rates or tree survival rates? Please let us know.
Founding Partners
We've partnered with 13 great companies to launch the C3 Program. They are leading the way by purchasing trees to mitigate everything from world band tours to home games to the emissions caused just by doing business. Click here to read more about the partners' carbon calculations, the steps they're taking to reduce emissions, and their 2012 carbon sequestration goals.
Contact
For questions, suggestions or further information, please contact:
Weston Brinkley, Research and Development Manager
206-905-6932
wbrinkley@forterra.org
Thank you for helping us care for our climate, our communities and our watersheds by joining C3 and providing us with your resources and ideas!
Sponsorship
Forterra partners with businesses small and large in a variety of ways. We work with your business to tailor a partnership that best serves both the needs of your organization and the advancement of Forterra's mission, whether that's event sponsorship, project backing, a carbon sequestration plan or otherwise.
Sponsorships
Corporate support to Forterra ranges in size and scope. There are many ways businesses can support our efforts through sponsorships. Our goal is to give your company broad recognition. Join the growing list of corporate partners who are helping us fulfill our mission of conserving great lands and creating great communities.
If you are interested in sponsoring an event, please contact us, info@forterra.org.
Forterra Awards Breakfast
Interested in Sponsoring at the largest environmental fundraising breakfast in the Northwest?
Sponsors support the event and ensure that money donated to Forterra goes back to creating great communities and conserving great lands. This event is strongly promoted and generates hundreds of thousands of impressions to the region. Click here to download the Sponsorship Packet.
Contact Giyen Kim, Managing Director – Development & Marketing, for more information on Sponsorships: gkim@forterra.org or 206.905.6911.
Advocate
Add your voice to the conversation about conservation and community-building.
Forterra works with communities around the region to support new policies, plans and projects that conserve our great lands and help create great communities. Often, the most important decisions are made in your local city council meetings or in our state legislature. Our elected leaders can only make good decisions if they know their constituents are paying attention and support them. Forterra has developed training guides and workshops to help you effectively advocate for our shared values.
Get involved – contact Skye Schell to learn how to advocate with us: -206-905-6891 or sschell@forterra.org
Volunteer
Become a Forterra Volunteer!
Volunteers are critical to the success of Forterra’s mission. They join us in removing invasive plants and planting native species in our urban forests, monitoring and restoring conserved properties around the region, advocating for critical issues in their communities and to their elected officials and lending their professional expertise in all areas of our work.
Volunteering with Forterra is a great way to make a difference for the lands and your community while having fun and connecting with your neighbors.
Learn about our many volunteer opportunities and find the one that’s right for you!
For more information or to become a volunteer today contact: volunteer@forterra.org or call (206) 905-6931.
Open Volunteer Positions
May 24-30, 2013 Forterra Awards Breakfast: Office & Event Support
Join Forterra in hosting the Conservation Awards Breakfast on May 29th, an annual community breakfast that supports and promotes our amazing partners and the work we do together in creating great communities and conserving great lands. We need your help to make this nearly 2000-person event a huge success!
Click here for more details on how and when you can help!
Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities
Restoration Volunteer
Join a Forterra or Green City Partnerships work party. Across the region, volunteers remove invasive plant species, plant native plants, spread mulch, do stream and trail restoration and more. No experience or tools needed. Find an event near you.
Business and Community Groups
Forterra works closely with the local businesses and community groups to offer large group volunteer opportunities. Groups may arrange their own work party or join an existing event. Please contact us for information about our Corporate and Community Volunteer Program.
Youth Volunteers and School Groups
Young people are encouraged to get involved in restoration events and experiential learning opportunities. Forterra also connects classrooms with inquiry-based educational opportunities. Please contact us for more information.
Land Stewards
Land Stewards “adopt” a Forterra conserved property in their community. Take a leadership role in monitoring and reporting on the status of the property, restoration efforts and more.
Forest Stewards
Part of the Green City Partnerships program, Forest Stewards are volunteer leaders. Become a Forest Steward and “adopt” an urban park to monitor, report on, and help lead volunteers in restoration.
Interns
Forterra offers internships to students and professionals interested in learning more about the fields of conservation, land stewardship and environmental policy, among others. Find internship opportunities.
About Volunteering with Forterra
Youth under 18 years of age may participate in any Forterra event either with a guardian present, or with a signed youth waiver. Find the waiver here.
Volunteers receive Forterra’s e-newsletter. Sign up today to learn more about our work.
Thank you for your interest in Forterra’s volunteer program.
For more information or to become a volunteer today contact: volunteer@forterra.org or call (206) 905-6931.
Donate
Help Us Create Great Communities and Conserve Great Lands
Donate Today!
Every gift, large and small, helps Forterra advance its critical mission. We rely on the amazing support of our constituents. Please consider making a gift today.
Click here to make a donation through our secure online donation site.
Or contact us to make a donation by phone: 206-905-6951
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