Conversion of 490 acres of undeveloped land from public to private ownership could contribute to sprawl, diminish public access and scenic values, harm wildlife habitat and potentially add to wildfire risk.

The Department of Natural Resources is proposing to auction off 490 acres of land near Twisp they believe are no longer suitable as trust lands. Seven parcels – most near Balky Hill – are being proposed to be transferred to the state land bank which holds properties that are awaiting sale.

Though the seven parcels proposed for transfer no longer meet the needs of the Trust Lands Program, MVCC believes they encompass a variety of benefits that provide value to the community and the larger ecosystem. These benefits are best protected for the future by remaining in public ownership. We are encouraging DNR to:

• Fully explore and consider all mechanisms available for retaining public ownership of these lands.
• Thoroughly evaluate each parcel for the values currently provided under public ownership and compare them to the potential threats of private development before pursuing sale of these lands
• Extend the comment period and hold a public meeting in the Methow Valley to allow the community to provide informed feedback to the agency.

You can read Methow Valley Citizens Council’s initial comments, including additional informational about the parcels, here.

The DNR’s website has information and maps about the proposed exchange: https://www.dnr.wa.gov/managed-lands/land-transactions/land-bank-exchange-2019

Written testimony must be received by 5:00 p.m. on December 6th, 2019. Please mail written testimony to: DNR, Land Bank Exchange 2019, Attn: Deborah Whitney, P.O. Box 47014, Olympia, WA 98504-7014, or email exchanges@dnr.wa.gov. For more information about the exchange, contact Exchange Project Manager Deborah Whitney at 360-902-1482 or deborah.whitney@dnr.wa.gov.