King County has been honing its approach to preserving green spaces for the past half-decade, achieving some pretty solid results. Back in 2019, King County's top official, Executive Dow Constantine, announced a pioneering move: making the county the first in the nation to roll out a certified carbon credit program that doubled down on protecting both urban and rural forests. Fast forward to today, and that initiative is stacking up wins for people, fish, and critters alike. Notably, generating about 65,000 carbon credits and funneling $850,000 into forest conservation, according to an August 7 press release from King County.
Hats off to local players like Microsoft and Fishermen's Finest for getting the ball rolling on this one by snapping up the first batch of carbon credits on offer. They've since been joined by others in the public and private sectors, even roping in Major League Baseball to offset their 2023 All-Star Game that took place in Seattle. Amid companies purchasing credits, a cornucopia of conservation projects flourished, such as the protection of Vashon-Maury Island's dwindling undeveloped upland forest, safeguarding a substantial 100-acre chunk of Ames Lake's untouched woodland, and expanding the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.
According to Josh Baldi, Director of King County’s Water and Land Resources Division, in a statement obtained by King County, “Establishing a trusted, efficient, and effective forest carbon offset program requires ingenuity and creativity – and our staff demonstrated both. In addition to storing carbon dioxide, our projects have protected tree canopy, improved water quality, and enhanced habitat at minimal cost to taxpayers.” He elaborated on the range of benefits beyond carbon storage, including fortified tree canopy, better water quality, and improved wildlife habitats, with a minor impact on taxpayers' wallets. King County's approach distinctively offers local organizations the chance to invest in nearby forestland, an opportunity to conserve nature that employees and their families can personally explore and enjoy.
When it comes to natural prowess in carbon sequestration, the Pacific Northwest's temperate forests are no slouches, partly thanks to native tree species that live long and prosper. These forests, often coveted for timber, now have alternative ways to bring in revenue without the axe thanks to programs like King County's, which play a role in the county's Land Conservation Initiative and Strategic Climate Action Plan.
King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks, under the leadership of John Taylor, seems to think that the heart of conservation triumphs is a marriage of public and private sector efforts. “Some of our best land conservation successes unify the public and private sectors to produce climate solutions, and that includes our Forest Carbon Program, More people and families are able to enjoy urban and rural forests throughout King County thanks to the innovative work by our staff and companies that have purchased certified carbon credits from us,” said Taylor, highlighting the cooperative framework. With a nod to the program's collaborative roots, more people and families are soaking in the splendors of the county's urban and rural forests, a testament to the hard work and innovative strategies employed by the county staff and the companies buying into these green investments.
