Washington Forestry Riparian Easement Program (FREP) (FREP)

Compensates small forest landowners for the timber they must leave standing next to streams, wetlands, seeps or unstable slopes to protect fish habitat. In exchange for a 40-year conservation easement on those trees, DNR pays 90% of the timber value. The easement covers the trees only and does not give the public access to the land.

• Eligible small forest landowner harvesting less than 2 million board feet per year on average

• Harvest does not convert the qualifying land to a use incompatible with forestry

• Has completed a harvest and left a buffer of trees next to a stream, river, wetland, lake, pond or adjacent unstable slopes (may still be eligible if harvest is not possible due to Forest Practices rules)

• Individual, partnership, corporation or other nongovernmental for-profit legal entity

• Owns a parcel larger than 20 contiguous acres or more than 80 forested acres in Washington

40-year conservation easement on qualifying timber only; compensation for 90% of timber value; no public access. Funding follows biennial state allotments.

Published amounts: The program provides compensation for 90% of the timber value and applies to trees adjacent to streams, wetlands, seeps, or unstable slopes. May also reimburse compliance costs such as marking streamside buffer trees.

Apply online or by mail-in application. A conservation easement forester schedules a field visit and the application is added to the funding list; status is posted on the monthly FREP Application List.

Deadline text on the page: No deadline; applications are added to the FREP application funding list. Our funding is based on biennial state allotments to this program.