Tools to Address Underperforming Land Assets
   

Morningstar NRCA
 
Morningstar Natural Resources Conservation Area
 
Under this focus area, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will work toward positioning state trust lands to increase revenue while safeguarding the natural resources that make Washington a great place to live. Positioning can be achieved through transfer, exchange, purchase, or sale of state trust lands. 
 
As part of this effort, DNR may revitalize and improve existing land portfolio management tools to make them more effective, and develop new tools as necessary. In addition, DNR may examine current regulations on transacting state trust lands, such as statutes, the state constitution, or the Enabling Act, to identify adjustments needed need to make land transactions more efficient. DNR also may examine new ways to cover expenses for services that do not benefit the trusts directly.
 

Project: Revitalizing Trust Land Transfer

 
Initiated in 1989 and revised in 2021, Trust Land Transfer is an innovative portfolio management tool for the Washington State Legislature, through the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), to address several trust land management needs:
  • Transfer out of economically under-performing state trust lands and acquire funds to purchase replacement lands with higher long-term income producing potential; and
  • Conserve lands that have high ecological or social values.
As part of the 2021-23 Capital Budget (SHB 1080 Sec. 3333), the Washington State Legislature directed DNR to convene a work group of state trust land beneficiaries and stakeholders to develop recommendations for the way Trust Land Transfer proposals are developed and implemented. This work is being completed in two phases by two different work groups.
  • DNR convened the Phase 1 work group in July 2021. Over nine meetings, this work group collaborated on building a framework for revitalizing the Trust Land Transfer tool. The framework and topics needing further discussion were summarized in a December 2021 report to the Legislature.
  • DNR convened the Phase 2 work group in January 2022. The goal of this phase was to complete all revitalization work on the Trust Land Transfer tool. The work group addressed the topics listed in the 2021 legislative report. They also participated in a pilot project, in which they prioritized a limited number of parcels for transfer using the prioritization criteria they established as part of this phase. 
Explore the following links to learn more:

Project Documents

 

Trust Land Transfer Phase 2 Work Group Meetings

 
Work group meetings are open to the public and currently are being held remotely through Zoom.

Meeting 1: January 28, 2022, 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Meeting 2: February 11, 2022, 8 - 10 a.m.

Meeting 2.1: February 24, 8 - 10 a.m.

Meeting 3.0: March 9, 2 - 4 p.m.

Meeting 3.1: March 23, 1 - 3 p.m.

Meeting 4.0: April 13, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Meeting 4.1: April 29, 1 - 3 p.m.

Meeting 5.0: May 11, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Meeting 5.1: May 27, 1 - 3 p.m.

Meeting 6.0: June 8, 3 - 5 p.m.

Meeting 6.1: June 22, 3 - 5 p.m.

Meeting 6.2: July 14, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Meeting 7.0, Pilot Launch: July 20, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Meeting 7.1, Pilot Wrap-up: August 11, 8-11 a.m.

Meeting 8.0, Revitalization Update: November 15, 1-2:30 p.m.

 

Taxing District Focus Group

 
This focus group will examine options to reduce, minimize, or mitigate the potential financial impacts to county tax districts of transferring State Forestlands through the Trust Land Transfer tool. Focus group meetings are open to the public and are being held remotely through Zoom.
 

Meeting 1 (Kickoff), September 1, 2022, 9-11 a.m.

Meeting 2, September 16, 2022, 9-11 a.m.

Meeting 3, October 6, 2022, 3-5 p.m.

Meeting 4, October 13, 2022, 9-11 a.m.

Refining Solutions Subcommittee Meeting 1, November 9, 2022, 9-10:30 a.m.

Refining Solutions Subcommittee Meeting 2, February 16, 2023, 9-10:30 a.m.

Meeting 5, April 5, 2023, 11:00 a.m. to noon

 

Trust Land Transfer Phase 1 Work Group Meetings

 
Phase 1 was completed in December 2021. All work group meetings were open to the public and held remotely through Zoom. 

Meeting 1, July 9, 2021, 8-11 a.m.

 

Meeting 2, July 28, 2021, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

 

Meeting 3, August 6, 2021,12-4 p.m.

 
Work Group Member Presentations:

Meeting 4, August 16, 2021, 9-1 p.m.

 

Meeting 5, September 2, 2021, 12-4 p.m.

 

Meeting 6, September 14, 2021, 12-4 p.m.

 

Meeting 6.5, September 24, 2021, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

 

Meeting 6.75, September 30, 2021, 8:30-10:30 a.m.

 

Meeting 7, October 29, 2021, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

 

Public Meetings

July 7, 2022, 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Submit comments by 5pm, July 14, 2022

August 11, 2021, 9:30-11 a.m. 

 

November 10, 2021, 3-4 p.m.

The purpose of this meeting was to provide an update on the efforts of the TLT work group.  A preliminary draft of the legislative report for this project can be found at this link. The final file is located under Project Documents at the top of this page.