The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners invites applications for projects to enhance the county’s open spaces.

The Conservation Futures Program and Fund help protect important wildlife habitat, agricultural and timberlands, visual buffers, scenic areas, and open space lands linked to parks, cultural and historic sites – all for the health, benefit, and welfare of citizens.

Projects must provide permanent protection of open space lands through the acquisition of real property or development rights or involve operations and maintenance costs for properties acquired with the Conservation Futures Fund.

Projects will be scored, ranked, and considered for recommendation to the County Commissioners by the Conservation Futures Citizen Oversight Committee.

In the 2020 funding cycle, approximately $235,000 is available to projects. Of this amount, up to $41,000 may be used to reimburse operations and maintenance expenses.

A matching amount of at least 50 percent of the total project cost is required.

To request a program manual and application, and for more information, contact tpokorny@co.jefferson.wa.us or call 360-379-4498.

The application deadline is Friday, March 27, at 4:30 p.m. to the Jefferson County Environmental Health Dept., 615 Sheridan St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 or email to tpokorny@co.jefferson.wa.us.

Workshops to explain the details of the Conservation Futures Program to agencies, groups and interested citizens are available by request throughout the year. Visit the Conservation Futures Program web pages at www.co.jefferson.wa.us/commissioners/Conservation/conservation.asp.