Futurewise Saves Local Farms and Lynx Habitat in Ferry County

Real Results
Since 1997, Futurewise has worked to save thousands of acres of local farms and lynx habitat in Ferry County from the threat of development.

At stake is about 750,00 acres of farmland,* of which approximately 160,000 acres is outside of tribal reservations and more is inside the reservations and is governed by the state Growth Management Act planning requirements.

Futurewise won favorable decisions before the Eastern Washington hearings board in two separate cases 1998 and 2002, and we've continued to hold Ferry County accountable through more than a dozen compliance hearings since then. Our efforts, and those of our local partners, demonstrate the importance of Washington's citizen accountability process to keep local governments on track for building great, healthy communities.

As a result, there is hope in Ferry County for the long-term viability of local farming and survival of lynx populations.

Our Process
Since 1997, Futurewise, with our local partners Concerned Friends of Ferry County, has worked with Ferry County officials to help them to adequately protect their farms and lynx habitat.  Initially we conducted public education as well as technical assistance to local planners and public officials to explain the importance of to protecting farmland -- preserving the character of the community, sustaining their local economy, and meeting requirements of state law.

Unfortunately, Ferry County officials failed to protect any local farm or lynx habitat as required under state law. Refusing to designate any of the county’s farmland violated both the letter and spirit of the law and had contributed to a loss of almost 100 square miles of farm and ranch land over the last ten years.

Futurewise and Concerned Friends of Ferry County moved to hold the County accountable to legal requirements for farmland and habitat protection in 1997 and 2002.

As a result of the citizen accountability process of the Growth Management Act, Futurewise has been able to win victories for hundreds of thousands of acres of local farms and lynx habitat in Ferry County. While Ferry County has yet to become fully compliant with state law, we're well on our way toward making the long-term viability of local farms and survival of lynx a reality.

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