Island County Secures Marsh and Wetlands, Expands Public Access and Habitat

Island County commissioners voted on November 14 to allocate Conservation Futures Program funds for two conservation acquisitions that together secure just under seven acres of sensitive shoreline and wetland on Whidbey Island. The measures, approved after public comment and commissioner discussion, will use county conservation funds to complete purchases in Oak Harbor and Freeland.

The larger of the two purchases is the Freund Marsh acquisition in Oak Harbor, funded at $582,490 to buy three parcels totaling just under four acres. One of those parcels is a beachfront lot adjacent to the estuarine marsh. The city of Oak Harbor pledged $25,000 in matching funds toward the purchase. County staff noted the acquisition will protect estuarine marshland, increase green space, and provide public access to a stretch of beachfront. Oak Harbor officials discussed potential shoreline studies and how stewardship responsibilities will be handled after closing.

In Freeland the county approved $295,512 to acquire nearly three acres split across two parcels near Newman, Double Bluff and Scott roads. Those parcels have been maintained by Whidbey Watershed Stewards and currently provide trail and wetland access for the community. Previously zoned business general and located within the Freeland MUGA designation, the properties were identified as being at risk of development. The acquisition is intended to secure long term protection, preserve public access and safeguard habitat values important to amphibians and migratory birds. County staff also emphasized the parcels provide buffering for stormwater and contribute to aquifer recharge in the Freeland area.

Commissioners used the public hearing to raise practical questions about ongoing maintenance and the trade offs between conserving open space and preserving land for housing. Those governance and stewardship topics will need to be resolved as the county moves from purchase to management. The board ultimately voted to fund both projects, committing Conservation Futures resources to protect these local natural assets.

For Island County residents the acquisitions mean expanded public access to shoreline and wetland trails, strengthened protections for local wildlife and improved natural buffering against stormwater. They also set up future conversations about who will lead stewardship and how conservation decisions fit alongside housing and development pressures on Whidbey Island. Next steps include completing the property transfers, potential shoreline study work in Oak Harbor, and ongoing coordination with local stewardship groups to establish long term management plans.