Jefferson Land Trust
Protected Properties

« Click image for popup view »

Photos taken by Guy Scharf

For three years, Sunfield Education Association, Jefferson Land Trust, Jefferson County Conservation District, and many community supporters worked to save an 81-acre historic dairy farm from residential development.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) awarded Jefferson Land Trust a $165,000 grant for Sunfield Farm under the federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program in 2004. The Jefferson County Conservation Futures Fund provided $129,000 in local matching funds required to obtain the federal grant.

The conservation easement acquired by Jefferson Land Trust permanently protects 43 acres of agricultural fields, 7 acres of wetlands, and 26 acres of forest and wildlife habitat. Five acres of the property are designated outside of the conservation easement to permit construction of an educational center.

Owners' Intent

Protect the prime soils, forest and wetlands of sundfield Farm for Agricultural uses, wildlife habitat, groundwater recharge and open space.

Plants and Wildlife

The forested area is dominated by western red dedar and big leaf maple with scattered fire and hemlock. The understory includes sword fern, salmon berry and salal. The wetland vegetation consists of scrub shrub and emergent species including willow, nootka rose, spirea, softrush, reed canary grass and buttercup.

Priority Species

Deer, coyote, raccoon, and rabbit have been observed, and black bear scat has been identified in the forest. A branch of the Sequim Elk herd has been reported in the area. Tree frogshave been seen in the forest and wetlands. Bald Eagle, red tailed hawk and great blue heron were observed above the open fields.