The North Olympic Land Trust seeks to raise $192,000 for land conservation through a community-led 1:1 match donation during harvest season.

Three local families have pledged $96,000 in matching support of conservation of habitats and working lands in Clallam County, said Lexi Wagor, the Land Trust’s community relations manager. These families will match dollar-for-dollar all donations.

That means every donation to North Olympic Land Trust — up to $96,000 — will be matched 1:1, raising a total of $192,000 through this harvest season.

Specific lands to be preserved have not been announced, but Wagor said it had just this year permanently protected two farms with farmland conservation easements — Dungeness Hub and Mid Valley Farm — and expects soon to permanently protect a third farm in Sequim.

“By 2024, our community will have protected 26 farms,” with three more farms in the works, Wagor said in a press release.

To date, the Land Trust also has permanently conserved 20 miles of waterway banks, 2,729 acres of forests and four conservation areas with public access, Wagor added, saying that two more conservation areas are expected to gain public access by the end of 2024.

Harvest Celebration

News about local farms and recognition of the 2023 Farmer of the Year — as yet unannounced — will be featured at the Land Trust’s Harvest Celebration from 1-4 p.m. Sept. 30.

The special dinner will be a buffet of locally sourced foods prepared by chef John Pabst of Pacific Pantry.

It will be at the historic Cline-Bigelow Barn at 712 Clark Road in Sequim.

Tickets are $100. To buy tickets, and for more information, see northolympiclandtrust.org.