King County proposes $100M for 57 land projects covering 1,500 acres. (Photo: King County DNRP Field Notes)
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay has proposed allocating $100 million in conservation funding for 57 projects aimed at expanding urban greenspace, restoring salmon habitat and protecting farmland, forestland and natural areas across the region. Announced on September 10, the proposal would use existing revenue sources to protect approximately 1,500 acres throughout King County, if approved by the King County Council. Zahilay’s proposal is based on recommendations from the 16-member Conservation Futures Advisory Committee, a volunteer board that reviews applications for open-space preservation funding. Of the proposed $100 million, $86.7 million would come from King County’s Conservation Futures Program, while another $13.8 million would come from the King County Parks Levy. King County voters approved restoring the Conservation Futures tax to its original rate in 2022, while voters renewed the six-year King County Parks Levy in 2025. Both measures passed with more than 70% of the vote. The 57 projects would contribute to the King County Land Conservation Initiative, a regional effort focused on protecting 65,000 acres of open space, including urban greenspace, farmland, forestland, river corridors, trail corridors and natural areas. Zahilay announced the proposal at Cheryl Chow Park in Seattle’s Rainier Valley, where Seattle Parks and Recreation received $2.8 million in Conservation Futures funding to acquire the property. An additional $500,000 from the King County Parks Levy helped cover construction and ADA-accessible playground improvements.
The conservation package includes projects ranging from permanently protecting a popular park in SeaTac and preserving a P-Patch and orchard beside affordable housing in Bellevue to transforming a gravel parking lot along the Duwamish River into salmon habitat, according to the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP Field Notes). “One of the most powerful tools we have as a local government to promote healthy, connected, resilient communities throughout King County is land conservation,” Zahilay said. “By protecting these places today, we are building a King County where every generation has access to clean air and water, opportunities for recreation, and pristine natural spaces,” he added.
The proposal would also protect farmland that supports the region’s local food economy and expand opportunities for trails, recreation and access to natural areas. Its members represent all nine King County Council districts, including urban and rural communities.
A 2023 feasibility study found that daylighting the creek could provide a long-term solution for aging infrastructure while restoring Tier 1 salmon habitat, the county’s highest priority for protection and restoration. The project would provide recreational space while treating runoff from approximately 234 acres before it reaches the Duwamish River. Zahilay’s proposal also includes $2.1 million for site stabilization, including demolition and fencing, to ensure newly protected open spaces are safe while improvements begin. The proposal now requires approval from the King County Council before the $100 million conservation package can move forward.
Proposed improvements would also include public amenities such as a trail and interpretive signage. The location is important for salmon transitioning between freshwater and saltwater on their journey toward the Pacific Ocean. King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks would use conservation funding to acquire agricultural conservation easements protecting eight farms on the Enumclaw Plateau and in the Green River Valley. The effort supports King County’s Local Food Initiative by preserving farmland that contributes to the region’s agricultural economy. The project would also transfer development rights from farmland to urban areas, potentially increasing housing availability while keeping agricultural land protected. Another project would restore Molasses Creek in the Fairwood neighborhood east of Renton. Instead of replacing a deteriorating stormwater pipe beneath a park, King County’s Water and Land Resources Division would acquire property to allow the creek to be daylighted, creating a more natural passage for salmon returning to their spawning grounds. The proposal also includes funding to permanently protect the Lake Youngs Trailhead near Petrovitsky Park, supporting a potential future trail connection. In Skyway, the county plans to acquire property from willing sellers to create a regional stormwater park. In Duvall, Conservation Futures funding would help expand Big Rock Sports Park, adding protected land between active recreation areas and restored habitat. Plans could include soft-surface trails or a boardwalk along wetlands. All land acquisitions funded through Conservation Futures and the King County Parks Levy would be voluntary and require agreements between buyers and sellers. Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
The project would build on an earlier award that helped acquire the property. Nearby, the Chinook Wind restoration project previously converted a paved lot and a deteriorated hotel site into habitat for endangered Chinook salmon, an important food source for southern resident orcas.
Bellevue project would preserve P-Patch next to affordable housing
The planned housing development would include 25 units for families with children, while the conservation project would protect the adjacent community garden and orchard. The City of SeaTac is slated to receive match-waiver funding to permanently protect part of North SeaTac Park, which is among 220 acres of land leased from the Port of Seattle since 1991. The park currently attracts an estimated 650,000 visitors each year.
One proposed project would see the City of Bellevue and Habitat for Humanity preserve a P-Patch and orchard next to an affordable housing development in the Factoria neighborhood. The city wants to ensure the property remains a public park despite its designation as “aviation commercial. Another major project would transform a large gravel parking lot in Tukwila along the Duwamish River into habitat for salmon.