South Puget Sound Coastal Forest

About two-thirds of Washington’s population lives within the Puget Sound region. Evergreen forests, abundant wildlife, and rich coastlines offer something for everyone to enjoy while still remaining close to major metropolises like Tacoma or Seattle. But as the area continues to grow in popularity—in population and tourism—Puget Sound is under constant threat of pollution and development. Working with partners such as the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Green Diamond Resource Company, Trust for Public Land is helping protect the beloved Sound so more Washingtonians can benefit from this iconic landscape.

Since 2016, we have helped conserve over 20,400 acres within the South Puget Sound Coastal Forest as part of TPL’s overall Puget Sound Program. Its protection means that this land is kept available for public recreation, like hiking or mountain biking, and safeguards critical habitat for endangered species. As a sustainable working forest, its preservation also supports the local economy—one of the lowest per capita income counties in the state. Because of our conservation efforts, downstream shellfish and salmon tidelands are kept clean from pollution, which many local fishing companies and tribes, like the Squaxin Island Tribe and Skokomish Tribe, rely on. The South Puget Coastal Forest plays a key role within TPL’s conservation roadmap as a link within a 10-mile-long conservation corridor consisting of 44,000 acres that will benefit generations to come.