This comparison is intended to illustrate how a rural stewardship plan can be beneficial to a landowner and their objectives. To get a better idea of how a plan would work on your property, you can attend a workshop or get help from county staff.

The landowner wants to add a second story to their home. They also want to add a deck next to the house and a gazebo in the backyard. With a Rural Stewardship Plan, the buffer in this example could be reduced from 165 feet to 125 feet (the reduction is less than example 2 since the lot is more than 30% cleared). The gazebo could be placed within the new buffer in an area that is currently cleared, in exchange for reforesting another cleared area. By siting the deck on the east corner of the house, it intrudes on the buffer as little as possible.

The habitat protections the landowner would select might include replacing some of the lawn with native plants to offset the impacts to the buffer, and restoring the buffer along the stream with native plants.

For questions about these programs, please contact Pesha Klein, Environmental Scientist III, DPER Critical Areas Review.

Related information:

• Rural services
• Stormwater services and information
• Forestry services
• Agriculture in King County, Washington

Related agencies

• Department of Natural Resources and Parks
• Water and Land Resources Division