Mission and Purpose
The mission of Loon Lake Land Conservancy (LLLC) is to protect the environment of Loon Lake, its waters, shore lands and watershed so that future generations may enjoy the experiences of a beautiful lake.
The Loon Lake Land Conservancy (LLLC) strives to protect the remaining lakeside wetlands in Loon Lake, Washington. Through the Conservancy’s efforts, the lake’s water, shore lands and watershed will be preserved for future generations.
Incorporated in 2002 as a nonprofit corporation by the State of Washington, the LLLC’s stated purposes are to:
- Acquire real property and conservation easements, development rights, and other interests in the Loon Lake watershed to protect the lake’s waters and watershed;
- Oversee and manage the acquired real estate and other real estate interests to protect and conserve the lake’s environment; and
- Any project that would enable more of the lake’s watershed to be placed under LLLC protection is of interest to the organization.
Loon Lake Watershed
Loon Lake has a very small watershed of 7,000 acres to sustain a relatively large lake of 1,100 acres. It has no year-round inlet or outlet to sustain the lake. The lake depends heavily upon watershed wetlands to retain water which sustains the springs that maintain water level. Only four percent of the original wetland areas around Loon Lake remain, so the preservation and restoration of the remaining wetlands is critical to the future condition of the lake.
YOUR LOON LAKE LAND CONSERVANCY
20 Years of Success
- 2002 – Loon Lake Land Conservancy formed as a non-profit Land Trust to preserve and protect the few remaining wetlands and uplands of Loon Lake and its health…an All Volunteer Board directs its efforts
- 2003 – Walt & Betty Davis help to purchase the 200 foot waterfront wetland later named after them…and also the 15+ acre Old Just Farm to help preserve and filter hundreds of acres of uplands flowing into the south side of Loon near Lake Shore Homes and Larson Beach…35 Volunteers pledge support
- 2003 – Conservancy receives Water Quality Grant from the Department of Ecology to restore and enhance the Walt & Betty Davis wetland so it could better perform its ability to hold water, filter it, and return it clean to the lake…Volunteers do the reconstruction work
- 2004 – 40+ acre Morgan Wood given to the Conservancy by Gail Kreuzberger, Morgan family heir, to be preserved and maintained in its natural state for the community…30- 40 Volunteers show up to keep it healthy through the years
- 2005 – Pearson Meadow Land Bank Conservation Easement received to restore this 11 acre water filtering meadow prior to entering the lake through the Walt & Betty Davis wetland at the lake’s edge…Volunteer effort to add ponds, trees, grasses
- 2008 – Little Loon Lake Conservation Easement created by Board member donation to protect the drainage of the 11+ acre wetland near the Larson Beach bridge at Cedar Beau Bay and along the BNSF rail line…Volunteers require BNSF to clean up creosote railroad ties from the drainage
- 2009 – Loon Lake Centennial Park property donated to the Conservancy by the Qualls Family to remain public space commemorating the original town of Loon and some of its early families…4-6 Volunteers steward and maintain the park through clean-ups several times/year
- 2017 – Initial purchase of 386 feet of waterfront wetland and 22 acres behind it to be named the Bill & Jan Shawl Wetland preventing it from being developed into potentially hundreds of units of housing…30 plus Shore Acre Estates Volunteers help do clean-up and trails work.
- 2018 – Fire Reduction/Protection work completed in 40 acre Morgan Wood. Bark beetle and droughted trees removed.
- 2019 – Additional 100 feet of waterfront wetland and 20 acres of timbered upland behind it adjacent to the Shawl Wetland is added through purchase by the Conservancy…In Morgan Wood, Eagle Scout leads 25 Volunteers to add benches, trail clean-up and signage marking trails.
- 2020 – Another 250 feet of waterfront wetland and 40 acres of the meadow behind it as well as 20 acres of timbered upland behind it were purchased as the center piece of Anderson Meadow with the financial help of many donors and volunteers here tonight
- 2021 – Another 100 feet of waterfront was added to the Conservancy protected portions of Anderson Meadow. This property, previously known as the Murphy property, was purchased by friends of the Conservancy to preserve it from development.
- 2022 – 35 Volunteers plant 450 Tamaracks in Morgan Wood to replace the 100 plus dead and diseased trees removed in 2018
- 2023 – 18 Volunteers plant 200 Quaking Aspen and work to eradicate a huge Knapweed infestation left by the previous owner of this small Anderson Meadow parcel.
- 2023 – Ran and Jen Hansen donate a 30 acre Conservation Easement to the Loon Lake Land Conservancy.• 1,140 feet of waterfront protected • 213 acres(and counting) preserved…Protecting the lake… …you and I love so much!
********************************************
History and Origin
The LLLC was established after several years of fending off attempts by developers to build in the lake’s four remaining wetlands. Loon Lake Property Owners (LLPOA) campaigned for wetlands to be protected, but proponents for development were strong. Developers plans included building 59 homes in the 17 acres, now known as Old Just Farm, and four homes now known as Betty and Walter Davis Wetland which includes a community boat dock. This was the focus of the battle to save the lake environment.
In 2002, after four years in the courts, it was agreed that the developers would sell all of their property, both the 17 acres of upland and the shoreline lots to the LLPOA. It was determined, however, that the LLPOA was not set up to own or manage property.
The LLLC was established specifically for that purpose. By the time of the sale, 38 people around the lake had pledged financial support for the proposed LLLC. Betty and Walter Davis established a ten year no-interest loan for the remainder. Soon after the purchase of the property, the Conservancy applied for a Water Quality/David Hussman Grant from the Washington Department of Ecology to restore and enhance the wetland so that it could perform its function. The grant was approved. A major project was undertaken and completed in 2003 with the help of many Loon Lake residents. The result today is a wetland that functions as it should to protect the water quality of the lake.
Current Board
Mary Jo Lovell, President
Dick (Richard) Davies, Past President & Director
Tim Cronin, Vice President
Nancy Hilpert, Secretary/Treasurer
Eric Davis, Director
Jeanie Wagenman, Director
Jerry Kuntz, Director
Kathleen Tucker, Event Chair
Dr. Randall Hansen, Volunteer Coordinator
Jenny Parker Hansen, Director
Joe Palmquist, Communications
Past Presidents
Dick (Richard) Davies, 2012 – 2023
Bill Shawl, 2002 – 2012
Emeritus Board Members
Walter and Betty Davis
Jim Davies
Skip Johnson
Chuck Shilling
Bob French
Nancy French
Bill Shawl, 2002 – 2012 – Deceased
Jan Shawl
Louann Crass – Deceased
Paul Davis
Mary Davis
Eric Davis, Current Treasurer
Thomas Williams
Dick (Richard) Davies, Past President 2012 – 2023 & Current Director
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Land Trust?
Land trusts are voluntary, non-profit conservation organizations that protect land in straightforward and efficient ways. This is done either by acquisition of the land through gift or purchase or by acceptance of a conservation easement. Land trusts work closely with willing landowners to help them develop a voluntary plan for conserving their land. A land trust’s flexibility and innovative techniques can be tailored to the needs of private landowners with conservation interests. Land trusts also provide a non-political alternative to government agencies. Conserving open spaces through a land trust may also provide substantial tax benefits for the contributor.
What Is a Conservation Easement?
A conservation easement is a voluntary, legally binding agreement that allows a landowner to permanently limit certain types of uses and development on his property now and in the future, while protecting the property’s natural ecological condition.
Working with the Conservancy, the landowner identifies specific permitted uses of the property. These normally may include recreation, limited agriculture, or other open space uses. The easement prohibits certain other activities including industrial, commercial, and residential development.
The easement is signed by the landowner and the Conservancy and recorded on the deed by Stevens County.
From that point on, the land will be under the stewardship of the Conservancy whose representatives will monitor and enforce the easement to protect the land permanently.
The LLLC has its own criteria for accepting conservation easements, but easements can be flexible and easily tailored to meet a landowner’s needs. For example, an easement may cover portions of a property or an entire parcel.
A conservation easement is legally binding on all future owners, whether the property is sold or passed on to heirs. After executing a conservation easement, the landowner continues to own and manage the property within the limits of the easement and continues to bear all costs and liabilities related to ownership and maintenance of the property.
A conservation easement can involve project costs and long-term stewardship costs. How these costs are covered varies based on individual project circumstances.
Conservation easements protect land for future generations while allowing owners to continue living on and using their land. Conservation easements are one of the most popular conservation tools used by more than 1,500 land trusts in the United States.
What are the benefits of conservation easements?
- Protect water quality
- Preserve open space
- Buffer public lands
- Preserve wildlife habitat
- Maintain scenic landscapes
- Enhance quality of life
What the benefits to a conservation easement include.
- Land remains privately owned
- Landowner may live on land
- Agricultural uses can be maintained
- Land is protected from development
- Easements are tailored to each landowner
- Easements remain with property even if sold
- Potential tax benefits are available to landowner