The San Juan County Land Bank is inviting public comment on its Draft Habitat Conservation Plan: 2008-2014. The plan identifies core conservation areas important for maintaining rare terrestrial species and ecological communities in the San Juans. The Land Bank intends to use the plan to help focus its efforts to conserve these ecological resources. Preservation of areas with ecological value is just one element of the Land Bank’s mission and this is the only element discussed in the Draft Plan.

The Draft Plan is available for download on the Land Bank’s website (www.co.san-juan.wa.us/land_bank) or by calling the office at 378-4402. In addition, copies of the plan will be available at the county’s libraries by early next week.

Two public meetings have been held to present the plan and hear resident’s comments. The first meeting was Monday, May 5 at the Grange on San Juan Island. The second meeting was at the Orcas Hotel on Tuesday May 6. The County Council will also consider the Draft Plan at a public hearing at 11:30 a.m.on May 20 in the Legislative Building hearing room in Friday Harbor.

The Land Bank was established by voter referendum in 1990 and reauthorized with 73 percent approval in 1999. The Land uses revenue from a one percent excise tax on real estate sales to conserve lands for the public in the County. The Land Bank’s mandate is: To preserve in perpetuity areas in the county that have environmental, agricultural, aesthetic, cultural, scientific, historic, scenic or low-intensity recreational value and to protect existing sources of drinking water.