Where We Work - Helping Landowners

Johnson South Sound Preserve
(Private land)

Located near the southern tip of Pierce County’s Key Peninsula, Don and Dorothy Johnson’s Property included 1,480 feet of spectacular unspoiled Puget Sound shoreline, a saltwater lagoon, and an adjacent upland forest. The vista provided from the beach across Case Inlet toward Hartstene Island and the south portion of the Olympic Mountains gave them the chance to view the best the Northwest has to offer in a single glance. The mosaic of shoreline, lagoon, and forest provide habitat for a diversity of waterfowl, shorebirds, and other upland creatures.

After living on the land for 35 years, the Johnsons felt they could no longer care for their large and diverse landscape, but were anxious to see the stunning vistas and important wildlife habitat be preserved. At the same time, the Johnsons needed to provide for their financial needs during their upcoming retirement.

Working with volunteers from the Hood Canal Land Trust, now a chapter of the Great Peninsula Conservancy, and a conservation-minded developer, the Johnsons were able to develop a customized solution that worked for them. In order to protect the vulnerable shoreline, they donated a portion of their land directly to the Conservancy, which the Conservancy now manages as the Johnson South Sound Preserve. In addition, the Johnsons also placed a conservation easement that allows for limited subdivision and residential development on the adjacent acreage. By selling the parcels subject to the conservation easement, the Johnsons were able to provide for their retirement, while assuring their land’s preservation.