Lake Whatcom is the primary source of drinking water for approximately 87,000 residents in Whatcom County, Washington. More than half of the lake’s watershed is state trust land, managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In 1983, a landslide, precipitated by a major rainstorm and exacerbated by decades-old logging practices, washed homes, cars and 65 acres of timber into the lake. More recently, urban development and timber harvesting in the watershed have contributed to deterioration of water quality.

In response to local residents’ concerns about the effect of proposed timber harvest activity on public safety and water quality, the Washington State Legislature passed a bill in 2000 placing a moratorium on logging on state trust lands in the watershed. The bill also directed the DNR to work collaboratively with a committee consisting of representatives from other state agencies, local government, tribes and the public to develop a Landscape Plan for the area.

The committee faced several challenges including mistrust between the committee and the DNR, transitions in agency leadership, and time delays. There was also a long dispute over the decision-making authority of the committee — the committee assumed that the DNR was a member of the group, while the DNR wished to retain its sole decision-making authority. Ultimately an attorney-general opinion stated that the committee was advisory to the DNR, but the disagreement
delayed the process and contributed to mistrust between the committee and the DNR.

Several factors kept the process going, including legal and financial incentives to proceed, local commitment, professional facilitation and a clear shared purpose to protect the area’s water quality and public safety by all members. Mary Dumas, one of the professional facilitators, observed, “A clear sense of purpose helps make collaboration successful … People have to see value in what they are doing … This group had a lot of drive to keep going.”

In 2004, the Washington State Board of Natural Resources approved the Landscape Plan and the DNR began implementation. However, in January 2005 neighboring Skagit County and the Mount Baker School District filed a lawsuit challenging the Landscape Plan, alleging that it resulted in benefits for the local community at the expense of trust beneficiaries.