1. Stewardship Protocols for Encampments on Conservation Lands
Stu Watson – Lands Manager

2. Forterra Lands Portfolio
50 properties
95 CEs
16,000 acres
13 counties
5 properties with on-going encampment issues
Forterra is a sustainability organization that focuses on land conservation, which has traditionally been: farms, forests, and habitat acquisitions
Green Cities
Urban land banking – affordable housing – keeping people off the streets and in homes
My job is the most traditional land trust role focusing entirely on land management and CE monitoring
Which puts me at the forefront of addressing homeless encampments on our lands
As you can see I have a huge portfolio…

3. What Should We Do?
Encampments are an unavoidable feature of the landscape
How do we address this issue in a humane, sustainable, and effective manner?
Should untrained staff enter encampments?
Is training available?
What to do about volunteers?
How to handle hazardous waste?
It’s not humane or sustainable to remove campers w/o a plan or access to social services, only to have them return to the streets in a matter of hours
It’s also not humane to ignore encampments and leave them on our lands

4. The Costs of Encampments
Unsafe and inhumane for campers
Social costs
Public health & safety; dissuade public use/enjoyment of green spaces
Environmental costs
Water quality; vegetation damage; soil compaction; hazardous waste
Living outdoors is not ideal, especially in cold/wet winters in unsanitary conditions with physical/mental health issues & substance abuse
Especially the case in underserved communities with limited green space

5. The Costs of Encampments (cont.)
Staff time
100+ hours managing 1 encampment
Economic costs
Clean up & prevention extremely expensive
Money lost from other efforts at Forterra (ex. affordable housing projects)
Equivalent of 20 WCC restoration days
3% of lands portfolio is demanding 20% of resources (time & budget)
Annual work plan only allows 10 hrs. at that site
10x over my allotted time on-site = other areas suffer from neglect
Spent $25,000+ on clean up efforts; total annual budget for all lands $150,000
3% is being generous; by acres it’s % taking up 20% of resources
I can’t afford to spend $25k on clean up efforts, so I have to make decisions about what to ignore

6. BORROWED HEAVILY FROM CITY OF SEATTLE – THANK YOU!
Save detailed discussion of matrix for informal discussion time
Outlines some of the major categories that a lands manager should weigh when considering what to do.
the start to a framework/protocol for approaching/planning/managing camps.
Useful as a discussion tool with supervisors/decision makers.
WHEN to take action and when NOT to; WHICH action to take – and associated costs/risks
PITFALLS: Dehumanizes the situation & doesn’t provide a long-term solution; just a stop-gap measure

7. What Has Worked Communicating with campers Be KIND Be HONEST
Remember – you’re walking into their home
Look official – wear orange vest
Identify yourself
Ask them if they’re okay/safe
Notify them they’re on private property
Ask them if they want to be connected to services
Thank them for cleaning up after themselves
Provide garbage bags
Explain purpose of property & why camping is an incompatible use
Tell them the plan & timeline

8. What Has Worked (cont.) Work with local law enforcement
If they have specialized homelessness unit
Work with social services
Clean up abandoned camp debris
Prevent vehicle access
Social Services & Law Enforcement already overwhelmed so very slow response time
Debris attracts camps and illegal dumping
If possible clean up during DRY weather

10. What Not To Do Removing campers and encampments without a plan
Fencing ($30/linear foot)
Forterra is not comfortable with volunteer patrol or clean up

11. Prevention and Dissuasion
Increase monitoring visits (bi-weekly at minimum)
Volunteer patrol
Encourage responsible public use of property
Work with local businesses and community members
Security guards are cheaper than you think if you find the right one (MOST COST EFFECTIVE), when public use is not an option
2 hrs. after big cleanup new tents already on property

12. Stu Watson – Lands Manager, Forterra
Needs & Other Ideas
County hotline phone number
Training for enviro/restoration staff & volunteers
Provide trash receptacles and sharps containers?
Homeless folks as land stewards
Sanctioned tiny home villages
Both: provide housing and a job on conservation corps
Stu Watson – Lands Manager, Forterra