Voluntary Stewardship Program
The Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) is an alternative to traditional top-down regulations for the protection of critical areas on agricultural lands. Enabled under the State Growth Management Act, the VSP uses a collaborative, stakeholder-driven process to identify, coordinate, and build on existing programs and practices that address agricultural effects on critical areas. These practices are then implemented by individual farmers through voluntary, site-specific stewardship plans.
How do you know if you are eligible?
VSP applies to agricultural activities where they intersect with critical areas. Agricultural activities include commercial as well as non-commercial operations regardless of scale, and are inclusive of all types of agriculture and aquaculture. The five critical areas defined under the Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A.030) include fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, wetlands, geologically hazardous areas, critical aquifer recharge areas, and frequently flooded areas.
For more information check out the Washington State Conservation Commission VSP Page at http://scc.wa.gov/vsp
VSP Workgroup
The Grays Harbor County VSP is stewarded by a volunteer work group made up of local agriculuralists from a diversity of activities including shellfish, cranberry, livestock, vegetable, and hay production.
The workgroup typically meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 4:30p. These meetings are open to the public and available in a hybrid capacity; interested attendants can join us in our office at the Satsop Business Park (81 Tower Blvd.) or virtually via Google Meet. For more information contact our VSP Manger Lorenzo Churape: lchurape@graysharborcd.org
