Editor's note: The attached video originally aired August 16, 2017 when Forterra learned the Lake Serene trail was in jeopardy.
Land conservancy group Forterra has purchased 190 acres from Weyerhaeuser to permanently preserve the area around Lake Serene in Snohomish County, the organization announced Friday.
Over 45,000 hikers visit the Lake Serene trail off Highway 2 each year.
Land near the trailhead is federally owned, but Weyerhaeuser owned part of the trail about a quarter mile up. The 190-acre purchase covers the last section of the Lake Serene trail that was under private ownership.
Forterra closed on the property at the end of September for nearly $617,000, according to Forterra Vice President of Communications Michael Beneke.
Part of the deal allowed Weyerhaeuser to log 57 acres of property located away from the trail in order to get a lower purchase price and maximize the value of conservation dollars, according to Forterra.
Now that the deal has closed, Forterra plans to plant additional trees to diversify tree species.
The conservancy group launched a fundraising campaign in August 2017 to save lands from being logged. About 600 people contributed to the campaign, including nonprofits, outdoor groups, and retail companies.
“It was a true all-hands community effort,” Forterra President and CEO Michelle Connor said in a statement.
