Files
Policy Advisory
Meetings - 10 Year Report Schedule - 2026
This publication is an overview of the 10-year VSP report schedule, including the Statewide Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting dates and the Washington State Conservation Commission (SCC) Executive Director’s decision schedule.
DIP Statement
Created August 2023. The county may choose to offer a District Implemented Projects (DIP) program to achieve the goals and objectives of the VSP county-wide work plan. Since DIPs can only be used only by conservation districts (CDs), a county must have an interlocal agreement or sub-contract with their CD for VSP implementation to offer DIPs. CDs can use DIPs either with operating funds or with capital funds.
Opt-In Process
Counties wishing to participate in the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) through the changes made to the VSP statute by SSB 5353 will abide by the process set out below. To participate in VSP, the county legislative authority must adopt an ordinance or resolution.1 But before that resolution can be adopted, the county must confer with tribes, and environmental and agricultural interests; and provide notice following the public participation and notice provisions of RCW 36.70A.035 to property owners and other affected and interested individuals, tribes, government agencies, businesses, school districts, and organizations.
SAC and TP - Policy Statement - 03-17 - Technical Review
The Conservation Commission is empowered to establish policies and procedures for implementing the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP).1 The following work plan (WP) policies and procedures shall apply when work groups submit their work plans for consideration to the VSP Technical Panel (TP) and Statewide Advisory Committee under RCW Chapter 36.70A. The purpose of this document is to establish the decision-making framework that the VSP Technical Panel and Statewide Advisory Committee shall use in processing VSP work plans.
SAC - Policy Advisory - 02-17 - Timeline for Remaining Work Plans
The Conservation Commission (Commission) is empowered to establish policies and procedures for implementing the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP).1 The Commission, after consultation with the VSP Statewide Advisory Committee, provides this advisory to the VSP county work groups to advise them on the schedule of the remaining VSP work plans to be reviewed by the VSP Technical Panel.
SAC- Policy Advisory - 01-17 - Confidentiality of Individual Stewardship Plans
The Conservation Commission (Commission) is empowered to establish policies and procedures for implementing the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP).1 The Commission, after consultation with the VSP Statewide Advisory Committee, provides this advisory to the VSP county work groups on the confidentiality of VSP individual stewardship plans and landowner checklists.
SAC - Policy Advisory - 06-21 - VSP and New Ag Activities
The purpose of this advisory is to clarify the application of the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) to “new” agricultural activities.
SAC - Policy Advisory - 04-19 -CAOs and Counties
The purpose of this advisory is to provide guidance for counties who have opted into the VSP (VSP counties) on how VSP relates to updates to their Critical Area Ordinance (CAO).
SAC - Policy Advisory - 03-18 - Roles and Responsibilities
The Conservation Commission (Commission) is empowered to establish policies and procedures for implementing the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP).1 The Commission, after consultation with the VSP Statewide Advisory Committee (SAC), provides this advisory to the VSP county work groups to advise them on the roles and reporting obligations during VSP implementation.
SAC - Policy Advisory - 07-22 - Adaptive Management
The purpose of this advisory is to present an operational definition of adaptive management in the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP), identify the conditions in which adaptive management should be considered, and describe the process of using adaptive management in VSP.
