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The USFS manages the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Snoqualmie National Forest, and <br />Alpine Lakes Wilderness (31 % of the County). Additionally, the Department of Defense manages 10% <br />of the county as the U.S . Army Yakima Training Center located in the southeast. Only approximately <br />half of this 327,000-acre military installation is in Kittitas County, with the other half in Yakima <br />County. State owned lands (28% of the County) are managed primarily by the WDFW and DNR and <br />include the Teanaway Community Forest, Naneum Ridge State Forest, Colockum Wildlife Area , and <br />LT Murray Wildlife Area. Privately-held land comprises only 28% of the land base in Kittitas <br />County, which includes a mixture of rural development, agriculture, and commercial forestry (Kittitas <br />County et al. 2013). <br />Rangelands are areas that are primarily kept in a natural or semi -natural state to facilitate grazing of <br />livestock. These areas are essential for production of livestock, but also provide value to many <br />wildlife species by preventing conversion to more intensive land uses . In Kittitas County, there are <br />two types of rangeland practices, forested rangeland and shrub-steppe rangeland . Forested <br />rangeland occurs mostly in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains and is characterized by livestock <br />that graze on vegetation beneath the forest canopy. Grazing in these areas often has the additional <br />benefit of reducing ladder fuels for forest fires. Shrub-steppe rangelands are located on the <br />Columbia Plateau and often overlap with shrub-steppe habitat. Stewardship practices on these <br />rangelands aim to support vegetation growth, maintain healthy soils, and reduce herbaceous fuel <br />loading for wildland fires. These actions help protect ecological functions and values and maintain <br />economic viability. <br />3.2 Demographics <br />In the last few years, Kittitas County has experienced tremendous growth with approximately 11,355 <br />new residents locating within the county from 2000 to 2016 (Headwaters Economics 2018). The most <br />recent estimate of the Kittitas County population, from 2017, was 46,205 (U.S . Census Bureau 2018). <br />Kittitas County has five incorporated communities: Ellensburg (est. pop. 20,326), Cle Elum (pop. 1,993), <br />Kittitas (est. pop. 1,491), Roslyn (est. pop . 947) and South Cle Elum (est. pop. 560) (U.S. Census Bureau <br />2018). The remaining population lives within the unincorporated areas of the county (WA OFM 2017). <br />While Kittitas County remains rural in comparison to its westerly neighbors, increased population and <br />secondary home growth is projected to be significant (Berk Consulting 2016). <br />Community Wildfire Protection Plan 10 September 2018