Skagit Land Trust

Description

Conservation

Skagit Land Trust acquires land for protection through purchase or gifts of land and by assisting landowners and other conservation groups and agencies to protect land. The conservation easement is a popular option as it allows the land to remain in private ownership while restricting certain future uses to protect the land’s wildlife and conservation values. Some of the Trust's most successful projects have protected habitat areas across private ownership boundaries, helping residents, ranchers, farmers, and businesses to join a wider protection network.

Stewardship
Each Trust-owned property has dedicated Land Steward volunteers committed to regular site visits, reports, and help with volunteer projects. Annual monitoring visits to easement properties provide an opportunity to review stewardship goals with landowners. Ongoing stewardship needs vary by site and can involve restoration projects such as native plantings and invasive species removal or providing public access via trails or wildlife viewing stations.

Education
Conservation lands offer outdoor learning experiences for children and adults. Educational tours and volunteer events are organized in partnership with various community groups. Interpretive signs designed by naturalists are located at publically accessible properties and share information on the area’s natural features such as the elk of Hurn Field, forage fish of Fidalgo Bay, and wildflowers of Guemes Mountain.