Whidbey-Camano Land Trust

THE WHIDBEY CAMANO LAND TRUST PROTECTS THE ISLANDS' MOST IMPORTANT NATURAL HABITATS, SCENIC VISTAS, AND WORKING FARMS AND FORESTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LANDOWNERS AND OUR ISLAND COMMUNITIES.

LAND PROTECTION:OUR EFFORTS TO PROTECT LAND IN 2021 RESULTED IN SEVEN COMPLETED PROJECTS TOTALING 272 ACRES THAT CONSERVED FOREST, FARMLAND, WETLANDS AND TIDELANDS. WE COMPLETED THREE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND FOUR FEE LAND ACQUISITIONS. CONSERVED LANDS INCLUDED TWO "FOREVER WILD" PROPERTIES AND A GENEROUSLY DONATED 110 ACRES OF FORESTED LAND THAT MORE THAN DOUBLED THE SIZE OF THE STRAWBERRY POINT PRESERVE. OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS INCLUDE TWO DONATED CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THAT PERMANENTLY PROTECT LAND IN THE PENN COVE AND SWAN LAKE AREAS OF WHIDBEY ISLAND. WE ALSO SUBMITTED GRANTS AND ACTIVELY WORKED ON PROTECTING ANOTHER 12 PROPERTIES, MANY TO CLOSE IN 2022.

STEWARDSHIP:NATIVE PLANTINGS WERE MAINTAINED AND ADDITIONAL PLANTINGS OCCURRED AT WETLAND, FOREST AND PRAIRIE SITES ACROSS THE ISLAND. NEW TRAIL AND PARKING AREA CREATED NORTH OF OAK HARBOR AT OUR STRAWBERRY POINT PRESERVE TO CREATE NEW NATURE TRAILS FOR THE PUBLIC. WE COMPLETED ADDITIONAL TRAIL CONSTRUCTION ON THE WALKING EBEY'S TRAIL PROJECT. MAJOR NOXIOUS WEED REMOVAL OCCURRED ON ALL LAND TRUST FEE PROPERTIES AND SEVERAL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. WE REMOVED GARBAGE, MAINTAINED AND INSTALLED PUBLIC TRAILS, SIGNS AND FENCES, AND INSPECTED ALL LAND TRUST FEE-HELD PROPERTIES. ANNUAL MONITORING WAS COMPLETED ON ALL 74 CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROPERTIES. 172 VOLUNTEERS COMPLETED 5,149 VOLUNTEER HOURS THROUGH WORK PARTIES AND INDEPENDENT PROJECTS.

COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH:WE PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED FOUR PRINTED NEWSLETTERS AND A SPECIAL CLIMATE CHANGE EDITION. MEMBERS RECEIVED ELEVEN E-NEWS WITH CONSERVATION UPDATES AND 31 OTHER E-MAIL COMMUNICATIONS. WE PUT ON 4 VIRTUAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE LAND, INCLUDING OUR SEA, TREES, AND PIE BIKE RIDE, BINGO, AND EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS. WE TABLED AT ONE PUBLIC EVENT AND PUBLISHED A 2022 CALENDAR SOLD AT 16 LOCAL RETAIL LOCATIONS.

ACCREDITATION: EVERY FOUR YEARS, SINCE BECOMING ACCREDITED IN 2012, WE RE-APPLY FOR ACCREDITATION WITH THE LAND TRUST ACCREDITATION COMMISSION, AN INDEPENDENT PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL LAND TRUST ALLIANCE. AS PART OF THE RENEWAL, WE ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT UPDATED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AS WELL AS DETAILED DOCUMENTATION ON SELECT PROJECTS. THESE SUBMISSIONS ARE USED TO ILLUSTRATE OUR COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARDS AND PRACTICES ESTABLISHED BY THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE, SHOW THAT WE ADHERE TO OUR OWN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND EMPHASIZE OUR COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING IMPORTANT NATURAL PLACES AND WORKING LANDS FOREVER.