Programs: Land conservation:slt acquires land and conservation easements to protect natural areas. Slt also helps other groups protect land. During the year, slt expanded three fish and wildlife sanctuaries through land purchases and conservation easement additions, conserved a large ranch for salmon habitat and agricultural activities, secured land and easements for two future municipal and county trails and updated its strategic approach to conservation of important private lands in skagit county, including for climate change adaptation needs and marine areas.
stewardship:slt stewarded 25 conservation areas and 12 conservation areas for a conservation partner with the help of volunteers. Slt monitored 33 private and public conservation easements. Slt reconnected a 3/4 mile of salmon habitat stream with partners and restored habitat and improved trails on 11 conservation areas with the assistance of 300 volunteers.
education and outreach:slt holds education and outreach programs to cultivate a community appreciation of conservation and to get people in touch with the land. During the year, slt ran a year-long stewardship youth program with a local high school class and ran several shorter youth stewardship events, oversaw a citizen science program that monitored birds and wildlife connected with slt lands including at two large heronries and ran regular educational tours of its conservation areas.
Skagit Land Trust is an accredited land trust. Accreditation means Skagit Land Trust meets national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. Skagit Land Trust has demonstrated to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission its commitment to excellence. Accredited land trusts meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. These land trusts demonstrate their commitment to excellence by adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices, the ethical and technical guidelines for the responsible operation of a land trust, and meeting the accreditation requirements drawn from them. Learn More: http://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/about.
