Whidbey Camano Land Trust Contact:
Patricia Powell, Executive Director (360) 222-3310

Island County, WA -

“The health of salmon populations is an indication of the health of our environment,” said Governor Christine Gregoire in announcing the SRFB grant awards. “Protecting and restoring our land and water is key to the quality of life in Washington and essential to the strength of our economy.”

One of the Land Trust projects is located on the southern end of Camano Island, identified as one of the region’s most intact shorelines with existing high-quality fish and wildlife habitat. The project area’s location near the estuaries of the Stillaguamish and Snohomish Rivers make this stretch of shoreline particularly important for migrating juvenile salmon. The Land Trust project will assess the shoreline and identify the most important areas to protect. It will also measure the willingness of property owners to participate in future permanent protection efforts, including conservation easements and fee acquisitions.

The two other projects are located on the northeast side of Whidbey Island adjacent to Skagit Bay. The SRFB grants will assist the Land Trust in acquiring approximately 65 acres of uplands and 40 acres of tidelands. These lands have been identified as being among the highest priorities for protection and future enhancement of salmon habitat. Both projects are adjacent to important spawning areas for forage fish, including herring and surf smelt that are important food sources for salmon. Both projects also are within an ebb tide (day’s migration) of the Skagit River Delta, which makes them extremely important for migrating juvenile salmon.

To qualify for the SRFB grant funds, the Land Trust is required to provide a 15 per cent match. These funds will be raised from private donors or other sources. Through such opportunities for community involvement, the Land Trust continues to pursue its mission to “protect our islands’ natural habitats and rural lands in partnership with landowners and the broader community.”

The Salmon Recovery Funding Board, founded in 1999, is a state agency focused on working with local organizations to bring salmon back from the brink of extinction. Its panel of scientific experts reviews proposed projects and awards funding to those determined to be most effective at restoring watershed and salmon habitat. Since 2000, the SRFB has awarded $233 million, matched by about $100 million from local groups, and has developed a collaborative approach that links local conservation priorities with scientific review, a model that has gained national attention for Washington State.