Land Stewards

Barney Lake Brenda Cunningham and Tim Manns Mount Vernon		In 1998, Brenda and Tim became stewards of Barney Lake. Brenda is originally from Illinois and Tim from Massachusetts, but they are ingrained in the Skagit now. Both are active in various environmental programs. Tim worked as Head of Interpretation at North Cascades National Park before retiring in 2006, and Brenda was our stewardship director until 2007. Brenda now serves on the Trust's board.
Barr Creek Russ Dalton Rockport		When I asked Russ how he came to be a steward, he answered, “Michael Kirshenbaum promised me a hat and a t-shirt.” He has spearheaded the construction of the trail at Barr. Russ has extensive experience with the National Park Service. He grew up on the Peninsula, but has spent the last third of his life here.
Butler Creek Jim Owens Big Lake		Jim made his way west from Kentucky and Indiana. He is president of our Wood Duck Box Club, putting up wood duck boxes and servicing them each year. Retired from a 35-year job in the aerospace industry, Jim stewards his own property and is part of the local Tree Farmer’s group.
Cumberland Creek Jim Johnson Sedro-Woolley		Jim became a steward of Cumberland Creek in 2006, having stewarded at Day Creek Slough since 2004. A native of Marysville, WA, Jim went east to New York for graduate studies and then spent several years teaching in Oregon before coming home. After operating a small farm, he returned to teaching English for Sedro-Woolley in 1984.
Day Creek - Berquist Stan Zyskowski Sedro-Woolley		Since we recruited him in 2009, Stan has also joined our stewardship committee. Working in Fisheries with the North Cascades National Park brought Stan to the table of the Skagit Watershed Council, where he first worked with Skagit Land Trust after being a longtime member. Now he is a part time fish biologist with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group while working on large stream improvement projects and monitoring.
Day Creek Kosbab Skagit River Systems Cooperative LaConner		The Skagit River Systems Cooperative has served as our land steward for Kosbab since they implemented a restoration project on the property.
Day Creek Slough Hal Lee Mount Vernon		Hal became the Day Creek Slough land steward in 2008. He courageously took on a second property, Minkler Lake, this year. At both properties, Hal wears himself out waging war on blackberries, canary grass and knotweed. Hal works in electronics and hydraulics at Team Corporation, and used to work in Oceanography at the University of Washington.
Grandy Creek John Freeman Mount Vernon		John made his way back to the Pacific Northwest in 1994 after his youth in California. He joined fellow Fidalgo Fly Fishers members and stewards Robin LaRue and Dick Raisler before becoming a steward himself, in 2006. As a steward, he has fostered good communication with neighbors, cleaned up trash, and monitored the area carefully.
Green Road Marsh Heidi Nichols Mount Vernon		Coming soon!
Guemes Mountain Marianne Kooiman and Joost Bussinger Guemes Island		First involved with Skagit Land Trust through the Save the Guemes Mountain campaign, Marianne and Joost have continued caring for the trail and watching out for native plants as stewards. Joost is a professor emeritus in Atmospheric Sciences at UW, and Marianne has a background in ecology. Originally from the Netherlands, they have retired to Guemes.
Guemes Mountain Ed and Carolyn Gastellum Anacortes		Ed and Carolyn have lived in the Skagit for 20 years. Carolyn’s career as an elementary school teacher and Ed’s as a Park Manager for the National Park Service, and then as Assistant Superintendent of North Cascades National Park, has allowed them to root here. They took on one of our newest, biggest public access properties with Guemes. Carolyn joined SLT's board in 2011.
Hurn Field Steffany Raynes and Lin Skavdahl Marblemount		Steffany and Lin have lived upriver in Marblemount since 2005, but Lin is originally from the Central Valley of California where she lived near the Stanislaus River. Steffany grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. Both were educators in the Seattle area. Now Lin works as a Seasonal Park Ranger for North Cascades National Park and both enjoy the lovely Skagit.
Lyman Slough Dick Raisler LaConner		Hailing from Montana, Dick has lived here 42 years and been a steward for over 10 years. He is now retired, but made his living as a dentist. Past president of the Fidalgo Fly Fishers, and long-time steward for the Trust, Dick says he loves the Skagit River for its beauty and power.
March Point Heronry LaVerne and Jim Scheltens Anacortes		LaVerne became a steward of the heronry about five years ago. She and Jim enjoy the Great Blue Heron nest count in rain or even snow! Born and raised in Michigan, LaVerne has found a niche here in the Skagit Valley. She spent her career first as a Medical Technologist, then helping to administer a computer network.
Minkler Lake Hal Lee Mount Vernon		See his bio above under Day Creek Slough!
Mud Lake Lloyd Brown Mount Vernon		Growing up, and as a research mathematician for Shell Oil Lloyd has lived everywhere from California to London, Australia to Peru, but he chose to settle in the Skagit, where he and his wife have lived for the last 25 years. As a long-time member of SLT, he was one of the original purchasers of the Mud Lake property.
Pressentin Ranch Sally and Bill Pfeifer Concrete		Coming soon!
Samish Ochs Pete and Dorothy Haase Bow		Pete and Dorothy became Och’s stewards in 2011. Their involvement was only natural – they already seemed to be at every single environmental event in Skagit County. They retired from Boeing and are now happily able to spend their time on environmental stewardship in the Samish watershed, as well as their bunnies and cat.
Samish River - Koetje Bonnie Baker and Corey Stout LaConner		Corey and Bonnie recently moved to La Conner from New Mexico, so that Bonnie could work at Skagit Valley Hospital. Corey is a photographer and builds custom bikes - carrying on their passion from New Mexico, where they organized large biking events. They love the beauty of the Skagit and wanted to help protect it.
Sumner Lake Tamara Thomas and Tom Mayes Mount Vernon		As local (Lake Cavanaugh) kayakers, Tamara and Tom knew about the floating island and were curious about how to access the lake. After walking down and seeing the amazing ecosystem, they couldn’t help but get involved! They’re a great fit – Tamara is an environmental engineer, and Tom works in wastewater treatment.
Tope Ryan John Day Sedro-Woolley		John Day has been a land steward at Tope Ryan for three years, and a long-time volunteer for the Trust. He lives in a solar-paneled house in Sedro-Woolley with his wife Martha, our Conservation Director, and currently works as Weatherization Coordinator for the Housing Authority of Skagit County.