During 2023-2024, Skagit Land Trust continued to conserve and care for the lands and waters that wildlife depend on. We also worked to ensure that there are places and ways for people to connect with nature. Below are a few highlights from another rewarding year of activities at the Trust.
Conserving the Land
In the Nookachamps Watershed, the Trust held 63 acres of land to expand Big Rock County Nature Park and worked with neighbors on an additional 20 acres of protected land. The Trust also transferred 74 acres with nearly a mile of marine shoreline to Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for a joint tidal marsh restoration project.
The Trust received two significant land donations this past year: a bequest of 25.5-acres of farmland on Fir Island (bottom left) and the 21-acre Walker-Martin Life Estate (bottom right).
We also completed the Farrow Conservation Easement (below left and right) and began work on 16 land purchases and conservation easements across Skagit County. Skagit Land Trust is grateful to have worked with more than 30 partners this past year to conserve land. Our partners included private landowners, Skagit Watershed Council, WA Opportunity Fund, WA State Recreation and Conservation Office, Dept of Ecology, local Tribes, private foundations, community members, and many more.
Stewarding the Skagit
A total of 520 volunteers gave 6,887 hours of their time to the lands and waters of the Skagit. These dedicated members stewarded local lands, shared their knowledge on Trust committees, gathered wildlife data through our community science efforts, and engaged local youth and our broader community during a variety of outreach events.
Stewardship volunteers assisted with habitat restoration on 35 conservation areas. They helped plant thousands of trees and shrubs at multiple conservation areas. Volunteers also maintained and improved trails at three conservation areas. A volunteer team helped place more than 1,000 sandbags on the Samish Bay dike of the Samish Island Conservation Area in preparation of the winter’s king tides.
Above: Dedicated volunteers spreading gravel on the trail at Guemes Mountain & Valley Conservation Area (left) and removing beaver fencing at Tope Ryan Conservation Area (right).
Connecting Our Community
Skagit Land Trust lead a variety of events to connect our community with conservation efforts across the county. More than 200 people attended a swan walk at Barney Lake Conservation Area (below) last year. Our Story Trail collaboration with the Upper Skagit Library continued at the Marblemount Conservation Area. The Trust also participated in community events such as Fidalgo Bay Day, Storming the Sound, Concrete Youth Activity Day, and Mount Vernon’s Illuminight.
Board and staff members served on numerous local committees including Skagit Watershed Council, Skagit County Farmland Legacy Program, and Skagit Marine Resources Committee. The Trust’s Public Policy Committee worked on educating on sea-level-rise needs in local plans, as well as the need for open space, interconnected trails on rural and urban interfaces, and wildlife corridors.
Over 1,000 local youth participated in our youth programs. These included Trust-led Utopia Field Trips with students from seven local schools. Staff facilitated field trips for the Kulshan Creek Neighborhood Youth Program to Cumberland Creek and Marblemount Conservation Areas (above right). The group also visited James Island, Lake MacMurray, Woodland Park Zoo, and Museum of Northwest Art.
Above left: Local second-graders learning about the importance of plants for soil filtration during a field trip to our Utopia property.
Above right: Skagit Land Trust staff Kari Odden using a beaver skull as a teaching tool.
Our Community Science program continued its heron and amphibian monitoring projects. Volunteer heron monitors gave hundreds of hours studying nesting habits of the March Point herons via cameras in treetops. We also conducted an Active Tree Survey and Nest Count at March Point. Amphibian monitoring took place at Hurn Field, Tope Ryan, Utopia, and Green Road Marsh.
Below: Volunteers Terry Armstrong and Sarah Zabel, counting nests at the March Point Heronry.
Financial Report for April 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024
Skagit Land Trust’s (the Trust’s) fiscal year ended on March 31, 2024. We received a clean audit opinion in September 2024. The auditors noted the strong and varied support the Trust receives from individuals and grants.
The Trust received over $837,000 in donor-restricted gifts and grants to assist with specific projects including youth programs, stewardship needs, and the purchase of Big Rock. The Trust received $311,731 in bequests and $778,168 in unrestricted contributions and in-kind contributions. Two properties were gifted to the Trust.
Our total operating expenses, excluding land acquisitions, were $1,368,199. Administration and fundraising expenses remained within best practice nonprofit standards at 15% of total operating expenses. If both asset and operating expenses are considered, administrative and fundraising costs drop to just 8% of total expenses.
This past year, we were able to repay $900,000 in loans to The Conservation Fund taken out to purchase Samish Island land that was held and then sold to Padilla Bay NERR at cost. We also repaid a $500,000 loan to the Washington Opportunity Fund taken out to purchase Big Rock land. Other liabilities increased due to a life estate received.
Our work would not be possible without member support. We are so grateful to everyone who is part of the Skagit Land Trust community. Thank you for supporting conservation efforts here in the Skagit.