Conservation Success Stories

The Conservation Commission and conservation districts integrate  science, technology, and effective strategies for engaging people into our  voluntary solutions. This helps us build community around conservation and  deliver multi-benefit results. You’ll find examples of these solutions—and  the results we’ve been able to celebrate with participating landowners and  partners—in these community success stories.

Coast Salish Guardians

San Juan Islands Conservation District

The San Juan Islands Conservation District (SJICD) is honored to collaborate with the Northwest Indian College in the formation and development of the Coast Salish Guardians Program on the Lummi Reservation. The Guardian Network in Canada now currently supports more than 200 tribal programs across Canada, supporting indigenous youth returning to their ancestral homeland and serving as the eyes, ears, and hands of the land. The Coast Salish Guardians program is part of a growing body of tribes establishing Guardian programs in the United States, programs seeking to provide education and employment pathways for indigenous youth in conservation. In addition to receiving grant funds to support program development, the SJICD conservation corps program – the Islands Conservation Corps – has received funding to conduct collaborative training opportunities in forest restoration, prescribed fire, and cultural resource assessments with Guardian members. This provides cross-cultural opportunities for knowledge sharing, and to support non-indigenous natural resource professionals in learning how to understand the role of indigenous stewardship in the landscape and advocate for Tribal rights for managing ancestral homelands.

More Community Stories:

Grays Harbor Conservation District

Taming the River: A Collaborative Approach to Ecosystem

A $2.4 million river restoration project on the Satsop River. The project includes reshaping the riverbank and adding log jams to improve water flow and create a better habitat for wildlife. With 400+ acres of riparian restoration planned, the project is already helping to reduce flooding and improve the river's health.

Full Story
Lincoln County Conservation District

Field Demonstration with Grazing Livestock

Delaini Disher’s photo, “Well-Attended Field Demonstration” captures the use of livestock in sustainable farming, highlighting the importance of biomass collection from a grazed cover crop field.

Full Story
Ferry Conservation District

Exclusion Fencing: A Lasting Conservation Tool

Mckenzi Coleman's "Exclusion Fence" photo highlights the enduring value of exclusion fencing as a tool for protecting natural resources like salmon streams and safeguarding livestock.

Full Story