CELEBRATING THE people BEHIND THE land 2010 ANNUAL REPORT CONTENTS President’s Letter 3 What We Do 4 Our Lands 6 Our Communities 8 Looking Forward 10 CLC Map 12 CLC Leadership 14 Chair’s Letter 15 Donors 16 Financials 23 PRESIDENT’S LETTER As we prepare Cascade Land Conservancy’s Annual Report each Another core value behind our year, a perplexing challenge always looms. How do we report on work to implement The Cascade the past year when our mission, our work and our success are and Olympic Agendas is a firm measured in a time scale that ranges from decades to perpetuity? and clear sense of regional I resolve this challenge in my own mind by looking at our recent fairness. With this spirit of equity, accomplishments and the big job ahead through the lens of the we strive for all to get a fair shake enduring values behind our work: A deep understanding of with rural businesses and citizens our communities and citizens across the region, longevity and working together. At its root, our persistence of effort and fairness. work is game changing because it recognizes if one falls we all fall. A thorough understanding of our communities is at the The whole is very much greater foundation of each project reported between the covers of than the sum of the parts. this report and is critical to our work in the years to come. The character, dreams and ambitions of our communities shape our While this report is about understanding of which landscapes need to be conserved and just one year of our work, it illustrates projects that are both how to make our region livable. The Cascade and Olympic examples and the result of the enduring values fundamental Agendas are a summation or mirror of these aspirations for our to The Cascade and Olympic Agendas. These same values of region and we succeed because our work is fundamentally a connection with our communities, persistence and longevity and continuation of this jointly held vision. fairness across our region will guide our work in the decades to come. This deep identity of Cascade Land Conservancy with each of the communities we serve is a necessary beginning, but it is only a beginning. Turning this unity of vision into reality requires organizational longevity and indefatigable persistence to see a project through. Several accomplishments we report for 2010 have taken more than a decade to achieve, most notably the Maury Island project. We have an ingrained axiom at Cascade Gene Duvernoy, President Land Conservancy: Every project that is truly transformational seems to expire several times over before it is successful. We simply do not give up until we find a way to succeed. 3 WHAT WE DO Cascade Land Conservancy fills a unique and important niche as the largest conservation and community building organization dedicated solely to this region. As a national leader, CLC is shaping a future that will flourish environmentally and economically. We partner with thousands of leaders and residents across the region to create healthy, livable and prosperous communities. For over 20 years, CLC has led efforts to conserve more than 172,000 acres of forests, farms, shorelines, parks and natural areas and restore critical landscapes. We are advancing an innovative new approach to conservation that encourages collaboration across all sectors and balances environmental, social and economic needs. The Cascade and Olympic Agendas are our roadmaps for the future. 4 THE CASCADE AGENDA THE OLYMPIC AGENDA The Cascade Agenda is a 100 year vision The Olympic Agenda is an emerging collaboration and immediate action plan for the lands and with the residents of the Olympic Peninsula to communities of our region. It is based on the shape a future of great communities and healthy input of thousands of residents across our region landscapes. CLC is working with residents, and offers pragmatic solutions to the challenges organizations and businesses of the Peninsula to and opportunities created by our tremendous ensure that our working lands and rural economy population growth. The Cascade Agenda’s continue to thrive, our communities grow in a collective vision is grounded in the belief that a sustainable fashion and quality of life is maintained broad coalition can achieve fundamental change. over the next 100 years. Drawing on the The Cascade Agenda brings together business, civic experience of creating The Cascade Agenda, CLC and government leaders to conserve 1.3 million will identify and help implement strategies that will acres and create vibrant and livable communities. provide a non-regulatory guide for conservation and community growth. Since the Cascade Agenda was launched in 2005, the broad coalition has conserved 188,00 acres. 5 OUR LANDS During the past 21 years, CLC has conserved COPALIS RIVER GHOST FOREST over 172,000 acres, from small community parks In partnership with Washington State Parks, CLC conserved 122 to working lands spanning tens of thousands of acres of marsh, riparian habitat acres. Once our precious lands are conserved, and forest along the lower they need continual monitoring, restoration and Copalis River in Grays Harbor stewardship. We are responsible for caring for over County. This unique landscape is the result of a massive tsunami 12,000 acres across the region. In 2010, we had and earthquake that struck the area in 1700 and has become many great successes that demonstrate our ability subject to a considerable amount of scientific research. Some of to convene disparate stakeholders, leverage diverse the tree snags in the marsh are 700 to 800 years old. funding sources and find solutions that benefit not I-90 WILDLIFE CORRIDOR ADDITIONS only our natural environment but our communities CLC conserved an additional and economy as well. None of this work would 262 acres of forest and riparian be possible without the support and partnership lands along the 1-90 corridor of volunteers, landowners, government agencies, as part of the Department of Transportation Wildlife Bridges businesses and non-profit organizations. project. The conservation of these lands adds to 1000 acres previously conserved in this area, providing critical habitat and CONSERVATION connectivity for wildlife migration. The results of this project will benefit Northern Spotted Owls, Marbled Murrelets, Canada Lynx, MAURY ISLAND Grizzly Bears and Gray Wolves. For over a decade, the future of the Maury Island gravel mine HOQUIAM RIVER SURGE PLAIN remained in limbo. After years CLC and Rayonier Forest of negotiations and continual Resources conserved a 186- dead ends, CLC, the State of acre tract on the east fork of the Washington, King County and Hoquiam River. This acquisition the environmental community is part of a partnership between successfully conserved 235 acres protecting a critical ecosystem a half dozen organizations, for wildlife and people alike. Along with King County’s 320-acre government agencies and elected Maury Island Marine Park just north of the property, the two officials that has resulted in the conservation of more than 1,124 sites will represent the largest public holding of protected marine acres of forested wetlands and several miles of riverfront of the shoreline in all of Puget Sound. Hoquiam River Surge Plain flowing into Grays Harbor Estuary. DEVIL’S HEAD NORTH FORK OF STILLAGUAMISH RIVER In July of 2010, CLC, Pierce The Stillaguamish Tribe and CLC County and a coalition of conserved 233 acres of riverfront, conservation partners protected forests and wetlands along the 94 acres at the tip of the Key North Fork of the Stillaguamish Peninsula, including one mile River. This stretch of the river of shoreline. The land thrives contains important spawning from a diverse environment of habitat for Chinook salmon in forested and aquatic habitats, and will become a county park for the Stillaguamish River Basin. The Stillaguamish Tribe will conduct all residents to enjoy and experience the outdoors. It will also in-stream restoration to enhance this critical habitat and continue become an important link in both the planned Head-to-Toe Trail to steward these lands in perpetuity. stretching 20 miles along the Key Peninsula and the Cascadia Marine Trail, a water route used by kayakers, day sailors and other boaters from the Canadian border to Olympia. 6 RESTORATION QUEETS RIVER KNOTWEED REMOVAL In 2007, CLC conserved this 45-acre estuary at the mouth of the Queets River on the Pacific Coast of Jefferson County. The Queets River is one of the few rivers in the U.S. which is undammed and undiked from its headwaters to its mouth. For three years, CLC has been tackling 6 acres of invasive knotweed, reducing it to 1.5 acres in 2010, and replanting 2 acres on the riverbank to prevent erosion. The property is used by migratory birds, elk and deer and streamside restoration will improve water quality and habitat. The people behind the land. CEDAR RIVER RESTORATION Conserving land is only the first step. Our protected lands CLC has an ongoing partnership need continual monitoring, restoration and stewardship. with Seattle Public Utilities, King CLC mobilizes tens of thousands of volunteers every year to County, Friends of the Cedar restore and steward the lands we have worked so hard to River Watershed and the larger protect. From our dedicated Land Stewards to elementary watershed community to restore school students, the community that makes up the volunteer riparian ecosystems on the lower force at CLC is invaluable. Cedar River on both public and In 2010, with the help of many volunteers, we accomplished private property. The Cedar River Watershed contains a majority several major and transformational projects. At the Maxine of the best remaining aquatic habitat in the Lake Washington G. Morse Nature Conservancy property in Pierce County, 2 ecosystem, but is heavily impacted by habitat degradation.