The Whatcom Conservation District invites you to complete this short survey of 11 questions to help shape the ongoing and future conservation focus of the District.  

Conservation Districts were established to carry out conservation programs for current and future generations. The Whatcom Conservation District has supported the residents of Whatcom County since 1946 through voluntary land management programs that protect water quality, conserve soil, and enhance fish and wildlife habitat.  While the District has worked with rural agricultural landowners since its inception, we have grown in recent years to include support to urban, suburban, and rural residential landowners and land managers on conserving those same resources.  Looking to the future, the District sees an increasing role in sustainable land management, a need to take-up the climate resiliency challenge, and opportunity to address emerging conservation priorities. 

Your thoughts about the ongoing and future conservation focus of the District are welcomed and encouraged. This survey is a starting place to hear from you and begin a conversation. 

Curious about our current Long Range Plan and services Whatcom Conservation District currently offers? Visit https://www.whatcomcd.org/long-range-plan and sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

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* 1. List three areas of conservation you think the District should address through programs which conserve, enhance, and/or protect, and share that list in order of priority.

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* 2. Of the following areas of conservation programming, which are the most important for the District to offer?   Please rank the 7 areas of programming in order of priority.

  1. Youth Education Services
       ·  Youth Stewardship Program – Facilitate watershed health, land stewardship, and conservation education programming
       ·  Youth Agricultural Education Program – Facilitate agriculture-focused conservation practices education programming
  2. Conservation Research Services
       ·  Conservation Practices Research Program – Conduct field-based research projects and explore and document the impact of conservation practices and the District’s conservation programming.
  3. Habitat Stewardship Services
       ·  Salmon Habitat Restoration Program – Plant native trees and shrubs and remove fish passage barriers
       ·  Community-based Stewardship Program – Involve local residents in watershed and neighborhood activities
       ·  Wildlife and Biodiversity Program – Plan and implement wildlife and pollinator habitat practices on farms, forests, and residential properties
       ·  Invasive Species Removal Program – Control the spread of invasive species
  4. Forest Stewardship Services
       ·  Wildfire Risk Management Program – Reduce wildfire risk in fire-prone areas
       ·  Forest Stewardship Program – Manage woodlots and forests for water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration
  5. Farm and Livestock Services
       ·  Farm and Livestock Stewardship Program – Plan and implement water quality, habitat, and soil conservation practices
       ·  Equipment Loan Program – Access to manure spreading and poultry processing equipment
       ·  Farm Drainage Improvement Program – Maintain drainage systems for farm productivity.
       ·  Regenerative Agriculture Program – Manage on-farm soil fertility, biodiversity, water use, and carbon emissions
       ·  Farm Water Use Efficiency Program – Implement on-farm water conservation practices
  6. Climate-Resiliency Services
       ·  Climate Friendly Program – Assess carbon footprints and and implement carbon neutral practices
       ·  Also see Forest Stewardship Program
       ·  Also see Regenerative Agriculture
  7. Urban Residential Services
       ·  Urban Stormwater Program – Plan and implement landscape-based stormwater reduction and water quality practices
       ·  Residential Water Use Efficiency Program – Provide information and resources to promote and implement residential water conservation
       ·  Backyard Conservation Program – Plan and implement wildlife and pollinator habitat practices
       ·  Residential Soil Health Program  – Provide information and resources to promote residential soil health and conservation practices explore alternative uses of things that would normally go in the landfill
       ·  Also see Habitat Stewardship Services

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* 3. What options didn’t you see above, or additional criteria you would add, that you believe the District should offer?

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* 4. Would you be willing to pay an annual conservation fee to implement the District programs and activities you identified in Questions 1, 2, and 3?

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* 5. If yes, which of the following annual fee ranges would you pay to implement those District programs and activities?

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* 6. How long have you lived in Whatcom County?

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* 7. Do you own your parcel/property?

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* 8. How many acres of land do you own, lease and/or manage?

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* 9. Select the type of landownership or operation that best describes your situation.

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* 10. Does your land contain or is it adjacent to a waterbody (examples include marine shoreline, creek, and wetland)?

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* 11. Does your land contain a woodlot or forest?