Climate Resilient Working Lands & Rural Communities Tour

Twenty-one representatives from tribal, county, state, and federal governments joined Whatcom CD to see these climate resiliency practices in action. 

Community leaders, landowners, and agency partners joined Whatcom CD staff in the field to see and discuss conservation practices in action. 

The climate challenges facing Whatcom County and our broader world are complex and require collaboration across entire landscapes. With support from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA), Whatcom Conservation District (Whatcom CD) is working to strengthen community resilience to a changing climate. On October 1, twenty-one representatives from tribal, county, state, and federal agencies joined Whatcom CD for a field tour showcasing climate resiliency practices in action. Notable attendees included Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Trevor Delgado from the Nooksack Indian Tribe, Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu, County Council Members Kaylee Galloway, Mark Stremler and Jon Scanlon and Dani Madrone, Legislative Director from Washington State Conservation Commission. 

Tour stops included two innovative properties and a Firewise community partnering with Whatcom CD on Climate Commitment Act–funded projects. 

The tour highlighted two properties and a Firewise community in northeast Whatcom County that have partnered closely with Whatcom CD to implement CCA-funded practices. These featured landowners and communities are demonstrating leadership in sustainable agriculture, forest stewardship, and rural community resilience by protecting water quality, enhancing local ecosystems, and adapting to a changing climate. Participants visited a stream restoration project on farmland that supports salmon recovery and aims to reduce future flooding, toured a 13-acre property building ecosystem function through forest stewardship practices, and a visited a Firewise community in Kendall showcasing local efforts to strengthen wildfire resilience. 

Participants experienced firsthand how landowners and communities are working with Whatcom CD to protect natural resources and build climate resilience.

Tour participants saw firsthand how local landowners and communities are partnering with Whatcom CD to reduce environmental impacts and build climate resilience. They heard directly from the landowners implementing these projects and learned how Climate Commitment Act (CCA) funds are supporting climate-friendly practices across the county. Thank you to everyone who joined us for the tour — we look forward to continuing our collaboration with landowners and communities to strengthen Whatcom County’s climate resilience.

Thank you to everyone who attended the tour. We are excited to continue working with landowners and communities in Whatcom County to further our climate resiliency.