Columbia Land Trust

TO CONSERVE SIGNATURE LANDSCAPES AND VITAL HABITAT OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER REGION.

LAND CONSERVATION: COLUMBIA LAND TRUST CONSERVES AND CARES FOR THE LANDS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE OF THE LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER REGION THROUGH SOUND SCIENCE AND STRONG RELATIONSHIPS. THE LAND TRUST FINDS COMMON GROUND WITH LANDOWNERS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO PERMANENTLY CONSERVE THE SCENIC AND INTRINSIC VALUES OF LAND AND WATER. IN 2023, THE LAND TRUST CONSERVED 2,334 ACRES ACROSS ITS SERVICE AREA, WHICH EXTENDS ALONG THE COLUMBIA FROM THE DALLES, OREGON TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. THIS INCLUDED OVER 1,100 ACRES OF FORESTLAND IN WASHINGTON STATE.

PUBLIC OUTREACH: COLUMBIA LAND TRUST INCREASES AWARENESS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF LAND CONSERVATION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ITS MISSION: TO CONSERVE AND CARE FOR THE VITAL LANDS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER REGION THROUGH SOUND SCIENCE AND STRONG RELATIONSHIPS. THE LAND TRUST FOCUSES OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TO SUPPORT CONSERVATION IN PRIORITY AREAS, SHOWCASES SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP, AND CONNECTS COMMUNITIES TO LAND CONSERVATION THROUGH TOURS, VOLUNTEER DAYS, PUBLICATIONS, AND EVENTS.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OEACH YEAR, THE LAND TRUST PRODUCES TWO ISSUES OF ITS PRINTED NEWSLETTER, FIELDBOOK, A MONTHLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER, THE MOSS, AND A YEAR-END CONSERVATION REPORT, AND MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THROUGH THESE CHANNELS, THE LAND TRUST ASPIRES TO ENCOURAGE CURIOSITY IN THE NATURAL WORLD THAT WILL HELP FOSTER A CULTURE OF STEWARDSHIP. THE LAND TRUST ALSO LEADS THE BACKYARD HABITAT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BIRD ALLIANCE OF OREGON. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THE LAND TRUST HELPS PEOPLE IN URBAN AREAS RESTORE NATURE IN THEIR OWN YARDS AND COMMUNITY SPACES WHILE OFFERING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ABOUT WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING. THE PROGRAM HELPS PEOPLE IN THE PORTLAND-VANCOUVER METRO AREA PUT DOWN ROOTS AND BUILD CONNECTIONS WITH BOTH WILDLIFE AND THEIR NEIGHBORS.

LAND STEWARDSHIP: PROTECTING AND ENHANCING THE CONSERVATION VALUES OF CONSERVED LANDS IS SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK FOR COLUMBIA LAND TRUST. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM TO PROTECT CONSERVATION VALUES AND TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND COMMUNITY MEMBER FOR ALL COLUMBIA LAND TRUST PROPERTIES THROUGH SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT. THE LAND TRUST EVALUATES EACH PROPERTY FOR ITS CONSERVATION VALUE, THE THREATS TO THESE VALUES, AND FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE CONSERVATION THROUGH RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT. A STEWARDSHIP PLAN IS DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED BASED ON THIS ANALYSIS TO INCLUDE ANNUAL MONITORING AS PART OF AN ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OTHE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 38,600 ACRES OF LAND. THE LAND TRUST ARE ACTIVE IN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, STRIVING TO IMPROVE HABITAT FUNCTION AND VALUES ON ALL OF ITS PROPERTIES. RESTORATION ACTIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED INCLUDING IMPROVING HYDROLOGIC CONNECTIVITY, HABITAT DIVERSITY AND COMPOSITION, AND REDUCING RISKS SUCH AS WILDFIRE. IN RECENT YEARS, THIS HAS INCLUDED REMOVING LEVEES, PLANTING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TREES AND SHRUBS, CONTROLLING INVASIVE SPECIES, AND THINNING FORESTS TO IMPROVE STAND STRUCTURE AND REDUCE FIRE FUEL LOADS. A NUMBER OF COLUMBIA LAND TRUST PROPERTIES CURRENTLY INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT RESTORATION WORK TO REPLACE LOST FUNCTIONS AND INCREASE THE CONSERVATION VALUE OF THE PROPERTY. A STEWARDSHIP FUNDING STRATEGY, INCLUDING GIFT DONATIONS DURING THE ACQUISITION PROCESS, IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF EVERY NEW CONSERVATION PROJECT. THE FUND IS USED TO PROVIDE FOR FUTURE EXPENSES OF RESTORATION, MONITORING, ENFORCING COMPLIANCE WITH EASEMENT RESTRICTIONS, AND UNDERWRITING LEGAL DEFENSE OF THE CONSERVATION PROTECTIONS FOR ALL COLUMBIA LAND TRUST PROPERTIES. COLUMBIA LAND TRUST HAS ALSO ESTABLISHED A STEWARDSHIP ENDOWMENT TO PROVIDE PERMANENT SUPPORT FOR PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.