Our purpose

Our mission

We partner with people and organizations in Whatcom County to solve environmental challenges and support the health of working lands, residential landscapes, local waterways, and open spaces.

Looking ahead

Our vision

We envision a thriving community that enjoys clean and plentiful water, productive working lands, and resilient natural habitats from generation to generation.

Our values

To support our mission, we commit to:

• Collaboration

  We serve all people of Whatcom County. We respect the needs and unique characteristics of our diverse community. We build strategic partnerships to maximize impact.

• Impact

  We affirm the relationships between land, water, and other environmental factors. We support agricultural land management and local food production. We perform our work with scientific and social integrity.

• Compassion

  We invest in our staff and community and follow equitable and inclusive policies.

How we support you

• Solutions

  We help you take action on the land and water issues important to you. Whatever your questions or goals, we’re here to help.

• Trust

  Our services are free, voluntary, confidential, and non-regulatory. Our staff and board are local experts and landowners themselves. And our mission is 100% to serve and support.

• Support

  We bring 75 years of experience, a nationwide network of expertise, and a wealth of resources to your side.

Our history

Conservation begins with people caring for the places they call home. That idea has guided conservation districts since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, when widespread soil loss demonstrated the need for practical solutions rooted in local knowledge. Washington authorized conservation districts in 1939, creating a way for communities to work together to care for their land and water. In 1946, Whatcom Conservation District was formed.

Whatcom Conservation District carries that approach forward here in Whatcom County. We connect people with technical expertise, educational opportunities, and funding resources to help them address environmental challenges. Our work brings us alongside farmers, landowners, residents, and community partners who share an interest in healthy waterways, productive working lands, and resilient natural habitats.

Our role is to help. Through voluntary, non-regulatory partnerships, we listen to people’s goals and work together to find practical next steps. As our community’s needs evolve, we remain committed to being your land and water partner—for today and for generations to come.