This Campaign Impact Report is a collection of the conservation achievements our supporters made possible over the last five years of the Rock Our world Campaign. As we sit at this pivotal time for people and nature, we look back on successes and lessons learned and look forward to the crucial work still to come. Thank you so much for your dedicated support to our mission.

An ecosystem thrives in harmony when individual elements

build upon each other toward the strength of the whole.

A SALMON IN THE WENATCHEE RIVER SPAWNS AND DIES,

its body feeds the soil on the riverbank and the roots of a noble evergreen soak up nutrients from the water’s edge. The pine provides habitat for birds and cover for prey. High in the branches, needles catch the sunlight and a cone seeds hope for a fruitful future.

As we look back at the past five years, we reflect on the connections within our own ecosystem that have yielded healthy returns. Success is not something we have achieved alone: our milestones are the result of collaborations and networks that enhance our mission and strengthen our impact. You are an integral part of this circle, and you join many partners across our state who invest their time, insight, resources and wisdom to a shared goal of healthy people and nature.

Thanks to support from partners like you, The Nature Conservancy in Washington is an innovator and leader in preserving and protecting our state’s natural environment. As the world changes around us, we must continue to adapt. We commit to grow, learn and expand.

Partnerships are also central in this evolution. The collective power of people has never been more apparent. In elevating communities, tackling climate change and safeguarding Washington’s future, we have the opportunity—and responsibility—to center partnerships and nature in the path ahead.

With gratitude,

Mike Stevens,
Washington State Director

OUR VISION

Tackling climate change is a prevailing and cross-cutting focus for the Conservancy’s conservation and policy efforts. From Olympia and throughout the state, TNC advocated for legislative progress for a livable climate and bolstered communities’ adaption efforts in the face of climate change’s impacts.

OUR IMPACT

Alongside partners, TNC expanded diverse voices in the climate movement to drive forward equitable, bold policies. TNC deepened support for natural climate solutions, which enhance the capacity of nature to store carbon.

OUR VISION

Water is the lifeblood of Puget Sound. It flows from mountains through farms, ushers salmon through cities and spills into the Salish Sea. The region is home to one of the world’s most vibrant economic, scientific and philanthropic centers. The Nature Conservancy has worked across our waterways and cities to foster a cleaner and healthier Puget Sound and stronger communities.

OUR IMPACT

Dynamic partnerships with federal and state agencies, tribes, municipalities, businesses and community organizations have expanded our efforts for this iconic landscape.

Supported 31 urban projects by building rain gardens, planting trees and removing pavement to reduce stormwater pollution, expanding green spaces and meeting community-identified needs. The Conservancy provided funding, volunteers, project planning and communications support to these projects across the Puget Sound region.

Built Floodplains by Design into a thriving public-private initiative that restored and reconnected more than 8,000 acres of floodplains statewide, improved vital habitat for fish and wildlife and reduced the risk of flooding for more than 40 communities.

Completed the “Green Bridges, Healthy Communities initiative to target pollution hotspots in Pierce and Snohomish counties and the Duwamish Valley, building upon an innovative, cross-sector partnership that is treating 2 million gallons of runoff from Seattle’s Aurora Bridge—a pilot project for other bridges in the region.

OUR VISION

Five years ago, the Conservancy launched an ambitious vision to improve the health of Washington’s forests across 6 million acres. Our approach is rooted in innovative, science-driven collaboration, recognizing that the complex impacts of poor forest health do not stop at property lines or state boundaries.

OUR IMPACT

Through critical partnerships with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, tribes, regional conservation organizations and local communities, TNC has:

Led the acquisition of 48,000+ forested acres in the Central Cascades to reduce development and fragmentation risk and improve forest health across 500,000 acres. In Eastern Washington, TNC partnered with forest-health collaboratives, tribes and government agencies to accelerate restoration across 4 million acres. To date, TNC has transferred 10,000 acres to the USDA Forest Service, ensuring protection in perpetuity.

Protected 15,000 acres of forestland in the Olympic Rainforest, including 6,800 acres formerly managed by the Hoh River Trust. Extensive restoration efforts have spanned almost 50 miles of the Hoh and Clearwater rivers, improving forest and stream health across 321,000 acres.

Helped pioneer the first Cascadia Prescribed Fire Training Exchange in Washington which, to date, has trained 100 fire professionals and natural resource managers. TNC helped 13 communities, from the San Juan Islands to Spokane, grow more resilient through the Washington Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network

OUR VISION

The Conservancy’s work is rooted in science. Established in 2017, the Conservancy’s scientific partnership with the University of Washington draws on the strengths and resources of both institutions to inform our priorities and shape conservation approaches statewide.

OUR IMPACT

Over the past several years, our efforts have expanded state, county and municipal government agencies’ capacity to prioritize and address urgent threats to people and nature. The Conservancy has:

Established the scientific foundation to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ 20-Year Forest Health Plan and Wildland Fire Protection 10-Year Strategic Plan. These plans set forth bold goals to restore forest health, improve regional wildfire resilience, protect people and boost economic opportunity for communities in Eastern Washington.

Created a vulnerability index with University of Washington researchers to assess wildfire risk in communities across the United States. The results showed that racial and ethnic minorities face greater vulnerability to wildfires when compared with primarily white communities.

Developed and refined a stormwater heatmap to guide regional efforts to the most substantive solutions for pollution in Puget Sound. King County and the City of Tacoma are currently testing the tool, and the lessons learned from their efforts will further inform future iterations of the heatmap for regional use.

Outcomes

We are so grateful to you for joining us on this ambitious journey five years ago. With the conclusion of the Rock Our World Campaign, your support and partnership played an instrumental role to help people and nature co-exist.

Thank you for helping us secure such tangible and lasting impacts for conservation statewide and for setting our path to continue crafting a resilient future.

“Watching someone get excited about nature never gets old! In June of 2019, I had the privilege to take a group from Latino Outdoors to Ebey’s Landing. My personal highlight was watching 8-year-old Emilio’s reactions throughout the day. His raw and genuine excitement put a smile on everyone’s face.”

—ALFONSO OROZCO
Volunteer and Field Experiences Manager

 Looking Back to Move Forward

In six decades, our vision and mission have evolved with our understanding of the vital connections between people and nature throughout Washington. Keystone projects and partnerships highlight our steadfast focus on science, community wellbeing and meaningful impact. Explore our interactive timeline to learn more!

The work continues…

Now is a pivotal time, for nature and for people. We are asking for your partnership as we continue to face the challenges ahead. Please consider how you might increase your impact.

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*Olympic Hook was created by Jamie Bass © 2018. This art is intended as a gift for supporters of The Nature Conservancy in Washington. Do not reproduce or distribute.