Our Partnership with Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light operates three hydroelectric dams on the Skagit River: Gorge, Diablo, and Ross. Recognizing the environmental impact of that infrastructure, SCL has made a commitment to be genuine stewards of the lands they affect. In regard to our stewardship program, that means purchasing properties with high conservation value to protect critical floodplain habitat.
When SCL needed a partner to manage and restore those properties on the ground, they turned to SFEG. We bring the restoration expertise, the local relationships, and the flexibility to respond quickly when problems arise.
What We Actually Do Out There
Each SCL property gets a minimum of four site visits per year. During those visits, our team checks for activities that threaten the conservation purpose of the land, things like illegal tree cutting, dumping, squatting, or motorized vehicle use.
But stewardship is more than just monitoring. We actively improve fish and wildlife habitat by:
- Planting native species and maintaining them until they’re established
- Controlling invasive species and noxious weeds
- Removing debris — trash, old planting protectors, and on recently acquired parcels, sometimes entire structures like abandoned buildings, concrete pads, and vehicles
Funding for restoration work typically comes through grants, with SCL contributing matching funds when needed.
Community at the Core
Because all SCL conservation land is public land, we work hard to make these places feel like community assets — not just managed parcels. We host Saturday volunteer planting events on SCL sites whenever possible, so local residents can roll up their sleeves, put plants in the ground, and come back years later to see what they helped grow.
Our relationships with neighboring landowners are just as important. These community members are our eyes and ears, letting us know when something unusual is happening on a property. That network of local trust is something no amount of funding can replace.
Can I Visit These Properties?
Yes — these are public lands, and passive recreation is welcome.
Allowed: Hiking, bird watching, photography, fishing and hunting (in season, with appropriate licenses), and foraging (with prior permission)
Not allowed: Camping or campfires, firewood collection, dumping of any kind, cutting or damaging vegetation, timber harvest, motorized vehicles, or poaching
These lands exist to protect salmon habitat and the broader Skagit ecosystem. We ask everyone who visits to help us honor that purpose and respect riparian areas and leave no trace.
Map of Stewardship Sites
