About WICDMost people agree that conservation works best when people who live and work in an area learn to take care of their own natural resources. Established in 1967, Whidbey Island Conservation District is guided by a five-member volunteer board of supervisors and local staff with professional expertise, all of whom have a personal investment and interest in improving the quality of life in their communities on Whidbey Island.
As political sub-divisions of state government, conservation districts provide resources and programs that are voluntary and incentive-based, and available to all interested landowners and residents that live on Whidbey Island. WICD's technical assistance and educational programming is also free, non-regulatory, and can be tailored to meet your conservation goals. We are the "boots on the ground" here on Whidbey, and WICD strives to be a community resource that empowers landowners to conserve natural resources on their property. Camano Island residents are served by the Snohomish Conservation District. Ready to get started?WICD's natural resource planners provide no-cost technical assistance for farmers and landowners. Do you need assistance on your property with a natural resource concern? Start the assistance process with the form below.
Please note that we are currently undergoing some staff transitions, so may have a few weeks delay in responding to your request. We appreciate your understanding and patience in this matter, and encourage you to explore the resources on our website in the interim. |
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CONTACT US
(360) 678-4708 | Toll Free (888) 678-4922 - Please leave a voicemail and a staff person working remotely will return your call within a day or two.
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Fax - (360) 678-2271 Email to wicd(at)whidbeycd.org, Request Assistance here, or visit our staff page to contact a staff member directly. Public Records Requests: The Whidbey Island Conservation District complies with the Washington State Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). To initiate a Public Records Request, contact the WICD Public Records Officer, Sandy Welch: (360) 678-4708 or toll free (888) 678-4922, or email Sandy HERE. MEET OUR BOARD
A board of five Supervisors, three elected and two appointed, direct the programs and policies of the Whidbey Island Conservation District. To learn more about the Board and the Conservation District election process, click here to visit the Supervisor Page. MEET OUR STAFF
The Whidbey Island Conservation District has a staff of 2 full-time and two part-time employees. For complete list and contact info, click here to visit our Staff Page. PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Check out our newly revamped "Projects" page by clicking here to learn more about current and past projects the Whidbey Island Conservation District has taken on. HISTORICAL MAPS
In June 2015, WICD archived several sets of historic aerial photographs inherited from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The aerial photos are images of Whidbey Island and Island County from the 1940s, 1963, and from 1990. There are a few incidental aerial photos from other years.
Learn more and access the interactive mapping platform which contains these photographs by visiting the Historical Mapping Project page. 
Click image to visit Historical Mapping Project page.
DISTRICT DOCUMENTS
WICD Board meetings are generally held on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 9:00 a.m. in the conference room of the District office in Coupeville, 1 NE 4th St. Board meetings are open to the public.
The Whidbey Island Conservation District's work is guided by its board of supervisors who, in turn, receive input from the public and local and regional partners throughout the year and at regularly yearly and five-year scheduled intervals. To view current and previous annual and long range plans of work, click here to be directed to the WICD Work Plan page. Each year, the Whidbey Island Conservation District summarizes its accomplishments into a succinct document that provides a comprehensive look at the work accomplished by the organization. Click on the links below to view.
The Washington State Conservation Commission (WSCC) is the coordinating state agency for all 45 conservation districts in Washington State, which includes Whidbey Island Conservation District. Together, the WSCC and conservation districts provide voluntary, incentive-based programs that empower private landowners to implement conservation on their property. Click on the links below to view.
Funding for the Whidbey Island Conservation District comes from a variety of sources, including grants, inter-local agreements with Island County, and other entities. The District also conducts an annual native plant sale. Two of our local County funding sources and their histories are shared below. For additional questions, please contact our office to speak with our District Manager at (888) 678-4922. Assessment 2010 - 2020: On November 25, 2009, the Board of Island County Commissioners (BICC) approved Ordinance No. C-148-09 approving a Special Assessment to fund the Whidbey Island Conservation District's work on Whidbey Island, and the Snohomish Conservation District's work on Camano Island. Prior to the District's proposal to the Commissioners asking them to consider the special assessment, the Districts engaged Resource Consulting Service, LLC to prepare an economic analysis of the benefits the Conservation Districts' services would provide to land and landowners. To learn more about this special assessment and to view the report, click here. Rates & Charges 2020 - 2030: In 2019, the Whidbey Island Conservation District and Snohomish Conservation District proposed to renew our Island County assessment and change to a system of rates & charges for another 10-year period, beginning in 2020. This renewal is essential to our ability to continue to provide vital programs and services which help sustain local working lands, improve soil health and water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, increase public education opportunities, and much more. To learn more about the transition to Rates & Charges, click here. In October 2016, the Whidbey Island Conservation District went through an audit by the Washington State Auditor’s office for compliance with state laws, regulations, and its own policies and procedures for January 2014 - December 2015. The District is pleased to report no findings in this audit.
Whidbey Island Conservation District offers civil and environmental engineering services for soil, water, and habitat conservation projects on Whidbey Island. We work with private landowners, non-government organizations, and tribal and local government agencies to provide assistance with project planning, feasibility studies, engineering design, permitting and construction management on projects that help conserve natural resources. In some situations, we also can assist in obtaining grant funding for project construction.
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