Working Together as a Community

Conservation practices that we take on our individual properties benefits the water, soil, pollinators, and community. Each of our actions together creates neighborhoods and even entire regions where we grow wildlife and pollinator corridors, filter stormwater with rain gardens and fertile soil, support local agriculture, and protect forests. Together, we can create better ground for the whole Pacific Northwest.

Whidbey Island has many organizations working to improve water quality, restore habitat, and protect farmland, wilderness, and forests from development. Sign up to volunteer with us here, and explore these great volunteer opportunities below.

Improve our Oceans 

• Sound Water Steward program trains volunteers to provide education, stewardship, and citizen science for healthy waters.
• Community Beach Litter Pick-up is a great way to come together as a community and improve our beaches. Work parties are happening across the island every month.
• Shore Friendly is a program for bluff and shoreline property owners to help them care for the very important near-shore landscape.
• Become a Waste Wise volunteer and help keep garbage out of the ocean.

Restore our native plants

• Plant your own native plant garden with plants available at Whidbey Island Conservation District's annual Native Plant Sale.
• Garry Oak Society of Oak Harbor works to restore Garry Oaks to Whidbey Island, and is always in need of volunteers to help plant and maintain trees.
• Pacific Rim Institute in Coupeville is restoring 175 acres of native prairieland in Central Whidbey, with annual planting parties.

Get your hands dirty

• Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group holds work parties year-round to improve shoreline habitat and ocean water quality.
• NorthwestStraits Foundation has programs for shoreline restoration, beach clean-up, salmon restoration projects, and more!
• WA State Park weekly clean-up events at Deception Pass and other state parks
• Whidbey Camano Land Trust holds restoration work parties on the island county land they hold in stewardship.
• Keep our public trails in good condition by volunteering with the WA Trails Association (you get a hat!).

Become a citizen scientist

• Washington Sea Grant and MyCoast App have many on-going science projects that depend on citizen scientists across the state.
• Island Marine Resource Committee volunteers work on citizen science projects county-wide.

Help the Orcas

• Whidbey Island Conservation District, along with many other conservation districts and partners in WA state, hold an annual day of action called Orca Recovery Day.
• The Orca Network is a non-profit organization on Whidbey Island dedicated to raising awareness for the orcas.
• Promise the Pod is working region-wide to help the orcas.

Share your knowledge

• Become a Master Gardener and help other gardeners in the community with landscaping advice through the WSU Extension Master Gardener program.
• Do you have experience with livestock? Join the WSU Extension Livestock Advisor's program - Skagit has the only one in the area!