Whatcom Land Trust is strengthening its capacity to preserve Whatcom County’s most sensitive places by bringing on the Trust’s first Executive Director, Craig Lee.

WLT selected Craig  to lead the organization’s  Board of Directors, staff, and supporters  into its next quarter century of conservation and stewardship.

“Whatcom Land Trust has been very successful at conserving the county’s signature landscapes and sensitive places, thanks to  tremendous community support, partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies, tribes and enormous volunteer commitment,” noted Board President Mary Dumas. “The board felt that the WLT had matured to a point that it would benefit from having its first Executive Director to guide the organization during its next quarter century of operation. We want to continue to assist landowners and Whatcom county communities in securing their natural resource protection objectives, and increase the WLT’s capacity to be a permanent steward of the lands that have been entrusted to us.”

Chris Moench, the WLT hiring committee chair, noted, “It was gratifying to see the caliber and number of applicants.  It felt like a tribute to the reputation of our organization and of the area. Craig Lee is the right fit, bringing a bit of history and a breadth of experience, knowledge and skills to help us prepare for the years ahead.”

Twenty-seven years ago Craig was a young field representative of the Trust for Public Land  when he assisted a small band of local visionaries in the formation of the WLT;  some of the early transactions include Miller Farm, and Clarks Point.  While with the Trust for Public Land, Craig also helped to found 30 other local land trusts,  the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition, the Mountains to Sound Greenway and the Cascade Land Conservancy. Most recently Craig founded and led the  international program for National Audubon Society. He was also a founder of the American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts, an organization that facilitates the conservation of land in Canada that is owned by US citizens.

“I wanted to return to the Pacific Northwest but was primarily considering positions with statewide or national organizations. However Whatcom Land Trust’s achievements and big thinking inspired me to apply,” shared Craig.  “I have been infatuated with this county ever since my first visit. After I met with the board and learned about its plans for the future I was really sold.” He joined the staff in late October.

Craig has a deep appreciation for WLT’s achievements to date and enthusiasm for both maintaining and expanding the organization’s work in the future. “I look forward to continuing to assist landowners and communities in the urgent mission of protecting Whatcom County’s working farmlands, forests, streams, and shorelines and keeping them in good health for future generations.  WLT is a leader in Northwest regional conservation and I’ll work hard to ensure that our organization evolves and innovates to meet the needs of a changing community.”

Whatcom Land Trust was created to retain the County’s extraordinary agricultural land, rivers, forests, recreation, and scenery that make this such a special place to live, work and visit. Since WLT’s inception hundreds of donors and supporters have joined with  WLT’s grassroots volunteers, dedicated nonprofit board members, and  small staff to: conserve 144 properties, totaling 11,000 acres, including 3,554 acres under conservation easement, 6,296 acres that the organization owns outright and 1,312 acres protected through  land trade negotiations. Several properties it purchased have become prized local parks such as Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve and Stimpson Family Nature Reserve.

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