Habitat & Streamside Restoration

The Skagit river provides spawning habitat for salmon and is the only large river system in Washington that contains healthy populations of all five native salmon species –chinook, coho, chum, and sockeye - and two species of trout: steelhead and coastal cutthroat. Native people have lived along the Skagit River for centuries. Today these people are represented by the Upper Skagit, Sauk Suiattle, and Swinomish tribes. Archeologists have found evidence that the Upper Skagit lived in the area now called Ross Lake National Recreation Area at least 8,000 years ago!

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Many salmon populations are at a fraction of historic levels resulting in cultural and economic impacts. Skagit Conservation District offers voluntary and incentive-based programs to help the Skagit ecosystem recovery efforts and help landowners be stewards of the land. This habitat and streamside restoration is critical to recover and protect habitat in the face of climate change. ​