County Council Helps Stabilize Funding for Conservation District - Approves Rates and Charges Update

The San Juan County Council approved the San Juan Islands Conservation District’s (SJICD) request to renew and increase its system of Rates and Charges after a public hearing on October 21, 2025 This decision marks an important investment in the future of conservation across the San Juan Islands.

Beginning in January 2026, property owners will see a $20 per year increase in their annual bill—from $5 to $25 per parcel—that will support the District in its efforts to continuously improve the soil, waterways, fish, wildlife, communities and economy of San Juan County. 

Why It Matters

Since 1947, SJICD has worked hand-in-hand with landowners, farmers, tribes, and community partners to implement conservation and restoration practices that support our economy and ecological systems. . From forest health and wildfire resilience projects to youth education programs and fish-bearing stream enhancements, our programs benefit the lands we love while fostering a stewardship ethic among county residents. 

Under the previous system of Rates and Charges, SJICD received roughly $88,000 annually—just 3.5% of a $2.5 million annual operating budget. The District is primarily grant-funded otherwise, at times maintaining thirty grants simultaneously with limited stable or discretionary funding for operating expenses. 

The approved increase will provide a vital source of stable, predictable funding that allows the District to continue delivering high-impact local programs, even as state and federal grants fluctuate.

Key programs that recently experienced funding cuts and threats include the Forest Health and Wildfire Resilience Program, experiencing a state budget cut of approximately $700,000 in fiscal year 2026; the Islands Conservation Corps which relies on the AmeriCorps program which was recently cut and then restored at the federal level; and the Youth Conservation Corps, which consistently struggles to receive enough grant funding each year and maintains a revenue deficit of approximately $80,000 per year. 

These programs are more than lines in a budget—they’re investments in the people and ecosystems that make San Juan County extraordinary.