Our Projects

Current project - February, 2008

Grant Announcement !! Our Watershed Enhancement Committee (WEC), sponsored by Lummi Island Community Land Trust, has been awarded a grant of $48,971.00 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board's Community Salmon Fund. The grant funds are for our "Lummi Island Ferry Landing Shoreline Enhancement and Nearshore Assessment Project" which proposes to enhance the marine nearshore habitats along Lummi Island's ferry landing and 1000 ft. of shoreline to the North.

* The project's goals are: to evaluate and identify potential public uses; restoration and water quality enhancement activities; to install native plants to restore and/or enhance buffer areas along the shoreline; to provide opportunities for community volunteers to take part and understand the importance of marine near shore processes, and to monitor the project's outcomes.

* We have pledged to raise matching funds of $28,361.00 for this project from nonfederal funds and/or in kind donations or services, for a total project cost of $77,329.00. We can earn $18.00 (toward this match) for every hour volunteered and even more for professional services or donations.

* I will act as the project lead coordinating this grant-funded project with involvement from Lummi Island Community Volunteers and administrative support from Lummi Island Community Land Trust. We are also getting help from Whatcom County, Watershed Masters/Beach Watcher Volunteers and others.

This is a very ambitious project and we will need help from our community to make it happen. I think this is a great opportunity for our community to do something positive with each other and for our Island.

* Brief overview: We have organized a team of consultants for the first phase of geological and biological assessments, baseline studies and for identifying possibilities for the scope of the project and for permitting assistance. Sometime in mid May, we will discuss these options with stake holders (Landowners in the area and Whatcom County Public Works, etc.) and amend our options accordingly to any concerns or wishes. Toward the end of May, we will hold a community wide meeting with our consultants presenting our findings and project options. With our community's feedback on the scope of the project, we will adjust accordingly and make some restoration/enhancement plans. Next, we will get our plans into permitting and hopefully be able to do some on-the-ground work this summer and early fall and start planting sometime late fall of this year. We are on a tight time line because we will have to use our grant funds by 12/31/08. We are working on a list of volunteer jobs and recruiting volunteers to be involved with this fun and exciting project.

Let me know if you would like more information, have any thoughts or ideas you would like to share, or would like to be put on our volunteer list.

Contact: Wanda Cucinotta (WEC Chair and Watershed Master/Beach Watcher Volunteer) at: wanda@lummiislandclt.org or call the LICLT office at 360-758-9925.

March, 2008 Update:

We have been busy working on our "Lummi Island Ferry Landing Shoreline Enhancement and Nearshore Assessment Project." Made possible from, our grant of $48,971.00 from The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board's Community Salmon Fund.

* Our project team consists of myself, Chris Fairbanks (biological assessments), Jim Johannessen (geological assessments and help with engineering designs) and Ken Carrasco (volunteer training and help with monitoring plans).

* We applied for an ALEA grant for $17,000 to include water quality monitoring, forage fish assessments and a couple mut-mit stations (bags for doggy doo), educational and public boundary signs etc.. Wish us luck!!

* We still need to come up with matching funds or in-kind donations of $28,361.00. So...we need help from our community to make it happen. It's a great opportunity to do something positive with each other and for our Island. Please call or email me to get on our list.

* On May 31 at 6:30 PM at the Grange Hall, we will hold a community slide show presentation so our consultants can share their findings and present options for our project.

* In September, The Shore Stewards program will help us put on a fun workshop: Forage Fish and beach walk with Dan Penttila, the forage fish Guru, from WA St. Fish and Wildlife.

Let me know if you would like more information, have any thoughts or ideas you would like to share, or to be put on our volunteer list.

April, 2008 Update:

We have been busy working on our "Lummi Island Ferry Landing Shoreline Enhancement and Nearshore Assessment Project" thanks to the grant we received from NF&WF and WSSRFB-CSF.

This month Chris Fairbanks will be conducting biological assessments and Jim Johannessen will be doing geological assessments and engineering designs for the area around the ferry landing and the shoreline area to the North. Thank you to Jim Johannessen for donating $750 off his fees towards our matching funds.

We have raised around $4,360 of our matching funds or in-kind donations to date. There are many ways our community can help us raise the additional $24,000.00. We are happy to accept monitory donations! Thank you to all that have sent in cash donations for our project. You can also contribute $18 per hour of in-kind dollars when you volunteer for our project. Or if you volunteer your professional services, we can get your going rate. It's a great opportunity to do something positive with each other and for our Island.

Save this date: May 31 at 6:30 PM at the Grange Hall, we will hold a community slide show presentation about our project. Our consultants will share their findings and present shoreline enhancement options for us.

Please call or email your address to get WEC updates. Let me know if: you would like more information, have any thoughts or ideas you would like to share, or to be put on our volunteer list. Wanda Cucinotta ,758-2272, forestflor@aol.com or the LICLT office at 758-9925.

May, 2008 update:
Please Join Us For A Community Presentation on:
Our Lummi Island Ferry Landing Nearshore Enhancement Project.

Participants will learn about and have the opportunity to comment on our $50,000 National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Grant funded Project.

When: 6:30pm, Saturday, May 31st
At The Lummi Island Grange Hall

Quest speakers: Biologist, Chris Fairbanks & Geological Engineer, Jim Johannessen & other guests will discuss historic & geological changes, & important nearshore habitat functions around the ferry dock & the shoreline to the North.They will also present their shoreline enhancement recommendations for us to consider & answer our questions.

Brought to you by: Lummi Island Watershed Enhancement Committee
And your Lummi Island Community Land Trust For more information
Contact Wanda Cucinotta (WEC Chair) 758-2272 or forestflor@aol.com
or the LICLT Office at 758-9925
Hope you can make it.
This is your chance to get involved in the decision making process!

Future Projects

Possible future projects include: securing the land and/or buildings for a community/transportation center or an eldercare facility; support for island cottage industries; securing land to be used for agriculture; purchase and renovation of existing buildings for affordable housing or small businesses.

Completed Projects: Cedrus Cooperative

In March of 2005, LICLT completed its first affordable housing project — Cedrus. On a five-acre lot, we built nine clustered homes. Each homeowner participated in building their own home to lower their down payment and create a sense of true homeownership. With four years of planning and nearly two years of building, this project is a dream realized for the dozens of people involved in creating this beautiful development. (Photo shows the Cedrus neighborhood at the time of the Grand Opening, June 2005.)

Also on the five acres, safely distanced by a 100 ft. buffer from all of the homes, is a protected wetlands. LICLT was simultaneously able to provide nine brand-new affordable homes while ensuring a delicate ecosystem would be permanently protected from development or pollution. A complex and sophisticated drainage system was designed and implemented on-site to ensure the wetlands and its native plants and animals would remain unblemished. Homeowners were educated on stewardship, and long-term safeguards are in place to guarantee the safety of the land for generations.

Click here to read more about the Cedrus Cooperative, including Frequently Asked Questions.

Suggestions?

Do you have a project you feel fits in with our mission? If so, we’d love to hear about it! Our goal is to serve the community, and the best way we can do that is if the community tells us what it wants. Please email your suggestion along with any details you can. We're looking forward to hearing from you!