You may not know about the King County Conservation District (KCD), but it is very important for our county and needs your support.

For over 60 years, the district has helped farmers, foresters and other private landowners steward their resources and manage their lands. This partnership helps keep working lands economically productive and enhances our regional environment for everyone. For less than it costs a single adult to get into the Puyallup Fair, King County property owners support stream restoration, reforestation, community gardens, farm planning, farmers markets and a host of other efforts that protect the enviable quality of life that we all treasure and improve the health of Puget Sound.

I personally benefited by taking their Watershed Stewardship courses and their Forest Stewardship course. I use these, and other skills I have acquired, to volunteer restoring parks on Mercer Island. This benefits our wildlife habitat. You may have benefited by buying plants at their annual bare root native plant sale.

Today, the resources available to help private landowners steward their lands are uncertain. Some decision-makers don’t understand the role conservation districts play in protecting natural resources — some are even questioning whether conservation districts have a role to play at all. But, consider this: No other locally focused stewardship agency has the ability to directly assist private landowners, and private landowners control over 60 percent of the landscape in our county.

The Conservation District provides assistance to landowners to better manage their land for the environment like restoring salmon streams, controlling animal manure runoff and much more. The district is a vital part of protecting our natural environment and keeping working lands viable.

Please encourage our elected officials, local and county, to support the King County Conservation District and their work.

Rita Moore