What Cascadia Conservation District does

Cascadia Conservation District is a non-regulatory special purpose unit of local government in Washington State, headquartered in Wenatchee and serving all of Chelan County. Originally established in the 1940s under Washington's conservation district framework and previously known as the Chelan County Conservation District, the organization rebranded to Cascadia in the 2000s and expanded its service area in 2020 to include the cities of Chelan and Wenatchee. The district provides voluntary technical and financial assistance to landowners, communities, and schools for soil, water, forest, fish, and wildlife conservation, operating without enforcement authority and instead working cooperatively with stakeholders across the county, including communities such as Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Chelan, Manson, Entiat, and Lake Wenatchee.

The district's portfolio spans four core program areas: (1) environmental education, anchored by the nationally recognized Kids in the Creek program (launched 1993 on Icicle Creek) and Kids in the Snow, delivered through partnerships with local schools, AmeriCorps, and resource agencies; (2) wildfire preparedness and recovery, including free Wildfire Risk Home Assessments, the Firewise USA program, Community Wildfire Protection Planning (since 2003), chipping programs, free yard waste disposal events, and the Fuel Break and Forest Resilience Partnership RCPP; (3) farm and forest conservation, including Farm Conservation Planning, cost-share programs offering 50-100% reimbursement depending on practice type, Forest Health assistance, and Forest Conservation Planning; and (4) watershed planning, exemplified by the Entiat watershed plan that has driven 30+ years of continuous conservation implementation since the early 1990s. There is no proprietary technology platform; delivery is conducted through on-site visits, the Wenatchee office, school-based field days, and an extensive partner network.

The business model is hybrid grant-funded and publicly subsidized. Operating revenue derives from federal, state, and local government grants (NRCS, WADNR, USFS, DOE, Bureau of Reclamation, Chelan PUD, Washington State RCO) plus a public "rates and charges" system that provides sustainable county-wide funding, with a 2026 proposal pending community support. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The vast majority of services are provided at no cost to end users, with cost-share programs offering reimbursement-based pricing (50-100% depending on practice type) on a multi-year contract basis. Customers include individual agricultural and forest landowners, Chelan County communities, and high school students, with no proprietary technology, software product, or commercial revenue stream.

Name

Cascadia Conservation District

Legal name

Cascadia Conservation District

Website

https://cascadiacd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cascadia Conservation District is a Washington State special purpose unit of local government providing voluntary technical and financial assistance for soil, water, forest, fish, and wildlife conservation to landowners, communities, and schools across Chelan County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH), Forest Fire Management & Fuels Reduction Services (IMAMAAAH), Wildfire Risk Assessment, Prevention & Suppression Services (IMAMAJAG), Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ)

Keywords

• Conservation district services
• Watershed planning services
• Wildfire risk assessment
• Farm conservation planning
• Natural resource stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Wenatchee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants: Funded by grants from various federal, state, and local government agencies and organizations for conservation projects, watershed planning, education programs, and wildfire preparedness initiatives.
2. Rates and Charges System: Public funding system through rates and charges that provides sustainable funding for delivering conservation services county-wide. Currently seeking support for 2026 rates and charges proposal.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cascadia Conservation District is a non-regulatory conservation organization that delivers voluntary technical and financial assistance for soil, water, forest, fish, and wildlife conservation across Chelan County, Washington. Its core offerings include free farm and forest conservation planning, wildfire risk home assessments, cost-share reimbursement programs (50-100% of project costs), Community Wildfire Protection Planning, hands-on environmental education programs (Kids in the Creek, Kids in the Snow), the Firewise USA framework, chipping and yard-waste disposal events, and the Fuel Break and Forest Resilience Partnership.

Product overview

Cascadia Conservation District is a non-regulatory organization dedicated to natural resource stewardship in Chelan County, Washington. The organization offers a diverse portfolio of conservation programs and services organized around several core areas: (1) Education programs including Kids in the Creek, Kids in the Snow, and various Kids in the Creek station modules (Riparian Rx, What's in that H20? Quality and Quantity, Watershed Wonders); (2) Wildfire preparedness and recovery services including risk assessments, the Firewise program, Community Wildfire Protection Planning, chipping programs, and yard waste disposal events; (3) Farm and forest conservation including cost-share programs for farm conservation, forest health assistance, and forest conservation planning; and (4) The Fuel Break and Forest Resilience Partnership for Upper Wenatchee Valley landowners. The district serves all of Chelan County through partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kids in the Creek Hands-on, interactive field day experience for high school students investigating stream ecosystems through six stations covering water quality testing, macroinvertebrate collection, riparian ecosystem study, watershed simulation, and snow science. Delivered in partnership with AmeriCorps, USFS, and local schools.
• Kids in the Snow Winter education program where students join at Squilchuck State Park or other local locations for a day of snowshoeing and snow science activities, based on SnowSchool by Winter Wildlands Alliance.
• Wildfire Risk Assessment Free wildfire risk home assessments conducted by trained Cascadia Conservation District representatives to help property owners identify vulnerabilities and decrease vulnerability to wildfire. Available at no cost to residents in local fire districts and, by Cascadia staff, to properties outside these districts.
• Cost Share - Farm Conservation Cost-share opportunities for agricultural landowners to install conservation practices including irrigation efficiencies (up to 60%), soil health, wildlife habitat, livestock management (up to 50%), forest health (up to 80%), and riparian restoration (up to 100%). Maximum reimbursement via check approximately 30 days after project closes.
• Forest Conservation Planning Free site visits and expert advice on natural resource concerns including wildfire resilience, tree planting/thinning prescriptions, wildlife habitat improvement, and development of Forest Stewardship Plans for forest landowners.
• Forest Health Forest health assistance program providing technical guidance and financial assistance for treatments like thinning, pruning, brushing, and woody debris management to increase forest resilience to drought, insects, disease, and wildfire. Includes Forest Health Assistance with site visits, advice, and connections to funding programs.
• Community Wildfire Protection Planning (CWPP) Development of Community Wildfire Protection Plans for Chelan County communities to address wildfire response, hazard mitigation, community preparedness, and structure protection. Plans have been developed or amended for Lake Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Manson, Monitor to Peshastin, Peshastin Creek Drainage, Ponderosa, South Shore Lake Chelan, Squilchuck Valley, Stehekin, and Union Valley.
• Chipping Program Vegetation debris chipping service to assist homeowners in creating defensible space, typically operating in spring and fall with materials limited to 10 cubic yards per landowner. Free for residents of Chelan County through fire district partnerships.
• FREE Yard Waste Disposal Events Partnership events throughout Chelan County for disposing of yard debris and brush to reduce backyard burning and seasonal smoke, accepting trees, limbs, leaves, pine needles, and shrubs.
• Fuel Break and Forest Resilience Partnership Technical and financial assistance for forest health and wildfire resilience projects on private lands in the Upper Wenatchee Valley through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), in partnership with NRCS and Chelan PUD.
• Cost Share - Wildfire Preparedness and Recovery Cost-share program offering free fire-risk overviews and financial assistance for home and property wildfire preparedness and recovery projects.
• Firewise National Firewise USA program providing a collaborative framework to help neighbors organize and take action to increase ignition resistance of homes and reduce wildfire risks.
• Farm Conservation Planning Free service to all agricultural landowners looking to apply for financial assistance programs, providing farm conservation planning support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ years of conservation implementation driven by Entiat watershed plan
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AmeriCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Kids in the Creek program, providing volunteers and support for the hands-on environmental education program for high school students.
• Chelan County Natural Resources DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in Kids in the Creek program and various conservation initiatives throughout Chelan County.
• City of Wenatchee, WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner in Kids in the Creek program and community conservation efforts.
• United States Forest Service / Okanogan-Wenatchee National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partner in watershed planning, fish habitat restoration, and Kids in the Creek education program with staff involvement as resource specialists.
• United States Fish & Wildlife Service / Washington State Fish & Wildlife OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in salmon recovery, fish habitat restoration, and education programs including Leavenworth and Entiat National Fish Hatcheries involvement.
• Washington State Department of EcologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial funder of water quality monitoring that led to Kids in the Creek program. Ongoing partner in watershed planning and water quality initiatives.
• Cascade FisheriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Kids in the Creek program providing expertise in fisheries and aquatic ecosystem education.
• Trout Unlimited - Washington WaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in salmon recovery and watershed education programs.
• Yakama Nation FisheriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in salmon recovery efforts and watershed education.
• Chelan County PUDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Kids in the Creek program and fuel break initiatives near PUD infrastructure.
• US Bureau of ReclamationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder of Kids in the Creek program supporting water conservation education.
• South Douglas Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner/supporter of Kids in the Creek program.
• Washington State Recreation & Conservation OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder of Kids in the Creek program.
• Cascade Quality WaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporter of Kids in the Creek program.
• StarbucksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporter of Kids in the Creek program.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing federal partner in farm planning, watershed planning (Entiat), stream gage installation, and forest health programs. Partner in Fuel Break and Forest Resilience Partnership RCPP.
• Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WADNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in wildfire preparedness, Forest Health programs, Firewise USA initiatives, and Community Wildfire Protection Planning since 2003.
• Chumstick Wildfire Stewardship CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in wildfire preparedness, post-fire recovery resources, and community resilience programs.
• Okanogan Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as resource partner for post-fire recovery information following Carlton Complex Fire.
• Chelan PUDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fuel Break and Forest Resilience Partnership Program, with focus on land near PUD infrastructure in Upper Wenatchee Valley.
• Chelan County Fire District 7coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal fire district partner providing free Wildfire Risk Home Assessments for residents in the Chelan area.
• Leavenworth Fire District 3coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal fire district partner providing home assessments and chipping programs for Leavenworth area residents.
• Manson Fire District 5coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal fire district partner providing free Wildfire Risk Home Assessments for Manson area residents.
• Lake Wenatchee Fire & RescuecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal fire district partner providing assessments, chipping programs, free address signs and smoke alarms for Lake Wenatchee/Plain/Cole's Corner area.
• Wenatchee Valley Fire DepartmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal fire department partner providing wildfire risk assessments and free chipping for Wenatchee/Sunnyslope/East Wenatchee residents.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• King Conservation District: Washington conservation district operating the same rates-and-charges funding model under state law; comparable mix of farm planning, forest health, habitat, and education programs but in a more urban-adjacent service area.
• Snohomish Conservation District: Washington conservation district offering the same farm conservation planning, forest stewardship, salmon recovery, and education programs as Cascadia, also funded through rates and charges.
• Whatcom Conservation District: Washington conservation district with comparable programs in farm planning, forest health, water quality, and youth education; serves Whatcom County under the same state conservation district statute.
• South Douglas Conservation District: Washington conservation district listed as a partner/supporter of Cascadia's Kids in the Creek; delivers near-identical cost-share, planning, and education services to Douglas County landowners.
• Chelan-Douglas Land Trust: Regional land trust operating in the same Chelan and Douglas counties; pursues related conservation outcomes (habitat, working lands, salmon) but via land acquisition and easements rather than voluntary technical assistance.
• Okanogan Conservation District: Neighboring Washington conservation district referenced in Cascadia's post-fire recovery work; offers the same suite of voluntary farm, forest, and fire services to Okanogan County landowners under the same state statutory framework.

Broad incumbents

• Trout Unlimited: National coldwater conservation nonprofit working on salmon recovery and watershed restoration; listed as a Cascadia partner and pursues overlapping riparian and fish-habitat outcomes at broader geographic scale.
• The Nature Conservancy (Washington): Global environmental nonprofit with significant Washington presence pursuing forest, freshwater, and climate goals; overlaps with Cascadia on watershed and habitat outcomes but operates at much larger scale with different funding model.

Others

• Washington State Conservation Commission: State agency that charters and funds Washington's 45 conservation districts including Cascadia; sets program standards, distributes capacity grants, and oversees the rates-and-charges mechanism.
• National Association of Conservation Districts: National umbrella organization representing the U.S. conservation district network; provides policy advocacy, training, and program frameworks that Cascadia operates within.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHKV21a0xt6zGEq6em5VOBg
• Facebookfacebook.com/CascadiaCD
• Instagraminstagram.com/cascadiacd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cascadia-conservation-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cascadia Conservation District