the heart of all of our work
The Sacred Earth Foundation Land Trust
The sacred earth foundation land trust serves two primary roles
Protect
Ensure permanent protection for a vital dryland watershed through acquisition of key parcels that are vulnerable to development or harm.
Steward
Use best available science, a holistic approach, and gentle feet on the ground to care for land, plants, and animals in a changing world.
Where is the Sacred Earth Foundation Land?
Rock Creek is the most important watershed in eastern Klickitat County; a vital habitat corridor between the Columbia River and the Simcoe Mountains.
Ekone is a bulwark of protection in the most heavily-developed stretch of the watershed.
Love maps?
Check out this Map Tour of Ekone’s growth since 1972!
Conservation
First, we protect the land.
In our corner of the world, land values make it most practical to own property outright. Unlike many land trusts, we don’t deal in conservation easements. We build respectful relationships with neighbors, watch for times of transition, and make every effort to purchase priority parcels when opportunity strikes.
From 160 acres in 1972, SEF has grown to nearly 1,300 acres today. We are laser-focused on the upper Rock Creek watershed, from Quartz Creek to Box Canyon Road, with an emphasis on the Ekone Creek subdrainage. This is the scope of our influence and the landscape we can care for with integrity.
A couple stories from past acquisitions:
Stewardship
Then, we care for the land.
A century+ of white settler colonization and the fire suppression, invasive species, livestock grazing, and timber harvest we brought has radically affected the ecosystem. And now climate change.
We employ intimate, hands-on, human-powered stewardship practices. We watch and listen closely. Every winter, we head to the woods to tend the trees. We thin, limb, and restore balance. And now, we put healthy fire back on the ground, for the health and resilience of this heavily fire-adapted ecosystem.
A few of our practices and accomplishments:
200 acres of fire-wise forestry completed by hand, involving hundreds of volunteers and providing a wildfire risk management model for the region
32 acres of low-intensity fire applied to the land
Management of highly-invasive knapweed, thistles, and medusahead grass
Prioritization of Oregon White Oak habitat in collaboration with East Cascades Oak Partnership
A few moments of beauty from the Land
Support the work of The Sacred Earth Foundation Land Trust
A donation to SEF’s Conservation Fund makes a large impact on this hidden gem of a watershed.
This intact habitat, refuge, classroom, and playground only exists because of people who gave generously to protect and hold it.
Gifts of $1000+ are recognized on a permanent installation near the white Eagle cemetery entryway, and planned estate gifts leave a legacy of intimate, human-powered conservation and partnership with this living earth.
