Stemilt-Squilchuck Community Vision

The Stemilt-Squilchuck Watershed lies southwest of Wenatchee in the beautiful Cascade foothills. In 2007, 2,580 acres in the heart of the watershed were to be sold to a developer specializing in high-end resorts. To save this landscape, The Trust for Public Land (TPL), Chelan County, and the Stemilt Partnership — a broad coalition of local agriculture, wildlife, recreation, and conservation interests — worked together to assess the area’s importance to the community and the potential impact of new development in the upper watershed.

After 10 months of scientific analyses, research, and consultation with the community, TPL published the Stemilt-Squilchuck Community Vision, detailing how vital the land is to the region’s clean water, wildlife, and traditional recreation. The report not only reveals the importance of the land as an irreplaceable natural resource, but also gives the community an action plan that will help them save the land and preserve their way of life.