KCT Quarterly - Mid-2025 Update
Dear Friends of Kulshan Carbon Trust,
It’s been a busy and exciting season here at KCT, and while it’s been a while since our last newsletter, we’re thrilled to reconnect and share some big updates with you! Over the past several months, our team has been hard at work developing new initiatives, submitting multiple grant applications to expand our impact, and deepening partnerships that support regenerative land stewardship and carbon drawdown in Northwest Washington.
In this issue, we’re excited to debut our 2024 Annual Report, a reflection of the meaningful progress we’ve made together over the past year. You’ll also meet our new Executive Director, whose leadership and vision are already shaping the next chapter for KCT. Plus, we’re sharing important updates on our funding efforts and the latest on our ongoing projects—advancing natural climate solutions that restore ecosystems and build thriving communities.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Together, we’re making a difference.
With gratitude,
The KCT Outreach Team
Upcoming Events
KCT In Action
Russell Family Foundation Award: We are thrilled to announce that The Russell Family Foundation (TRFF) has awarded Kulshan Carbon Trust a generous $100,000 two-year grant. This funding strengthens our ability to advance natural climate solutions and support local communities. We deeply appreciate TRFF’s continued belief in our mission and their dedication to organizations navigating today’s funding challenges. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our work together!
Board Member Recruitment: Since the start of the year, Kulshan Carbon Trust has been working to expand our board with dedicated individuals who share our vision for natural climate solutions and community resilience. We are excited to have identified several highly qualified candidates and look forward to announcing our new board members soon.
Whatcom Farm Expo: On March 1st, Kulshan Carbon Trust had the opportunity to participate in the Whatcom Farm Expo, connecting with local farmers, land stewards, and community members. It was a fantastic event with great turnout, valuable conversations, and insights that will help shape our work. We’re grateful for the chance to engage with our community and share ideas for sustainable land stewardship!
Social Gathering: The team had a wonderful social gathering at Wander Brewing, reconnecting over good conversation and shared purpose. It was a refreshing reminder of the strong community that supports our mission, and a chance to unwind and celebrate the work we’re doing together.
Salish Current Article: We’re honored to be featured in the Salish Current’s recent article, “Environmental nonprofit aims to recoup after funding cut,” which highlights our innovative approach to sustaining natural climate solutions in Northwest Washington. The piece discusses our proposal for 'ecosystem service credits' as a means to continue our mission of carbon conservation and community resilience despite recent funding challenges. Read the full article here.
BioFi Conference: KCT collaborated with Korina Stark of Circular Spring to demonstrate an innovate recreational fire pit biochar kiln at the inaugural Bioregional Finance Conference in Seattle, WA. We met a bunch of wonderful people and truly enjoyed the opportunity. Big thanks to Josh and Brandon of Regenerate Cascadia for including us in the programming!
We’re Growing
Kulshan Carbon Trust is expanding, and we’re looking for passionate volunteers to help us grow! From community engagement to social media and event planning, we have exciting opportunities to get involved. Check out our volunteer roles on our agency page with the Volunteer Center of Whatcom and join us in advancing natural climate solutions!
Annual Report
2024 was a year of growth and impact for Kulshan Carbon Trust. From scaling up biochar field trials with local farmers to shaping wildfire resilience strategies and strengthening community partnerships, we made bold strides toward climate resilience and ecosystem regeneration.
Our Annual Report highlights key milestones, financial progress, and the inspiring collaborations that are building a thriving, climate-smart future in Northwest Washington. Explore the full report to see how community-led action is turning climate challenges into opportunities for renewal.
On the Horizon
National Association of Conservation District Funding: After making significant revisions to our project scope and budget, we at KCT remain optimistic about our proposal to the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). We’re hopeful that this opportunity will help advance our mission of collaborative carbon drawdown through natural climate solutions.
Community Wildfire Defense Grant: KCT is excited to be partnering with the Skagit and Whatcom Conservation Districts on a proposal to expand our Community Biochar Program, with potential funding from the U.S. Forest Service. If successful, this grant will support regional wildfire resilience and carbon sequestration efforts. Keep your fingers crossed!
Biochar Demonstration at Padilla Bay – June 11: Curious about biochar production in action? Join KCT and Skagit Conservation District for a live demonstration of the Ring of Fire biochar kiln at Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve on Wednesday, June 11. It's a great opportunity to learn more about biochar’s role in wildfire mitigation and soil health.
Feedstock Donations Welcome: Padilla Bay is accepting dry woody debris donations in preparation for the event. If you have material to contribute, please email us (contact@kulshancarbontrust.org) and we’ll connect you with the right team member
Recommended Reads
Reading
New soil mix that strips salmon-killing chemical out of runoff water being tested in Bellingham - Cascadia Daily
This ancient bit of ingenuity keeps carbon trapped for thousands of years - Grist
Compost and biochar could boost carbon sequestration by crushed rock - Phys.org
Is the Patriarchy Fueling Climate Change? - Second Nature
Chris Hayes on the attention economy - Volts
Kelpie Wilson’s Biochar Prepper Blog - Substack
Enhancing Integrity Standards in Carbon Markets - Climate Rising
How Washington State pioneered an ‘all hands, all lands’ wildfire prevention strategy - Grist
KCT Spotlight: Carrie Brausieck
We are thrilled to welcome Carrie Brausieck as the new Executive Director of Kulshan Carbon Trust! Carrie’s deep expertise in agroecological systems and her passion for integrating climate solutions with working landscapes perfectly align with KCT’s mission to conserve and sequester carbon while building thriving communities.
Her leadership brings new energy and vision to our work, and we’re excited to embark on this next chapter under her guidance. Together, we look forward to advancing innovative, land-based climate solutions across Northwest Washington.
Your Donation Matters
Your support helps our young nonprofit grow and makes a difference in helping us sustain our mission. Together, we can achieve more — thank you for standing with us!
You can make a one-time, quarterly, or annual tax-deductible donation using the link above. Our processor supports a variety of payment methods including Credit/Debit, Paypal, Venmo, & Apple Pay.
