stewardship recipient - cowiche canyon conservancy - The Cowiche Canyon Conservancy (CCC) is a land-trust founded to preserve and manage local lands, promoting natural ecology, outdoor recreation, and education. Located in the west- ern canyon of the Yakima Valley, the conservancy features over 30 miles of trails and 5,000 acres of meadows, grasslands, and basalt cliffs. CCC is committed to protecting the natural shrub-steppe landscape of Eastern Washington and connecting local people to the land around them. Their backcountry trail system is accessible 365 days a year, allowing the community ample opportunity to explore. They offer a myriad of guided walks and lectures year round. Within the conservancy is an area known as Snow Mountain Ranch (SMR). The SMR contains 20 miles of hiking trails. In 2016, CCC ran a capital campaign to raise the funds to purchase the last privately held 200 acres within the SMR area. Building on several years of partnership with CCC, Roy Farms committed to a three-year pledge to make this possible. THE PEOPLE