Climate Resilience Riparian Restoration Recording

Climate Resilience Riparian Restoration Recording

In December 2024, Snohomish Conservation District partnered with Puget Sound Conservation Districts, Department of Ecology, Conservation Commission, and Bonneville Environmental Foundation to host a workshop focused on restoration practices that encourage a more resilient ecosystem in the face of a changing climate.

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Seeing the Forest Through New Eyes: Connections Between Restoration Planning and Forestry

Seeing the Forest Through New Eyes: Connections Between Restoration Planning and Forestry

After two seasons of riparian restoration implementation, I transitioned into a role at Snohomish Conservation District that allowed me to plan and manage similar projects to improve habitat for salmon. Salmon are the bridge between our ecosystems. Traveling from oceans to estuaries, wetlands to streams, they cycle nutrients from the ocean back to the forest. They also hold immense cultural importance to Salish Sea tribes—to lose the salmon would be a loss of a way of life.

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Agroforestry Challenges (And 3 Reasons Why They’re Worth It)

Agroforestry Challenges (And 3 Reasons Why They’re Worth It)

Agroforestry can provide major benefits for farms—it also presents unique challenges. Unlike traditional monocultures, agroforestry requires farmers to understand the needs of multiple plants and how they interact with each other. It takes planning, adaptation, and patience to create a successful system. It also isn’t static. Many agroforestry practices incorporate trees that affect shade conditions as they grow. That means crops may need to shift over the years.

So why bother with all the trouble?

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Conservation in Action at “Farm, Fish, and Forest Field Day”

Conservation in Action at “Farm, Fish, and Forest Field Day”

Last week, we welcomed Snohomish County Council members Nate Nehring and Sam Low, Town of Darrington Mayor Dan Rankin, and Linda Neunzig, Snohomish County Agriculture Coordinator, on behalf of Executive Dave Somers, for a tour of three of our conservation projects throughout Snohomish County.

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Harvestable Riparian Buffers

Harvestable Riparian Buffers

Nick Pate, owner of Raising Cane Ranch in Snohomish, has incorporated several agroforestry practices on his farm. His food forest also serves as a harvestable, multi-functional, or working buffer. The trees and shrubs in the food forest essentially act as a second layer to his native forest riparian buffer, which borders the Snohomish River.

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Farm & Forest: Growing Agroforestry in Puget Sound

Farm & Forest: Growing Agroforestry in Puget Sound

Our resident agroforester Carrie Brausieck has been researching, implementing, and educating on agroforestry in the region for over half a decade, but it’s only been the past two years that agroforestry has become widely noticed.

“We’re the only organization in the state that has an agroforestry program and a person on staff with an agroforestry title,” Carrie said. “Our program is leading the way for this innovative land use within our county and throughout the state.” Read on to learn about the work we've been doing in agroforestry.

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Regional Foresters Surpass Goals of Pilot Program

Regional Foresters Surpass Goals of Pilot Program

We’re called the Evergreen State for a reason— more than half of Washington is forested. Small forest landowners can play a vital role as stewards of this critical resource and they now have access to education and technical assistance from professional foresters, thanks to the Regional Forestry Pilot Program.

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Native Plants for a Healthy Forest

Native Plants for a Healthy Forest

How do you manage your forest for both economic and ecological benefits? Snohomish Conservation District partnered with the Northwest Natural Resource Group to provide a comprehensive and hands-on day of learning about ecological forestry, a holistic system of forest management that encompasses the health of not just the trees, but the health and biodiversity of all aspects of the forest.

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Snohomish Conservation District Revitalizing Forestry Program With New Hire

Snohomish Conservation District Revitalizing Forestry Program With New Hire

Snohomish Conservation District (SCD) has hired a new forester, Stacey Dixon, to help small forest landowners navigate the challenges and opportunities associated with owning forested property.

Dixon assists forest landowners who want to improve their forest’s health, develop timber management plans, and nurture a diverse, healthy ecosystem on their land.

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