Edmonds could be getting a ‘green’ makeover

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Edmonds could be getting a ‘green’ makeover

Thanks to a study funded by the Nature Conservancy and Boeing, the cities of Edmonds and Lynnwood may be getting a very ‘green’ makeover soon. The study conducted by Snohomish Conservation District, Forterra and Edmonds Community College, looked at the feasibility of incorporating Community-Based Stormwater Solutions on private and public land in the Perrinville Watershed– projects like rain gardens, planting trees along streets, and gardens in the right-of-way that reduce flooding and pollution in local waterways. 

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New Rain Barrel Winners

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A lucky Camano Island family won a painted rain barrel as part of a water-conserving technology lesson and Earth Day celebration for the students of Utsalady Elementary. This barrel doesn't have a design but is painted a neutral color. Would you like to paint your rain barrel? Instructions on painting your barrel, installing it, and caring for it over the seasons are found ove here >> [http://snohomishcd.org/rb-care].

Digging in and Learning at Discover Soils Field Day

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Farmers, producers, and ag technical advisors gathered together to dig in and learn about soils and nutrients at the May 3rd Discover Soils Field Day. Held in one of Natural Milk Dairy's fields, the group learned about how soil type and structure affect water-holding capacity, how to read soil test results, and what are the ideal conditions for spreading manure.

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Rain Barrel One-Day Sale

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Update: Apologies, our rain barrel supply for our May 20 one-day sale has sold out.

Thanks so much for your interest, we're so surprised by the number of pre-orders coming in! So we're a happy-sad mix of emotions to announce that the rain barrel supply for our May 20 one-day sale has sold out. Thanks again for your support and enthusiasm for our rain barrel program!  

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We're Looking for Feedback on our 2017 Work Plan

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We're Looking for Feedback on our 2017 Work Plan

Would you like to provide feedback on our 2017 work plan? Now's the chance, our 2017 work plan is open for comments and review from now until Monday, May 16 at noon. 

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Gratitude to our Boeing Rain Barrel Building Volunteers!

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We all know that Boeing is in the business of building high-quality planes. As it turns out they are also great rain barrel assemblers! Last Friday, April 15th Boeing partnered with Snohomish Conservation District, Mukilteo Elementary and Boy Scouts to turn a whole truckload of 55-gallon drums into rain barrels. In just over 2.5 hours they assembled 150! These barrels were taken to a public rain barrel sale on Camano Island, where 46 were sold to happy locals.  Those who bought rain barrels will be able to store and re-use roughly 2,530 gallons of water! St. Aidan's Episcopal Church and vicar Fr. Drew supported the sale by providing the venue, helping to promote, and assisting with set up. 

In addition to assembling rain barrels, Boeing Volunteers also laid mulch in the Mukilteo Elementary outdoor classroom and helped hand dig a rain garden. Young Boy Scout leaders, who were pivotal in the creation of the outdoor classroom, and teacher Sue Idso, gave volunteers a tour of the outdoor classroom – pointing out the habitat structures purposely built to provide a haven for urban wildlife while providing memorable outdoor science opportunities for elementary students. This year alone, over 90 classes have taken place in the Mukilteo outdoor classroom.

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 All in all, this group of Boeing employees and family members did an incredible job! District Community Engagement Manager, Kate Riley, couldn’t say enough good things about working with Boeing Company.

 “Boeing has been an incredible partner – from their active volunteerism and their commitment to supporting local environmental work, to their desire to address stormwater pollution at their factories by installing rain gardens.”

This year, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, Boeing provided $90,000 of funding to support Snohomish Conservation District and partners in implementing key conservation initiatives including rain garden demonstration projects in Edmonds and the regional Better Ground Campaign.  

The How and When of Pasture Renovation

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The How and When of Pasture Renovation

Western Washington and more specifically, Snohomish County, has an ideal climate for growing grass. One of the reasons for this is due to our temperate climate with plenty of rainfall. For example, the city of Snohomish averages 50 degrees Fahrenheit and has about 275 frost-free days per year. This is accompanied with about 35 inches of annual precipitation.

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Making Progress on Church Creek

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Making Progress on Church Creek

Improving watershed health takes everyone. It takes landowners of all types – urban, rural, farmers – coming together and figuring out how they can do their part to keep the watershed healthy for the near- and long-term. Since 2013, the Snohomish Conservation District has been working to accomplish exactly that in the Church Creek sub-basin, thanks to a grant.

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GoodBye Lawn - Hello Veggies, Eco-yards and Pollinators

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GoodBye Lawn - Hello Veggies, Eco-yards and Pollinators

But, is tearing up the lawn and planting vegetables the only way to reduce your environmental impact and provide for your family? Maybe you don’t even have a lawn to tear up. Many condo and apartment dwellers are taking classes on growing food in small spaces, in pots, on vertical supports or in neighborhood pea patches. Pea patches, or ‘recession gardens’, are so popular that in Long Beach, California, the waiting list for garden space has quadrupled for a 312-plot community garden.

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Yoga, Nature and Community at Ananda Farm

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Yoga, Nature and Community at Ananda Farm

Ananda* Farm is a 14-acre, community-owned yoga and permaculture farm on the south end of Camano Island. Their mission is to live simply and harmoniously with nature, and to provide basic needs for themselves and a growing community of friends. Yoga and meditation are the foundation of life at the farm. Ananda Farm represents a positive change for the Camano-Stanwood community, and reflects the diversity of clients the conservation district now serves. 

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Just Released: A Great New Series of Videos for our Sound Horsekeepers

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Just Released: A Great New Series of Videos for our Sound Horsekeepers

We partnered with Alayne Blickle, from Horses for Clean Water, to create this informative series of short videos on a range of essential horsekeeping topics. The best news? Each of the 9 videos is under 2 minutes long!

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The Grass is Growing: T-Sum 200 has been reached

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The Grass is Growing: T-Sum 200 has been reached

Soil temperature mirrors air temperature. So instead of putting a thermometer in the ground, you can use a formula called “T-Sum 200” to track soil temperatures indirectly and determine when grass will begin to grow.

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2015 Annual Report

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2015 Annual Report

2015 was another exciting and productive year here at the Snohomish Conservation District. We have enjoyed our opportunity to engage with such a diverse and committed set of landowners and partners. The accomplishments for 2015 are based upon and driven by the willingness of private landowners and managers to actively manage the natural resources they control. Additionally, the accomplishments for 2015 are significantly impacted via project collaborations with partners. We sincerely thank everyone that has made a positive contribution and impact on natural resource management this past year. 

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Capturing Rainwater, Curbing Soil Creep

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Capturing Rainwater, Curbing Soil Creep

It can’t be any fun to sit at your kitchen table and watch the soil on the hillside above your backyard slowly slide down and envelope your house and garage. Not only is it not fun, it can be stressful knowing the foundation of your house and garage are surely rotting from wet soil and the constant pressure of soil creeping downslope. 

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