New Year, New WCC Crew
/Get to know our 2017-2018 Washington Conservation Corps crew!
Read MoreA Triple-Duty Rain Garden on Camano Island
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This Camano Island rain garden is doing triple duty, filtering water from three different sources: rainwater from the sky, runoff from the roof, and surface water from the uphill slope.
Read MoreEverett Rain Garden Class of 2017
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Here are another six completed rain gardens in the City of Everett. Want one for your property? Contact the City of Everett and inquire about their rain garden rebate program.
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WCC Crew Sighting in Monroe
/When the Washington Conservation Corps crew starts their contract year, they get right to work. And, mind you, they often get more done in a day than a normal person or household gets done in a month!
Their first project this year was to return to the Department of Ecology grant location off of Highway 2 near the Arco Station near Monroe to do some needed maintenance.
From the returning crew lead, Ali Trout, "We spent the last two days pulling night shade at the Monroe Wetlands site. The night shade mono-culture area is supposed to be a branch of the creek, but it has been so choked out by the night shade, that the creek doesn’t really exist anymore. The water just slowly trickled through the night shade mat. We cleared 2,600 sq ft so far and about 21 cubic yards for volume."
Yeah. We're glad they're back to work.
Keep watching the site for official photos of the 2017/2018 crew.
Protecting Padilla Bay - Phase Two - Regrade
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Here is a unique project to slow upland flow of materials using compost socks.
Read MoreProtecting Padilla Bay - Phase One - Rain Garden
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We recently completed a rain garden on at Bay View United Methodist Church in Mount Vernon just above Padilla Bay.
Read MoreA Big Thank You to the 2016/2017 WCC Crew
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Grateful for a sunny day to have a potluck outside!
Last week we thanked and celebrated the 2016/2017 WCC crew who helped us plant 23,000 native trees/shrubs, restored 24 acres, maintained 65 acres, and assisted with two events.
They thanked us for being good partners with this super cool wood carving, which now lives in our front office. Thanks to everyone for a successful year!
Whittier Elementary Rain Garden
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Photos of the rain garden installation process at Whittier Elementary School in Everett by our Vet Crew this August.
Read MoreWashington Stormwater Center
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The Washington Stormwater Center conducts research including 16 experimental rain gardens. Each garden tests the effects of different soil, vegetation, and other factors that help filter rainwater and stormwater. Earlier this summer, the center concluded that the water was draining too quickly from the rain gardens, thereby losing all the filtration benefits of the special imported rain garden soil.
Read MorePrivate, Public and District Partnership Built to Solve Local Water Runoff Issue
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Do you have a water issue in your yard? It might be worth a phone call to us to see about what programs may be available and possible cost share to manage those issues.
Read MoreVet Crew Sighting Plus Volunteers at Holy Rosary (Part Two)
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Here are more photos of the hard work being done by the Vet Crew, other staff and volunteers at the depave project in Pierce County.
Read MoreVet Crew Sighting at Holy Rosary in Tacoma -Depave Project (Part One)
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The Vet Crew spent a few days removing a big section of pavement in Tacoma, WA.
Read MoreYou Can Learn a Lot on Your Commute Home
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If you live in Monroe, and commute to I-5 and places beyond, you may see an Arco station along your route on the north side of Highway 2. Next to that Arco station are 8 acres of wetlands that the Snohomish Conservation District is helping to restore through a Department of Ecology grant. It is a unique opportunity to be so close to a major roadway making it highly visible. The hope is that this project site will promote public education, a sense of stewardship and a personal connection to the watershed.
Read MoreVet Crew Sighting in Monroe
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Recently, our crew was out in Monroe mowing and cutting back the Reed Canarygrass, which is a non-native invasive freshwater plant.
Read MoreOur Neighborhood Approach
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Our neighborhoods are perfect petri dishes for change - new homebuyers are continually moving in, many of our older homes are in need of upgrades, and as curious humans we love to see ‘what the neighbors are doing’.
Read MoreLast Day Planting for Our WCC Crew
/The WCC crew wrapped up their planting season on April 27th! A total of 23,976 plants were installed on 24 acres! The plantings occurred on 14 properties from November to April.
Vet Crew Sighting: Pilchuck Learning Center
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Location: Pilchuck Learning Center
Crew Activity: Cutting Willow Stakes
Date: 3/20/17
Of Note: We saw some beaver and looked at a few beaver dams. The stakes will be used for planting other restoration sites.
3 Crew Sighting at Riparian Planting near Arlington
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Location: West of Arlington
Activity: Plant a 6.5-acre riparian buffer. The stream on the property is a tributary to Pilchuck Creek and has been a documented spawning stream for Coho. A new channel was dug this past summer to increase salmon survival as they migrate upstream, and a buffer planting is typically done to keep water temperature low and dissolved oxygen levels high.
Date: Thursday, February 23
Of Note: This was a rare 3-crew sighting! While this planting has been an ongoing project for the last several months; on Thursday, our WCC crew got some help from the City of Arlington's WCC crew* and our new Veterans Conservation Corps (VCC) crew. The VCC crew is a brand new crew of U.S. military veterans that we created in partnership with the Veterans Conservation Corps. This crew, of 4 veterans, has broad backgrounds covering several decades of military service. Stay tuned for more information and features with this crew- they will primarily focus on executing the construction of rain gardens and other stormwater related projects.
* Normally contracted with the City of Arlington as part of an agreement with the City and the Washington Department of Natural Resources to help cross-trained WCC crew members.
Now Hiring for Upcoming WCC Crew Season + New IP position
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Are you an 18 to 25-year-old (or know one) who wants to gain valuable experience while earning a paycheck and an AmeriCorps education reward? Check out these newly listed positions!
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