What's the Buzz About Bumblebees?
/
There are nearly 50 species of Bumble Bees in North America, many of which are suffering population declines, but there are actions you can take to help.
Read More
The Power of Interdependence at Bow Hill Blueberries
/
Bow Hill Blueberries co-owner, Ezra Ranz, can list off several benefits of planting a Wet Feet Farming buffer along the slough bordering the farm, but there’s one reason that rises above the rest.
“It’s all for the Bumble Bees,” said Ezra. And he does mean Bumble Bees specifically.
Spring Rain: Keeping it Clean for our Salmon
/
April showers might bring May flowers, but they can also carry lots of pollution in rainwater runoff, which can harm local salmon. We’re thankful for rainy weather because it nourishes plant life and provides us with water to store for the drier summer months. Luckily, we can take action to keep our water clean and our fish healthy.
Read MoreHomes & Habitat Across the Region
/
If you’re an urban resident, it might be hard to believe you can still provide important habitat for wildlife. And if you live in a rural area, the thought of adding plants when you’re surrounded by forest may feel redundant.
Read MoreManaging Manure in New Ways
/
Manure is a constant presence on farms with livestock. Appropriate storage and management of manure allows it to retain the nutrients that make it such an excellent soil amendment. Proper storage also minimizes the risk that those nutrients will end up polluting our local streams, lakes, or well water.
Read MoreUnraveling Knotweed in the Lower Skykomish
/
Highway 2 follows the braids and bends of one of Washington’s most scenic rivers, the Skykomish. This river isn’t just beautiful, the Lower Skykomish River Reach contains some of the best habitat in the Snohomish River Basin for Chinook and other salmonids.
Read MoreChipping In for Healthy Air
/
Our region is facing increasingly dry and hot summers. While the warm weather is often a welcome break from the rain, it also increases wildfire risk, especially for communities in urban-wildland interface areas.
Read MoreCultivating Clean Water in Eagle Creek
/
In recent years, the salmon are no longer swimming in Eagle Creek. Laura cites the absence of salmon runs as the main reason why she became interested in hosting a habitat restoration project on her property, which Snohomish Conservation District is now spearheading.
Read MoreWorking Together for Clean Water in Edmonds
/
Keeping stormwater clean in urban spaces isn’t easy. When rain hits the ground and travels across surfaces like streets and parking lots, it picks up pollutants along the way before heading down a storm drain and into our waterways. But there are nature-based solutions, commonly referred to as Green Stormwater Infrastructure, that collect, slow, and filter stormwater.
Read MoreOn Track to Healthy Pastures
/
Many Snohomish County and Camano Island residents have horses, but not all are aware of the effects these equine companions can have on our environment. Horses can overgraze their pastures and compact the soils, and if manure isn't managed properly it can contribute to water pollution.
Read MoreEnlisting Insects for Soil Health
/
I’ve always struggled to love insects. And I’ll admit, I am judging a book by its cover: their shiny carapaces, their eerie antennae, and their chaotic movements all give me a case of the heebie jeebies. Yet, after reading Farming with Soil Life: A Handbook for Supporting Soil Invertebrates and Soil Health on Farms, I’m finding a new appreciation for these creepy crawlies (and other soil life too!)
Read MoreThe Biggest Northwest Regional Envirothon Competition Yet!
/
On March 19, high school teams from around Northwest Washington gathered at the Brightwater Environmental Education and Community Center in Woodinville to compete in the 2024 Northwest Regional Envirothon competition.
Read MoreComposting for Soil Health
/
In some ways, applying compost is similar to putting money into a savings account or emergency fund— the benefits are longer-term and create resilient soils that respond better to extreme events like drought.
Read More2024 Youth Art Contest Winners & People's Choice
/
Thank you to everyone who submitted a masterpiece to this year’s Art Contest! We were amazed to see all of your creative demonstrations of amphibians.
Read MorePractice Highlight: Biocultural Restoration
/
Biocultural restoration is the science and practice of restoring ecosystems, including the human and cultural relationships within those ecosystems. It is based on the concept that humans and nature are intimately linked, and that each can have a positive impact on the health of the other.
Read MoreReciprocal Relationship: Restoring & Receiving on the Skykomish
/
As a Restoration Ecologist, Paul Cereghino recognizes the enormity of the challenge we’re facing in our region.
“If you think about every river and stream, every wetland, all the forested buffers, it's over 1,000,000 acres of land across the lowland Salish Sea. A lot of this landbase is degraded and needs restoration,” Paul explains.
39th Annual Plant Sale Is A Wrap
/
Yes, you read the title correctly. We’ve done almost 40 years of plant sales, and 2024 was the best one yet! If you ordered this year, you were part of almost 2,000 people that… wait for it…. ordered 55,000 plants!
Read MoreWhat Can Living with Beavers Look Like?
/
When Ken Coman first spotted a beaver along the stream on his property outside of Snohomish, his first reaction wasn’t concern, it was curiosity. He started doing some reading about the ecological benefits that beavers provide and decided that his goal wasn’t to get rid of them, but to welcome them instead.
Read MoreGet Grounded: Dig into the Life of Soil
/
Soil is teeming with life. With advances in technology, we, the ever-curious above-ground experimenters, are slowly unearthing how these various tiny creatures interact with each other and their environment. Learning how to manage this complex soil ecosystem can feel daunting, especially in the face of environmental extremes and changes, but many people are having success by focusing on soil health.
Read MoreBountiful Buffers Farming Highlight
/
Bountiful Buffers (sometimes referred to as working buffers or harvestable riparian buffers) combine multiple agroforestry practices to create a riparian buffer that achieves ecological benefits while also producing food, medicine, or materials.
Read More