Tips, tricks, and a quick peek into the everyday life of the conservation district.
One spring evening at dusk, Carrie O’Keefe and two of her neighbors carried a large dog kennel deep into the woods of her 10-acre property in Snohomish. They removed the sheet covering the enclosure, tapped gently on the top, and watched the great horned owl inside fly off.
Read MoreOur 8th Annual Orca Recovery Day was held on Saturday, October 18. Over 50 volunteers joined us at Puget Sound Public Farms at Ovenell Park in Stanwood to plant 200 native trees and shrubs and remove invasive Evergreen Blackberry.
Read MoreThe Snohomish Conservation District is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the Sound Steward Awards. These outstanding individuals and organizations are leading the way in conservation, demonstrating passion, innovation, and a deep commitment to protecting our natural resources. We celebrate their efforts and hope their stories spark inspiration for positive change in your own corner of the world.
Read MoreWoods Creek is one of the highest priority watersheds for salmon recovery in Snohomish County, but salmon runs have been declining. High water temperatures, lots of fine sediment, and a lack of large woody debris in the creek are threatening the salmon populations.
Read MoreWaterproof waders. Neoprene boots. White and yellow hard hats. Sturdy gloves. These are some of the items you might see our Washington Conservation Corps members wearing as they support the District’s restoration programs.
Read MoreIn 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.
Read MoreOn Saturday, October 19, we celebrated Orca Recovery Day at beautiful Skykomish River Park. Volunteers of all ages put in the work to install over 75 native plants at the park. These trees and shrubs will help filter stormwater and improve the water quality of the nearby Skykomish River.
Read MoreOur Southern Resident orcas survive primarily on one food source: Chinook salmon. When we think about protecting the health of orcas, one of the most important factors is keeping this food source plentiful for them. Unfortunately, Chinook populations have diminished greatly since the 20th century, leaving Southern Resident orcas searching for food.
Read MoreIn the not too distant past, indigenous people cultivated openings within surrounding forests. They fostered dappled canopies of fruit and nut trees, sun-loving and shade-tolerant shrubs rich with berries, and medicinal and edible plants, roots, and fungi.
Read MoreBeavers can construct dams that can flood yards and homes, block culverts, and damage trees as they forage for food and building supplies. Yet despite these challenges, there are many ways for property owners to peacefully coexist with beavers and benefit from their presence.
Read MoreThe life cycle success of a salmon depends directly on the water quality of our streams and rivers. They thrive in cold, clean, and clear water. However, in locations along French Creek, which feeds into the Snohomish River, the water is often warmer than it should be for salmon and other fish, particularly during the summer.
Read MoreThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a new grant award aimed at supporting climate resiliency projects in Washington State, funded through the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
Read MoreThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is recommending over $200 million in funding for 32 transformational habitat restoration and coastal resilience projects this year, as well as an additional $66 million in funding in future years.
Read MoreHighway 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 MoreOur 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 MoreIn 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 MoreBiocultural 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 MoreAs 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.
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 MoreWhen 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 More
Snohomish Conservation District | 528 91st Ave NE, Lake Stevens, WA 98258 | 425-335-5634
