Tips, tricks, and a quick peek into the everyday life of the conservation district.
Hügelkultur is a German word that means hill or mound. In agriculture and gardening, it means no-dig raised beds constructed from decaying wood debris and other compostable biomass plant materials. They hold moisture, build fertility, maximize surface volume and are great spaces for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs.
Photo credit: www.richsoil.com
Read MoreWhen 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.
Here is a unique project to slow upland flow of materials using compost socks.
Read MoreWe recently completed a rain garden on at Bay View United Methodist Church in Mount Vernon just above Padilla Bay.
Read MorePhotos of the rain garden installation process at Whittier Elementary School in Everett by our Vet Crew this August.
Read MoreThe 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 MoreDo 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 MoreHere 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 MoreThe Vet Crew spent a few days removing a big section of pavement in Tacoma, WA.
Read MoreCam and Lois chatted with folks about our services and how they can take advantage of some of our programs, especially those geared for farms and rural properties.
Read MoreIf 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 More“The site has historically had issues with stormwater due to the abundance of Pacific Northwest rain. This is a great multi-benefit project. It helps Qualco remain at the cutting edge of lessening their environmental impacts and reduces their runoff to neighboring waterways. It helps provides clean water for fish, shellfish and other aquatic life.” - Brett de Vries, Farm Planner
Read MoreCheck out these great drawings students from Mrs. Hatcher's 4th-grade class at Maltby Elementary designed to thank Lily (Ms. Cason), our Youth Educator, for an awesome and impactful lesson. These students had just received the last of our two-part series, 4 Raindrops. To learn more about our Sound Education Program be sure to check out the Sound Education page for more information.
Read MoreSnohomish Conservation District hosted members of the Washington State Conservation Commission and other partners and elected officials on a tour of the area on Wednesday, January 18th. The tour is part of a two-day work session that the Commission holds quarterly for its ten-member board and commission staff around the state.
Read More2015 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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Snohomish Conservation District | 528 91st Ave NE, Lake Stevens, WA 98258 | 425-335-5634
