News & Highlights

Four Candidates Running for Seat #2

King Conservation District is holding an election for Seat #2 on the Board of Supervisors. The following individuals are vying for the position:

• Kirstin Haugen
• Barbara Roessler
• Dominique Torgerson
• Tripp Williams

Native Plant Sale Almost Sold Out

KCD’s Plant Sale preorders opened November 15. In the first two months, just over 7,900 bundles of native plants were preordered, with many species selling out! Only nine species remain available including Beargrass, Grand Fir, Oso Berry, Red Elderberry, Shore Pine, Sitka Spruce, Vine Maple and Western Hemlock.

To help improve the pickup process at the Tukwila Community Center on March 12 and 13 and minimize customer waiting times, customers have selected a 1-hour pick-up time. If you forgot to select a time before making your purchase, we will reach out to you in a follow-up email to select an available slot. All Saturday pickup times are taken except 3-4pm, and Sunday has most pickup times still available after 11am.

If you have any questions about your order, please contact plantsale@kingcd.org.

Registration Now Open- NW Envirothon Competition

Washington State Envirothon is an annual environmental and natural resource competition for high school students organized by Washington Conservation Districts. Teams of students compete in five natural resource topic areas, engage with diverse environmental issues, and learn from natural resource professionals.

King Conservation District (KCD) is recruiting King County educators and high school students interested in participating in this year’s NW Regional competition. The 2022 Northwest Regional Envirothon competition will be held on March 24, 2022. Registration is now open for teams.

For more information, contact Rosie McGoldrick or 206-379-5258.

Soil Nutrient Testing Resumes

All soil samples submitted for nutrient testing in December were held until January and now will be processed.

Small Forest Webinars Offered January-April

South Sound Conservation Districts’ Forestry Education Series

There will be webinars throughout the winter January through April on the third Thursday of the month at 6:30pm. In May (date and location TBD) we will have a forest field day at a local family owned tree farm to look at all of the elements of stewardship forestry that we have discussed during the winter webinars. Participants will receive a Zoom link after registering and filling out a very short pre-webinar survey.

Country Living Expo and Cattlemen’s Winterschool

Friday, January 28 – Sunday, January 30
Online with 3 Days of Zoom Classes

Presented by the Livestock Master Foundation, WSU Skagit and Snohomish County Extension Livestock Advisor Program and the Cattlemen’s AssociationRegistration: Register here after reading class descriptions.

Registration Costs: $10 for Students and $55 for Adults

Contact the WSU Skagit County Extension Office at 360-428-4270 or countrylivingexpo@gmail.com

Growing Groceries Education Series

October 2021 - March 2022, Wednesdays, 7pm–9pm
Online via Zoom

You can grow fresh food in a healthier, more environmentally friendly way. The Growing Groceries Education Series classes are continuing through March 2022 and are designed to help you learn how to grow your own food.

Have to miss one? No problem! A link to an online recording will be sent to everyone registered along with links to resources and more! Take only the classes you want ($5 per class).

With an overall focus on limited space, resources, and challenges of western Washington weather and soils, the series of speakers and topics will help beginners and long time gardeners learn more about growing food using healthy and sustainable practices.

Find out more information at https://extension.wsu.edu/snohomish/garden/growinggroceries/ or https://mgfkc.org/education/growinggroceries

Cultivating Success:
Agricultural Entrepreneurship

Tuesday evenings, January 11 through March 29, 6:30pm-8:30 pm
Online via Zoom

WSU Snohomish County Extension and WSU Clark County Extension, in partnership with Snohomish Conservation District, will offer this course to help new and current farmers gain skills in business planning, risk management, and direct marketing.

The 12-week curriculum features a full line-up of speakers including business professionals, marketing specialists, and successful farm owners with a special emphasis on the financial, risk, and legal issues unique to farm-based businesses. Participants are guided in developing a business plan they can use to help finance and grow a new enterprise or expand an existing farm-based business.

Class size is limited and always fills quickly. Pre-paid registration is required. Cost: $200.

The strength of the Cultivating Success program lies with the network of speakers including farmers, business and marketing professionals, organizations, and others that provide farmer students with the expertise, real-world examples, and resources necessary to develop a successful farm enterprise.

Facilitators for the course include Bobbi Lindemulder, cattle rancher and District Operations Program Manager for the Snohomish Conservation District; Kate Ryan, grower and Agriculture Program Coordinator for WSU Snohomish County Extension; and Terry Koper, Small Acreage Program Coordinator for WSU Clark County Extension. Course sponsors include Snohomish Conservation District and Snohomish County Farm Bureau.

For more information on the course, contact Kate Ryan or Terry Koper.

Online Sustainable Yard Care Series in 2022

This winter, King County Wastewater Treatment Division is partnering with the Snohomish Conservation District to offer an online series of six live classes, and one pre-recorded class focused on creating a healthy, low-maintenance landscape. These classes will be geared towards those who are new to the concepts of sustainable yard care practices. Join one or all of these free classes.

Laying a Healthy Foundation:
The dirt on soil, compost, and mulch

Learn from soil professionals about the components of a robust soil system and how to make it work better for your landscape.

Landscaping with Native Plants:
Selecting plants for beauty and functionality

Saturday, January 15, 10am–11:30am

Lean how to choose the best native plants for your needs, and also techniques for planting, composting, and mulching that will help your landscape thrive.

Landscaping for Wildlife:
Creating habitat for beneficial animals and insects

Saturday, January 22, 10am–11:30am

Invite birds, butterflies, bees, frogs, and more with a landscape that welcomes local wildlife and gives them a safe space to thrive.

Living with Wildlife: Working with nature, not against it

Saturday, January 29, 10am–11:30am

Co-exist peacefully with your wild visitors. Here are some guidelines to set you up for success, and a range of options to avoid and address conflicts.

Sustainable Gardening:
Growing food with ease and minimal impact

Saturday, February 5, 10am–11:30am

Learn how growing food in your yard can be simple, inexpensive, and provide many other benefits for people and the planet with information and resources to get your garden going this spring.

Be a Good Water Steward:
Managing water and runoff on your property

Saturday, February 12, 10am–11:30am

Learn useful techniques and strategies to manage the rainwater that falls on your property with information on capturing roof runoff, building rain gardens, and how to minimize polluted runoff from your yard.

Managing Wildfire Risk Around Your Western Washington Home

Thursday, February 17, 6:30pm–7:30pm

Join Matthew Axe, KCD Wildfire and Forest Resiliency Coordinator for this free webinar for information on how you can protect your home and community from wildfire events. Participants will receive a Zoom link after registering and filling out a very short pre-webinar survey.

YMCA Earth Service Corps Environmental Symposium

Friday, March 25, 8:30am–1:30pm
Mary Gates Hall, University of Washington, Seattle

Proposals Due: Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Contact YESC Director Chelsey Wheeler for more information.

Understanding Soil Health

Tuesday, March 1, 6pm-7pm

Soils are a critical part of life, plant health and our ecosystem. Join us this spring for a free webinar to learn about the components of soil, how to monitor your soil health, and some best ways to manage different soil types.

Whether you are gardening, growing forage for livestock, or maintaining an orchard, understanding your soil is crucial to plant health. KCD Resource Planner experts will also share how to take and interpret soil tests. Improve your understanding of the soil on your property and set yourself up for success.