Category Archives: Archive

Our 2016 Native Plant Sale

Thank you for supporting our 2016 Native Plant Sale! The plant sale pickup day went very well: a nice break in the recent rainy weather, and more than 10,000 native plants were sent on their way to new homes in and around the District, which will help restore native habitat, lower outdoor water usage and support beneficial wildlife. We also want to thank our amazing volunteers for helping us put together customer orders and distribute them on Saturday! Our Plant Sale would not have been possible without your efforts.

If you are looking for more native plants, or were not able to order all the plants you wanted, please see our Local Sources of Native Plants page. There are many great retail locations that offer native plants, and several other nearby native plant sales coming soon!

If you were not able to pick up your plants on Saturday or did not receive some of the plants you ordered, we will process a refund or partial refund for your order this week. You can email Alex Woolery, our Marketing and Media Manager, or call him at (503) 935-5367, if you have any questions about your order.

We are hiring! Rural Conservation Technician position

EMSWCD office

Update: the application period for this position ended on January 5th, 2016. Thank you for your interest!

We are excited to announce that we are hiring for a Rural Conservation Technician! This position provides on-site technical assistance to rural landowners on a wide range of conservation practices and methods, with the goal of reducing the potential loss of natural resources to soil erosion and water pollution.

The position is being offered at three levels and salary ranges, depending on experience: Conservation Technician, Conservation Specialist and Senior Conservationist.

Learn more about the position here.

NRCS Local Working Group Meeting December 15th

crops of corn and blueberries

Calling all rural property owners and land managers! Are you interested in getting money to improve water quality, build soil fertility, control erosion, manage livestock, protect forestlands, remove invasive species and otherwise protect natural resources? Join our local Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) agent, Kim Galland, for an informal talk on how to apply for cost share funding and help direct future funding.

  • When: 6:30 pm, December 15th
  • Where: The Columbia Grange in Corbett, OR.
    (37493 Grange Hall Road, Corbett OR 97019)
  • What: Information on funding natural resource management on your property. Bring your ideas about water quality, soil erosion, livestock, forestry or any other topic you feel needs attention.

We hope to see you there!

Launch your project with a Partners in Conservation grant!

Is your organization looking for funding for a conservation project? You can apply for a Partners in Conservation (PIC) grant!

What we fund:

Projects must address one or more of the following topics:

  • Habitat Restoration / Monitoring
  • Water Quality / Conservation
  • Sustainable Gardening / Agriculture
  • Naturescaping
  • Stormwater Management

There are two types of grants available:

  • PIC Grants: shorter term projects with a one year time frame, for a minimum grant award of $5,000 and a maximum of $60,000.
  • PIC Plus Grants: projects with a time frame of two to three years, between $5,000 and $100,000 per year.

Grant applications are due by December 15th this year; don’t delay! Application materials are now available. If you have questions about applying for a grant, please contact Suzanne Easton, EMSWCD Grants Manager, at suzanne@emswcd.org.

Learn more about PIC Grants!  See some past grant Project Highlights

You can also learn about our 2015 PIC grants awarded here.

Kathy Shearin interview on XRAY.fm’s “Grow PDX” show

Kathy Shearin in the EMSWCD 'Conservation Corner' yard

Kathy Shearin, our Urban Lands Program Supervisor, was interviewed last week on XRAY.FM! Her interview took place on a segment called Grow PDX, a show that focuses on horticulture, urban gardening, community food systems and agriculture. Learn about Naturescaping, rain gardens and the benefits of native plants, and pick up some simple tips for your yard or landscape!

Listen to the full show here.

Be sure also to check out our free workshops to learn more about these topics!

Educator/landscape professionals needed to present Sustainable Landscapes Workshops

Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia)

We are seeking educator/landscape professionals to conduct additional workshops! Please note that this is a contract and not a staff position. Our workshops are held evenings and on weekends, and are on topics such as Naturescaping, Site Planning, Site Planning Feedback, Rain Gardens, Native Plants and Simple Drip Irrigation.

Please see our Workshop Presenter page for more information about this position and how to apply.

Tour Headwaters Farm on September 16th

crops at Headwaters farm

Join our tour of Headwaters Farm on September 16th! If you are a farmer considering applying to lease land and farm infrastructure, our Farm Incubator Program may be just for you. Learn all about the farm incubator and EMSWCD’s efforts to utilize and promote conservation agriculture. All are welcome!

The tour will take place on Wednesday, September 16th from 6:00 to 7:30pm. This will be a rain or shine event; please dress accordingly! Contact Rowan ((503) 935.5355 / rowan@emswcd.org) for more information or to RSVP. Directions to the farm will be provided upon RSVP.

See photos of the farm in the Headwaters Farm photo gallery.

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