Our Native Plant Sale is here! Click the link below to visit our Native Plant Sale store and browse through 36 native shrubs and trees. Our store will be open through January, and plants are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be aware some species may sell out within hours!
We invite producers in Clackamas and Multnomah Counties to attend the next Local Work Group Meeting on February 27th, 2025!
The working group will be held from 11 AM to 1 PM at:
Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District
22055 S. Beavercreek Rd. Ste. 1
Beavercreek, OR 97004
You can also attend via Zoom (please register for the link). For questions please call (503) 210-6002.
This event is put together by USDA, USDA Farm Service Agency, and the East, West and Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
The East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD), serving all of Multnomah County east of the Willamette River, has scheduled Board and Committee meetings for the months of January through June 2025.
Visit this page to see a calendar of upcoming meetings.
Good Rain Farm and East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD) have teamed up to create a 14-acre “Forever Farm” in Troutdale. EMSWCD helped facilitate the purchase by Good Rain Farm and added a working farmland easement which ensures the farm will always remain in active farm use, even if the property is sold to a different owner in the future. The easement ensures the farm remains in the ownership of farmers and is affordable to future farmers.
Protecting Good Rain Farm gets big smiles from buyer Michelle Week and Matt Shipkey, the District’s Land Legacy Program Manager
Michelle Week has spent the past five years participating in EMSWCD’s Headwaters Farm Business Incubator Program. The program makes land and equipment more affordable for experienced farmers with limited resources. The 60-acre Headwaters Farm is located near Gresham. The site includes 15 acres along the North Fork of Johnson Creek the district is actively restoring to improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat.
Good Rain x̌ast sq̓it (hast squeit) translates to Good Rain in the traditional language of the sngaytskstx (Sinixt) the Arrow Lakes Peoples. Farm Founder Michelle Week is of Sinixt ancestry. Weeks believes that through connection to a place we can rebuild a culture of respect, honor, gratitude and reciprocity. Learn more: https://www.goodrainfarm.com/
“Our Working Farmland Protection Program helps protect farmland and supports local farmers and growers to operate sustainable businesses,” explains Kelley Beamer, Executive Director of EMSWCD. “As farmland acreage becomes scarcer and more expensive, we work to preserve farmland and make it more affordable for future generations of farmers.”
Michelle Week holds food sovereignty, empowerment, concern for community and honorable stewardship of the land as the farm’s founding principles. Says Week, “At x̌ast sq̓it Farm we explore our relationship with this land, we decolonize and question our notions of ‘food” and ‘nourishment’. We begin conversation, build awareness, and look forward to a Good Rain that will feed our ecosystems, community and self.”
The Northwest Native Chamber also provided funding for this farmland access project. “Investing in assets, such as farmland or property, is a critical step for Native enterprises to improve long-term access to capital. For many Native-led businesses and communities, the lack of intergenerational wealth — a common barrier due to historical dispossession and systemic inequities—makes such investments essential for creating and sustaining economic opportunities. By securing tangible assets, we assist Native entrepreneurs to build lasting economic resilience, access better financing options, and establish businesses that can thrive for generations.
The Economic Equity Investment Program, made possible through SB 1579, has been instrumental in addressing these inequities by providing funding to support land ownership and entrepreneurship among historically underserved communities. With funding only approved through June 2025, it is crucial to maximize its impact. The collaboration between Good Rain Farm and EMSWCD demonstrates how targeted investments can create lasting change, ensuring resources and opportunities are accessible to communities that have been left out of traditional economic frameworks.”
EMSWCD works to secure the agricultural economy in east Multnomah County by ensuring that high-quality farmland remains available for use by current and future farmers. For farmers who intend to stay on the farm but still realize some of the real estate value of their property, EMSWCD can purchase a working farmland easement. And, for farmers in the market to sell their property, EMSWCD can purchase those properties and resell them to other farmers to avoid their conversion to development and other uses.
Local farmland is vital to our community, economy, food system, and environment. Farmland fuels our rural economy, nourishes people with fresh, locally grown food, and enables us to enjoy the vibrant rural landscapes that make Oregon special.
Farmers and landowners interested in learning more can contact Matt Shipkey at matt@emswcd.org or (971) 271-9281.
The staff and board of EMSWCD were heartbroken to learn about the unexpected death of Bob Sallinger, a former board member of the District and Executive Director for Willamette Riverkeeper. Our hearts go out to his beloved family – his wife Elisabeth and three children. His loss is devastating. He will be sorely missed.
Bob Sallinger was a fierce and effective advocate for urban conservation. Photo credit Vince Patton, OPB
For decades Bob was a fierce, relentless, and passionate champion for Oregon’s most precious places – our forests, rivers, and coastlines – and the birds and animals living in them. He was in the vanguard of a movement that recognized the importance of urban conservation and fought to protect and enhance our connection to nature even in the most developed parts of Portland. Bob was twice elected to our Board of Directors, in 2008 and 2012, and served until 2016.
His legacy in this single role was immense, and we are grateful for Bob’s vision which led to some of our district’s most important decisions and impactful programs including our commitment to racial equity and urban conservation. He was the driver in establishing the district’s community grant programs – under which we’ve invested more than $12 million in nearly 200 nonprofit organizations through our Partners in Conservation grants. Bob fought to ensure that a portion of the District’s Land Conservation Fund could be used to protect local natural areas and create access for people living in district areas with the fewest parks and greenspaces. Nadaka Nature Park, Grant Butte, and the natural area portion of Colwood Golf Course acquisitions wouldn’t be the same without his advocacy. His support was also critical in securing EMSWCD emergency funding for Outdoor School until, in 2016, voters approved statewide support of this cornerstone Oregon program.
At our board meeting last night his former colleagues, Directors Mike Guebert and Laura Masterson, both spoke about Bob’s influence on them and what they learned from Bob about being effective board members. “He was a dedicated steward of public resources and public funds,” said Guebert. Board Chair Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky added, “Bob was one of the most interesting and well-rounded people I’ve ever met. Someone so committed to the community, hearing the voices of the people impacted, navigating city hall to navigating the bridges of Portland to rescuing Peregrine Falcons. He didn’t take people for granted.”
Bob’s contributions and advocacy made a huge difference in the district’s investments and direction and will hopefully inspire others to continue his legacy long into the future. “Those are huge shoes to fill. So much appreciation for him,” concluded Masterson.
Thinking about the future can feel overwhelming, but planning ahead helps make sure your hard work continues to support future generations and the agricultural community. If you own a farm, ranch, or forest, we have a free five-part video series to help you get started on the right track.
Transition Planning for Farmers, Ranchers, and Foresters is a video series that introduces planning for the future of your operation. This is just the beginning—creating a transition plan takes time and effort. But with the right resources, whether you take a detailed class or hire a consultant, you can feel confident knowing you have a plan in place.
Our video series covers different transition options, like keeping ownership for a while or selling or gifting parts of your property. As you watch, you’ll use worksheets to help you think about your values and goals. You will also identify strengths in your business and build a team of experts and loved ones to help make this transition a success.
Following these steps will give you a solid foundation to keep moving forward with this important part of your future. While it may be challenging, completing a plan will provide you with peace of mind and a clear path ahead.
You can watch the video series at your own pace. Find the links to each video here.
This series was created with funding support from the Clackamas, Tualatin, and East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation Districts, your local conservation experts.
Ensuring a future for agriculture in East Multnomah County.
EMSWCD is working to ensure a future for agriculture in East Multnomah County. Our farming community has let us know farmland is getting harder and more expensive to access. We have been responding to that challenge by working with local landowners to protect farmland for current and future generations of farmers. Farmers can also receive financial support and technical assistance from us to plan for the future – whether that’s continuing to farm, passing a farm to the next generation, or selling it to another farmer.
2023 Survey of Potential Participants
Recently, our “Forever Farm” program got some updates with input gathered from one-on-one interviews with more than 30 local farmers and landowners in our district. We engaged Stamberger Consulting to help us understand how to improve our working farmland protection efforts.
Based on what we heard, we made some changes:
In addition to collecting valuable information and insights, the survey project helped us connect with farmers in the district. It has helped us build interest and increase peer-to-peer referrals. New project leads were generated through the survey outreach. Read more
Supporting community efforts is the key to meeting our mission. At EMSWCD, we are investing in local efforts that underscore the importance of healthy rivers, outdoor and environmental education, local food production using sustainable practices, and resource access for underserved, lower-income, and/or Black, Indigenous and people of color. Many of these projects also further critical climate action. By providing $1,050,000 million in Partners in Conservation (PIC) grants to non-profits and community-based organizations, EMSWCD is empowering our local communities to self-organize for a brighter future.
In May our Board of Directors approved funding for 26 PIC grant proposals recommended by a community review committee. These grants further agricultural development, bridge economic disparities, provide youth and adult education, and restore our natural resources and environment. Organizations are addressing community disparities and advancing equity by creating benefits for underserved communities through project design, partnerships and organizational practices. See the full list of PIC 2024 grantees here.
This year’s PIC Grant Review Committee reviewed 48 grant applications requesting more than $2.3 million in funding. Outreach for our program is growing, with 12 first-time applicants receiving grants this year with an average grant of $40,000. Learn more about the committee members who helped review and recommend grants here.
Together we’ve invested more than $12 million in 175+ 2024 Partners in Conservation Grants to organizations that help advance our mission. Find out if your organization might be eligible and find support for your community project. Learn more.