We are currently hiring for an Operations Administrative Assistant! This is a full-time position regularly based in our North Williams neighborhood offices in Portland, Oregon. The person in this position will provide administrative support to the CFO and senior management, and general administrative support to all staff including front office.
Learn more about this position here! Applications are due by 5:00 PM on November 29th, 2021.
EMSWCD is happy to announce that we are again conducting our normal PIC grant application process after last year’s “PIC Pause” due to COVID. The PIC program awards grants annually from $5,000 to $100,000 to non-profits, local governments and educational institutions for conservation projects, environmental education, school and community food gardens, and participation of diverse communities in conservation work.
Applications are due by 4:00 PM on Wednesday, December 15th, 2021.
Learn more about our PIC Grant Programs and how to apply on our PIC Grants page.
We are making some changes this year. Some highlights: Read more
“OSU Extension Fire Program’s Wildfire Wednesdays webinar sessions are back this fall! These weekly webinars offer important information on fire safety and preparedness, and related actions people can take to make their homes and landscapes safer. The workshops will run through December 8th, 2021. Visit the Online Webinar Guide on the Fire Program website for more information:
View the Online Webinar Guide here.
Remaining workshops:
A new report on our equity initiatives is now available!
EMSWCD recently conducted an evaluation of the Partners in Conservation (PIC) grant program focused on our efforts to address equity through the grant funding we provide to local organizations. The evaluation was conducted by an independent consultant. We are pleased to share the final report: “EMSWCD Partners in Conservation (PIC) Grants Program Evaluation Report” by Jamie Stamberger, which can be found here. This report is the product of an online survey and interviews that were conducted in spring of 2021 with the participation of recent PIC grantees and other partners. Read more
Our fall season of workshops is here! We offer free and practical online workshops on a variety of topics. Discover simple gardening practices that will help you create a beautiful landscape that conserves water, reduces pollution and attracts beneficial wildlife to your yard.
Workshop topics include planting with native plants, natural landscaping techniques that reduce pollution and water use, supporting beneficial insects and pollinators, creating an edible landscape, dealing with invasive weeds, and putting rainwater to use with a rain garden! If you are not able to attend a live webinar, we also have recorded sessions you can watch at any time.
Thanks to a 2019 Renewable Development Fund grant (RDF) from Portland General Electric, EMSWCD was able to purchase and install a 70kW photovoltaic system at Headwaters Farm. The solar panels were installed on two structures on the farm and began feeding electricity into the grid in April of 2020. In its first year of solar production, the renewable energy system generated 84 megawatt-hours, or enough to offset around 90% of the farm’s annual electricity consumption! This equated to a savings on the farm’s electricity bills of just under $10,000 for the year.
The Headwaters solar project was made possible with support from the PGE Renewable Development Fund, which contributed $55,566 towards the $155,374 total project cost. The Energy Trust of Oregon also contributed $23,715. Together over 50% of the project’s cost was covered by the Energy Trust and PGE’s RDF funds, with the balance coming from EMSWCD.
Nancy Hamilton, EMSWCD’s Executive Director, said of the project: “We are excited to be generating electricity at the farm and reducing our carbon footprint. And we are very grateful to PGE and their Green Future customers, as well as the Energy Trust of Oregon, for helping to make this solar project happen. The Headwaters Farm solar installation is an important demonstration opportunity for our farmers and visitors to Headwaters Farm, and the wider community we serve. The project also made a lot of sense for us financially.”
With the generous support of PGE and the Energy Trust, the Headwaters Farm solar system is anticipated to pay for itself within eight years. The solar panels are under warranty for 30 years and could be productive well beyond that.
“EMSWCD is committed to addressing the climate crisis,” says Rowan Steele, Headwaters Farm Program Manager. “Like many other farms, the barns at Headwaters have large roof surfaces facing south with great solar exposure. Between the two roofs we were able to accommodate a solar system that off-set almost all the electricity used on site, including for the irrigation pump, walk-in coolers, and a residence. That means we could generate power without impacting our farmland, which can be used to sequester carbon through cover cropping and other conservation farming practices. The solar system has also spurred investment in an electric UTV that replaced an old gas guzzling farm truck, and we are now exploring the exciting possibility of getting an electric tractor that will reduce our use of fossil fuels even further.” Read more