N O R T H Y A K I M A C O N S E R V A T I O N D I S T R I C T M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T T o m a k e a v a i l a b l e t e c h n i c a l, f i n a n c i a l a n d e d u c a t i o n a l r e s o u r c e s t o m e e t t h e c o n s e r v a t i o n n e e d s o f t h e c i t i z e n s w h o o c c u p y a n d u s e t h e n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s o f t h e D i s t r i c t. March 2012 NORTH YAKIMA CONSERVATION DISTRICT March 2012 Inside this issue: Inside Story 2 Inside Story 2 Inside Story 2 Inside Story 3 Inside Story 4 Inside Story 5 Inside Story 6 Special points of interest: Note From the Manager We here at the North Yakima Conservation District (NYCD) hope that this newsletter finds you well. Whether you re excited for spring to arrive or sad to see the snow leave, know that conservation and the wise use of our natural resources knows all of our wonderful seasons of the year. We are excited to get fully into our 2012 implementation season and hope that if you need assistance you will start with a call to us. In this newsletter you will find some updates and some information on some of NYCD s programs. We also hope that you will take advantage of our native plant sale this year even if you have just a small yard! Take care and enjoy. NYCD s Firewise Program Attention all Landowners and Cabin owners within the Highway 12 and Highway 410 corridor! The North Yakima Conservation District (NYCD), in cooperation with the Highway 410/12 Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Steering Committee is excited to start its FINAL field season of Firewise Home Assessments and The Wood Chipping Crew. Many of you may have seen or heard our Crew throughout the past two successful fuels reduction seasons or even took advantage of our free services. Our Crew and services are currently available and ready to start the 2012 season. We know that it may seem a bit early but there s no time like the present to prepare your stacked materials for chipping. These stacked materials must be smaller than 12 diameter without roots, oriented in an orderly fashion with the larger ends facing towards the area where you want the chipper parked. For more information about the program please look us up on the web at http://nycd.scc.wa.gov or call Mike Stowell, WCC Crew Supervisor at (509) 406-4985 to set-up an Assessment and to schedule the Wood Chipper today. Remember, this is the last season to take advantage of this free service. Call today to schedule the crew! http://www.nycd.scc.wa.gov
MISSION STATEMENT To make available technical, financial and educational resources to meet the conservation needs of the citizens who occupy and use the natural resources of the District. Page 2 Teaching the Future Since 2008, the North Yakima Conservation District, with support from the Franklin Conservation District and the Washington Grain Commission, has offered two unique conservation-based education programs to Yakima area schools. Wheat Week is a series of five lessons, delivered over the course of one week, which educate 4th-6th grade students about water, soil, watersheds, energy and wheat. Students learn about water cycles around the globe, the importance of soil, watershed dynamics, energy production, and wheat systems. Water on Wheels (W.O.W.) offers eleven natural resource focused lessons for kindergarten-8th grade classes. W.O.W. lessons use hands-on demonstrations, educational games, art projects and science experiments to help students understand the importance of and relationships between water, soil, habitats, watersheds, energy and trees. Each year the programs continue to grow, including more schools, classrooms and students. In 2011, nearly 6,800 Yakima area kindergarten-8 th grade students participated in Wheat Weeks, W.O.W. lessons and W.O.W. sponsored events such as science field trips, family events and summer camps. For more information please contact: Alison Hart 509-454-5736 ext. 132 Alison-hart@conservewa.net
MISSION STATEMENT To make available technical, financial and educational resources to meet the conservation needs of the citizens who occupy and use the natural resources of the District. Page 3 SPRING PLANT SALE 2012 March 30th & 31st The North Yakima Conservation District is entering its 15 th Annual Tree & Shrub Sale. Bare-root plants are pre-ordered by customers on a first-come first-serve basis. Orders are placed by returning an order form via fax or mail, or phoning the order. Interested individuals should contact the North Yakima Conservation District to be on our brochure mailing list which is usually mailed in February. Typically, there are over 22 species of deciduous and evergreen trees, and shrubs. They range from water loving plants that naturally exist along streams to plants of the shrub-steppe ecosystem that need minimal water and thrive in our desert regions. The majority of species are native to our area, although a few are non-native species which serve the primary function of windbreak. The standard age of our stock is 1 or 2 years old and has been grown in a seedbed. The heights and size of the plant depends on the kind of growing season. Typically, each plant is 12-24 inches in height. The average cost per plant is around $1.50-$2.00. There are cost breaks when purchasing larger quantities of specific species. Many conservation benefits are derived from the vegetation: Soil stabilization Shade, cover, habitat Wildlife food source Wind protection. Mail in form on reverse to place an order
MISSION STATEMENT To make available technical, financial and educational resources to meet the conservation needs of the citizens who occupy and use the natural resources of the District. Page 5 La Salle High School Riparian Enhancement This project encompassed more than half a mile of streambank and approximately 16 acres of floodplain along Ahtanum Creek on the property owned and operated by the high school. Working with school staff and funded by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, the project began with intensive weed control to combat areas where the weeds had replaced native plants. Working in tandem with the Yakama Nation, who were implementing instream habitat and floodplain connectivity improvements at the site, and help from two Washington Conservation Corp Crews, over 700 potted riparian plants and over 3,000 live willow stakes were planted. Funding from grant sources will allow for continued maintenance of the site to ensure plant survivability and control of invasive weeds. For more information contact: Brain Schmidt at 509-454-5736 ext. 132, brian-schmidt@conservewa.net Are you in compliance? Current Washington State law (RCW 77.57.010) requires all surface water diversions to be equipped with an approved screen or guard to prevent fish from getting stranded in the diversion device. The North Yakima Conservation District has a program specifically designed to help landowners with this law. Through the Yakima Tributary Access and Habitat Program (YTAHP) the district can provide assistance to landowners on a voluntary basis to provide approved compliant screens, parts, and installation at zero cost. YTAHP was specifically designed to help in restoration of our local salmon and trout populations by eliminating the financial and technical burden to landowners, as well as working with them on their own terms. Over the past several years the program has been extremely successful in working with dozens of landowners to bring them into compliance. Whether you draw creek water from a pump or have a gravity diversion, the YTAHP program can help, again at no cost. If you would like more information please contact: Justin Bader 509-454-5736 ext. 117 Justin-bader@conservewa.net
N O R T H Y A K I M A C O N S E R V A T I O N D I S T R I C T 1606 Perry Street Suite C Yakima, WA 98902 Phone: 509-454-5736 Fax: 509-454-5682 Address Label http://www.nycd.scc.wa.gov Conservation needs YOU! Learn more inside