Underwood Conservation District

UCD News:

Sign-up for Underwood Conservation District’s e-NewsLetter

Stay in the know about upcoming workshops and events as well as news items for farmers, orchardists and forestland owners. Also, learn about conservation-oriented grant programs and UCD’s native seedling sale through UCD’s monthly e-newsletter. Sign up by emailing Tova, UCD’s District Manager at: tovatillinghast@gorge.net. (We won’t share your information.)

Wild Pollinators & you!

A recent workshop series about pollinators in backyards and on farms has generated excitement about what can be done to improve the local abundance and diversity of wild pollinators.

Wild pollinators are more efficient at pollination than honey bees in cold climates and wet conditions and provide these services for farmers free of cost. Tomatoes, squash and alfalfa are three crops that require wild, native pollinators rather than honey bees to produce fruit and seed. If you are interested in creating or improving pollinator habitat on your property, consider applying for UCD’s Cost-Share Program (see below) for a road-side buffer, an orchard hedgerow or lawn conversion to improve habitat for beneficial insects.

Small Farm_flyer_2 Oct82011

Conservation Cost-Share Funding Available for Small Projects

Do you have a conservation project in mind for your property? Will your plan benefit water quality, wildlife habitat or other natural resources? UCD is currently seeking landowners and occupiers with small conservation project ideas that will improve natural resource conditions and stewardship. Common projects include stream bank plantings, pollinator hedgerows, windbreak buffers, thinning, reforestation, noxious weed removal, livestock exclusion from streams, animal waste composting facilities, and mud management around barns.

Many other projects are eligible as well.

APPLICATIONS are being accepted now and early applications are encouraged. The deadline is 4:30pm, Monday, February 13^th.

Please write or call Adrianne at adriannezuckerman@gorge.net, or (509) 493-1936 to discuss your project idea. For an application, click here.

As you develop your application, please include the following information:

· A map of the general project area (use Google maps, County Assessor websites, or draw by hand)

· A sketch of the proposed project (draw by hand, or generate with Powerpoint or another computer program)

· Please ask UCD for help with these requirements, if needed.

2011 Community Mobile Chipper Program

Creating defensible space can be hard work. It can also result in a mountain of piled up forest and yard debris! Limbs from trees and shrubs that are cut down and piled on your property are traditionally burned during the fall, winter or spring. Another option is to chip this woody material. For Skamania County residents, UCD is offering a free mobile chipping service as part of its overall Firewise program. Please download the “Instructional Flyer” and call our main office line at (509) 493-1936 to register for the program.

When you call please be prepared to provide the following information:

· Your name & your day time phone number

· Your physical address (must be in Skamania County)

· Special directions to find your residence

· Location of the piled woody debris on your property (please follow piling instructions)

· Total number of piles

· Estimated size of each pile (e.g. 4’ tall x 5’ wide’ x 10’ long)

· “Yes, I want to have the chips piled on my property” OR “No thanks, please haul them away”

Take our Survey, Provide Input to our Work!

Every year, Underwood Conservation District’s board of supervisors and staff review our Annual Plan of Work, and it’s that time of year again. In preparation this year, we are asking you, our constituents and members of the public, to chime in on what you think is important for UCD to be working on, and perhaps what you think we shouldn’t be working on also. You can voice your opinion by taking our on-line survey - http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UCDsurvey - and we will listen! Feel free to forward this survey link on to your family, friends and neighbors. Anyone who owns land or lives in our district is exactly who we want to hear from! Thank you in advance!

Are you and your home prepared for wildfire?

UCD staff is currently available to meet with you at your property to perform a Wildfire Hazard Home Assessment. This FREE assessment will serve to identify the hazards on your property and outline the things you can do, short term and long term, to reduce your risk of a home ignition during a wildfire. Need help getting the work done? UCD's Firewise Incentive Program is designed to provide funding to landowners, on a reimbursement basis, to help accomplish the big tasks of creating and managing defensible space. Applications for this program may be developed through the winter and submitted spring of 2011. For more information about UCD's Firewise Program, click here, call Underwood Conservation District at (509) 493-1936.

MANURE SHARE: Get Your Garden Growing!

UCD has organized a Manure Share to benefit livestock owners and gardeners. The Manure Share pairs gardeners searching for sources of local organic soil amendments with livestock owners that have excess fresh and composted manure. Livestock owners may have more animal manure than they can use on their farm and offering it to local gardeners can reduce potential soil and water pollution. For more information, click here, or call UCD at (509) 493-1936.

UCD makes Spill Kit Available to Public

Did you know an Emergency Spill Clean-Up Kit is available to help you prevent water pollution? A water quality emergency may not be obvious. It may involve large quantities of a non-toxic contaminant, such as soil during a landslide. It may also involve very small quantities of highly toxic chemicals such as a concentrated pesticide. Use materials to prevent runoff from farm equipment, vehicles or household chemical spills, or to prevent erosion from reaching streams at worksites. Materials include erosion control matting, silt fence, oil boom and absorbent pads. Materials are located at the Husum Fire Hall. Call 911 in any emergency, or call dispatch offices below to access the cache in non-emergencies; these items are available and should be used when needed. Help replace materials after use, if you can. Contact UCD with questions or for technical assistance on reducing water pollution.

How to access materials:

Emergency: 911

Non-Emergency: (509) 493-2660 (Klickitat County Dispatch)

(509) 427-9490 (Skamania County Dispatch)

(541) 386-2711 (Hood River County Dispatch)

UCD helps sponsor new Native Plant Society Group

UCD’s new AmeriCorps Intern, Dan Richardson, is helping to organize a local native plant group affiliated with the Washington Native Plant Society. The group, still in the early stages of formation, welcomes potentially interested area residents; the idea is to complement and informally partner with the Native Plant Society of Oregon chapter, which currently meets in The Dalles, by providing activities and meetings in the White Salmon area. Group members have expressed interest in wildflower hikes, outings for all ages, skills workshops, conservation projects – and doing everything with a spirit of fun and camaraderie. Anyone with an interest in native plants, or in learning about them, is welcome to inquire with Dan by email at ucdintern@gorge.net, or at the District office by phone, 493-1936. Follow the group’s activities at: http://suksdorfia.blogspot.com/.

Little Wind River Community Habitat Restoration project

Click here to learn about the project.

Practical Tools for Forest Landowners

Owning forest land can be hard work! Whether you are new to forest land ownership, or looking into your options for the future, it can be a challenge to know what to do next. Find tips, tools, and presentations from UCD’s educational workshop series for forest landowners here.

We hope this site will help you become more familiar with the district, its programs, and the people involved.

Click on the links above to explore.

Click here for public documents.