Author Archives: Alex

Important milestone for the Working Farmland Protection Program

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD) is pleased to announce that the working farmland protection component of its Land Legacy Program has closed on the acquisition of its first-ever working farmland easement. This month, EMSWCD secured the permanent protection of a 57-acre farm property in the Gresham area.

The acquisition of the easement occurred in conjunction with the sale of the property, which EMSWCD had owned since 2011. EMSWCD acquired the property when it was listed for sale and at risk of no longer being available for productive use by the local farming community. Proceeds from the sale will be used by EMSWCD to protect additional working farm properties.

A working farmland easement is a legally binding blueprint for the future of the property which ensures it will remain in active and highly productive agricultural use. The recently released U.S. Department of Agriculture Census of Agriculture underscores the need for these working farmland protection efforts, with Multnomah County losing an average of 2.5 acres of farmland a day during the period from 2012 to 2017.

The easement for this property also seeks to address the growing challenges of farmland access and affordability. Farmland affordability is a challenge in Multnomah County, with the Census of Agriculture finding a 75% increase in the value of farmland and buildings from 2012 – 2017 and the second highest average farmland/farm building values of any county in Oregon. The easement incorporates provisions that ensure the property will remain in the ownership of a farmer and limits residential infrastructure that could make the property unaffordable for agricultural operators. As part of the transaction, EMSWCD also secured an option to acquire a working farmland easement on another 20-acre property owned by the buyers. Continue reading →

EMSWCD office

We are hiring for an Outreach and Education Intern!

Update, April 17th, 2019: This position is now closed and applications are being reviewed. Thank you for your interest!

The East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD) is seeking an Outreach and Education Intern for the Urban Lands program. This position will help promote program offerings through a variety of activities such as coordinating educational workshops, maintaining supplies, supporting staff with annual event preparations, and engaging the community through tabling at community events, email marketing, social media and surveys.

Applications materials are due by April 15th. Learn more about the position and how to apply here.

Public hearing notice regarding conservation easement for working farmland: March 28th, 2019

EMSWCD will hold a public hearing on March 28th, 2019 at 5:00 PM at Multnomah Grange #71, 30639 SE Bluff Road, Gresham, OR 97080 in connection with the acquisition of a conservation easement for working farmland. This easement is being acquired in connection with the sale of EMSWCD’s Oxbow Farm and will ensure the property remains in agricultural use in perpetuity.

EMSWCD acquired the property in 2011, when it was listed for sale. At the time, EMSWCD was concerned that a sale could result in the local farming community losing access to one of the most productive farms within our district. That concern motivated EMSWCD to purchase the property and then make it available for lease to two Multnomah County farmers. Continue reading →

Important – Wildlife workshop rescheduled to Wednesday, April 17th!

Important notice: This workshop has been rescheduled to April 17th due to weather concerns. If you already registered you do not need to do re-register. If you need to cancel your registration, please contact Chelsea at chelsea@emswcd.org.

Join us at the Columbia Grange on April 17th for our first ever workshop on attracting wildlife to your property. Learn how to transform your land into a refuge for local wildlife!

Habitat loss is the greatest threat to the survival of wildlife in the US, but you can make a difference on your own property. In this workshop you’ll:

  • Gain knowledge of the best plants and strategies for increasing habitat on your land.
  • Learn about the needs of a variety of beneficial wildlife and insects.
  • Learn how to develop, design and implement a plan for your property.
  • And much more…

Click here
to register!

New draft Equity Statement and comment opportunity

In 2015 EMSWCD staff began working on awareness building, training and program development around diversity, equity and inclusion. Our communities and workplaces are strengthened by diversity, and more inclusive conservation efforts are necessary to ensure lasting and equitable outcomes. We acknowledge the historical and ongoing disparities in income, education and health in our communities. We also understand that these disparities can impact who has access to healthy land and water. For these reasons, our staff and board are committed to making meaningful changes in the work we do so that all communities can benefit from our programs.

We have recently developed a draft Equity Statement and are seeking input. We hope you will visit our new Equity page, read the draft Equity statement, and let us know if you have any comments, concerns or questions.

Mora Mora farm stand

From our farmers: Mora Mora’s first year

This is a farmer-contributed post in our “From our farmers” series, written by Catherine Nguyen of Mora Mora Farm, who is enrolled in our Farm Incubator Program.

Mora Mora Farm is a single-farmer, half-acre, diverse vegetable operation that just wrapped up its first season through the Headwaters Farm Incubator Program. Mora Mora grows produce to sell at one weekend farmers’ market and for a handful of friends in the city. When people find out that it’s just me running the farm, doing everything from seeding and harvest to bed preparation and marketing, the normal response is, “Wait. You’re doing this all on your own?!”

The decision to begin as a single-farmer operation simply stemmed from my own personality. I like being able to see the whole picture: production and sales, starting up my farm and setting up systems to maintain it, figuring out where operational weak points are, and how I can optimize the system as a whole. I knew if I ever wanted to have ownership of a farm and manage people well, I’d better know what the heck I was doing and why.

Of course, being a single-farmer operation comes with its challenges: Continue reading →