We invite you to read through our digital Zine, which will tell you a bit about who we are and what we do. We are proud of the diversity of work we do and the many kinds of constituents we serve. We also have a full 80+ page Annual Report if you really want to geek out, but we hope this Zine will help you walk away with a much greater appreciation for all we do at EMSWCD. Enjoy!
Thanks for joining us for a morning of fun and community building at the Mt. Hood Community College Volunteer Planting! On March 5th we planted a variety of 350 bare-root native trees and shrubs to help beautify the campus and improve habitat for students, visitors, and wildlife.
We had so much fun at our first in-person, all-outdoors masked event since COVID began. We were joined by group of about 20 people, including MHCC students, families, and folks from all over the area who were excited to plant hundreds of native plants. Check out their growth by visiting the Visual Arts buildings on Mount Hood Community College’s campus.
Thanks so much for helping us create a more sustainable and beautiful campus, and thanks to Mt. Hood Community College for partnering with us for this event!
EMSWCD was pleased to partner with the City of Gresham and Metro to acquire and preserve the former Shaull property in the Grant Butte area! This 8-acre property builds upon our previous investments in the surrounding area and further protects the water quality of the adjoining Fairview Creek headwaters and wetlands complex. It will also set the stage for improved access to the adjacent Southwest Community Park.
Join OSU Extension for an engaging and informative two-part course on Regenerative Pasture Management! You’ll hear from Dr. Shayan Ghajar, Organic Pasture and Forages Specialist from OSU Extension, and Jackson Morgan, Farm Specialist with Polk Soil & Water Conservation District.
When: December 14th and 21st from 6:00 – 7:15 PM
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Part 1:
Part 2:
“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. Continue reading
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.” Continue reading
Access to farmland is a growing challenge for farmers! Learn why it is a problem, and what we are doing to address this need in the new Farm Access section on our website. The section also includes two examples of recent farm access projects and a variety of resources you may find useful.