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Thurston Conservation District is pleased to share the 2021 Community Awardees that District Board and Staff have recognized as outstanding leaders in our community for their conservation of natural resources. The 2021 awardees are as follows:
Producer of the Year: John and Susan Dana
Land Steward of the Year: Geoffry and Lorna Mueller
Educator of the Year: Dixie Reimer and Jana Brock, North Thurston Public Schools
Partner of the Year: Heidi Smith, Bounty for Families
Doug Rushton Conservation Legacy Award: Tom Salzer
Thurston Conservation District’s Community Awards Program publicly honors community members, partners and volunteers for their support of our mission and conservation values. We would like to express or sincere gratitude to the recipients for their dedication and demonstration of good land stewardship, their work inspiring a conservation ethic in fellow community members, and their contribution to the story of voluntary stewardship in our community through partnership with Thurston Conservation District.
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2022 Board of Supervisors Election Information
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Voter Information
A mail-in election will be held March 15, 2022. Registered voters who live within the Conservation District boundaries are encouraged to request a ballot to cast their vote in the 2022 election.
Ballot requests begin February 7, 2022. More information about how to request a ballot will be posted on our website and featured in upcoming newsletters.
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Board of Supervisors Elected Seat Opening!
Become a Candidate Today
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A mail-in election for Position 2 on the Thurston Conservation District Board of Supervisors will be held on March 15, 2022. As a candidate you can share your personal and professional experience for the betterment of our community! Qualified candidates are registered voters residing in the Conservation District, which covers most of Thurston County.
Supervisors are public officials and are responsible for setting and maintaining overall District policies regarding the management and conservation of natural resources within the District. The successful candidate will become part of a volunteer five-person Board of Supervisors who serve without compensation for three year terms.
Candidates must fill out and return paperwork by January 21, 2022 at 4:30pm.
Mandatory paperwork and candidate statement/photo materials may be returned to the Election Supervisor via mail or drop off to ‘Thurston Conservation District, C/O Nora Carman-White 2918 Ferguson St SW, Suite A, Tumwater WA 98512’ or by emailing a scanned copy to nwhite@thurstoncd.com.
Candidate Paperwork and Resources:
If you are unable to print or access required paperwork, please contact the Election Supervisor, Nora Carman-White, at nwhite@thurstoncd.com or 360-999-3727 to arrange alternative accommodations.
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TCD Hiring 2 Part-Time Temporary Election Staff – Applications Due Jan. 20, 2022
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Find the full job description here.
Thurston Conservation District (TCD) is searching for two temporary part-time election employees who will serve as polling officers and will help the District hold a transparent and accountable election for its Board of Supervisors Position 2. The selected candidates will report directly to the District’s Election Supervisor, Nora Carman-White and will work in collaboration with the Thurston County Auditor’s Office Elections staff. This temporary position will support the District’s March 15, 2022 mail-in election season.
It is a priority of Thurston CD to ensure that our permanent conservation staff are not responsible for handling or processing ballots in order to reduce any potential for the appearance of election tampering, and to ensure sufficient capacity to provide voters with well trained, highly responsive support throughout our 2022 election season. Our elections processes are dictated by our governing law (RCW Chapter 89.08), WAC Section 135-110, and the procedures established by the Washington State Conservation Commission.
These are part time temporary positions and successful applicants are expected to work between 15-30 hours per week, depending on the tasks assigned. Work occurs Monday – Friday between 8:00am and 4:30pm; employee’s schedule to be determined by Election Supervisor upon hire.
Thurston Conservation District’s COVID-19 Return to Work Protocol must be followed at all times.
Find a full list of duties and responsibilities in the job description here.
To Apply: Submit a resume with two references and the supplemental questionnaire to job-applications@thurstoncd.com by January 20, 2022 at 4:30pm.
Questions? Contact TCD’s Election Supervisor, Nora Carman-White, at nwhite@thurstoncd.com or 360-999-3727
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Plant Sale Pre-orders Open Now!
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Pre-orders for our 2022 Native Plant Festival & Sale are open now through January 2022!
Here's how to order:
- Visit our online store at store.thurstoncd.com
- Look through available plants on the 'Products' page - plants can be sorted into multiple categories or viewed alphabetically by common name.
- Use the online planting guidelines and resources if you're not sure what would thrive in your yard or planting area.
- Make an online payment via our PayPal portal- please note you do not need to have a PayPal account to do this and you can check out as a 'guest'.
- Pick up your plants March 3rd - 5th! You will receive detailed information about pick up and care prior to March 3rd.
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News from South Sound GREEN
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Megan Brady from SPSSEG explaining chum salmon spawning to TnT members.
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The chum salmon are back! If you had the chance to visit one of Thurston County’s rivers or creeks this month, you probably saw lots of salmon returning to South Puget Sound freshwater systems after spending years swimming through the Pacific Ocean. We at South Sound GREEN love this time of year when we can teach students about chum salmon inside and out while bringing them to the creek, even if we need to do it virtually!
Following the success of last year’s virtual field trip offerings, we again offered virtual chum salmon field trips from McLane Creek to students throughout Thurston County! This year, we engaged over 1,000 students in these virtual trips, where students were able to watch salmon spawning activities and ask live questions to a SSG educator. We also brought back our in-person and virtual salmon dissections, as well as our interactive Digital McLane Journal we developed last year, to offer new perspectives and information about these amazing salmon. You may not be able to find many live salmon at the McLane Creek Nature Trail right now, but you can still check out salmon carcasses and observe lots of other wildlife!
We also continued to coordinate water quality monitoring and benthic macroinvertebrate lessons this month. Ranging from elementary to high school, these at-school “field days” were a way for us to bring the creek to the students, and a way for students to interact with hands-on chemistry experiments and biological specimens.
Let’s not forget to mention our latest Teens in Thurston (TnT) volunteer group meeting! We observed salmon at the Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail, did some trail clean up, and learned a lot about salmon from South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group (SPSSEG) educator Megan Brady. If you’re interested in participating, please reach out to Sam at snadell@thurstoncd.com.
If you are interested in volunteering for any of South Sound GREEN’s programs, or want to learn how to get your own school or class involved, contact Sam Nadell, snadell@thurstoncd.com or (360)754-2588 ext.102
South Sound GREEN has their own social media and website.
Check out the links below.
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From Our Community
A snapshot of other great events, programs, and services available from throughout our community.
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Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Workshop
Northwest Agriculture Business Center
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Thursday, December 2nd, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Learn more and register here.
For more information, contact Sera Hartman: sera@agbizcenter.org or 360-336-3727
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REAP provides guaranteed loan financing and grants to producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or making energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may apply for new energy efficient equipment or system loans for production or processing activity.
Join the Northwest Agriculture Business Center for the REAP workshop to hear more about this energy improvement subsidy program from presenters including USDA Business & Cooperative Programs Specialist Carlotta Donisi, Capstone Solar, Spark Northwest, and farmers who have successfully completed projects through this program.
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Getting Crabby: Exploring Careers Working with European Green Crabs
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
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Tuesday, December 14th, 11:00 - 11:45 am
Join the online Zoom event here.
Questions? Contact Leia Althauser at leia.althauser@dfw.wa.gov
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Curious about what careers in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Aquatic Invasive Species program are like? Want to learn more about the skills, experience, and education you may need? Join two members of WDFW's European green crab team to learn about their career path and why they work with invasive European green crabs.
In this interactive chat you’ll learn why European green crab monitoring and detection is important and what a day on the job looks like. Make sure to bring your career questions!
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Become a WSU Thurston County Master Gardener Volunteer
WSU Thurston County Extension Master Gardener Program
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Applications will be accepted on a first come basis until the class is full or by Friday, December 10, 2021
Learn more and apply here.
Questions? Contact Cori Carlton, 360-867-2162 or cori.carlton@co.thurston.wa.us
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Are you interested in becoming a WSU Master Gardener volunteer? Apply today!
Discover the benefits of becoming WSU Master Gardener volunteer and how they serve the residents of Thurston County. Learn how you can make a difference in the community while gaining personal gardening knowledge and becoming a better gardener.
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Grant Assistance for Local Farms Impacted by COVID
Thurston Strong
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Applications received and reviewed on a rolling basis.
Learn more and apply here.
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Thurston Strong announced a new round of grant assistance for small businesses, nonprofit organizations and food system entities impacted by the COVID pandemic. Individual grants up to $10,000 are available, with dedicated funding for minority-owned businesses.
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Conservation News
Interesting news, articles, and studies on conservation issues from around the world.
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How to Support Pollinators Through the Winter
By Sienna Boucher For The Islands' Sounder
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“After blustery storms displace sprinkles of red, orange, and yellow autumn leaves, one may be tempted to rake the mess out of their yard, but local entomologist Cyntha Brast urges you to think twice before you do! ” Read more here.
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Hope After Wildfire: Tiny sequoias could grow into giants
By Brian Melley for AP News
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"Ashtyn Perry was barely as tall as the shovel she stomped into barren ground where a wildfire last year ravaged the California mountain community of Sequoia Crest and destroyed dozens of its signature behemoth trees." Read more here.
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'The woods next door': U.S. community forests take root
By Carey L. Biron for Thomson Reuters Foundation News
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""To have a huge, unbroken forest tract that's been a forest for a long time - you feel like you're in a national park, even though you're two miles out of the city," he said, surrounded by towering tulip poplars and oaks, their leaves rustling in a warm October breeze." Read more here.
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