Conservation Starters

On this month's episode of Conservation Starters we sit down with Thurston Conservation District's Habitat Restoration Specialist, Joey Burgess to discuss the role of riparian buffers on our landscape. We discuss the benefits of adding plants along streams and river and outline two TCD programs that offer financial support for landowners to implement conservation projects on their property. Tune in to learn more about riparian buffers, CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program), and the new Tiered Incentive Program!
Resources:

• Joey Burgess, [email protected]
• WSCC CREP
• WSCC Riparian Grant Program: Tiered Incentive Program
• Role of Riparian Buffers Webinar - June 5th, 2024. RSVP here.
• Low-tech Process Based Restoration of Riverscapes

This month on Conservation Starters, Nora Carman-White, Communication & Education Manager at TCD takes the reigns as host to interview your usual Conservation Starters host, Kiana Sinner. Together, we discuss the importance of connecting with our community and the strategies we use to reach out. We talk about our educational workshops, Native Plant Festival & Sale, and volunteer program. We delve into a few things we're especially passionate about and share our individual commitment to supporting the community we cherish. Kiana also teases the exciting things coming in Season 2 of Conservation Starters. Tune in to learn more about our Education & Outreach department and how you can get involved with Thurston Conservation District!
Resources:

• Kiana Sinner, [email protected]
• Nora Carman-White, [email protected]
• TCD workshop recordings
• Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter
• Sign up to be a volunteer
• Check out our Native Plant Festival & Sale
• Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook
• Rock to Roots; Spokane Conservation District Podcast
  

This month on Conservation Starters, we're joined for a second time by TCD's Senior Natural Resource Specialist, Adam Peterson. During this episode, we delve into the topic of soil health. Adam breaks down why soil health is so important and teaches us how we can make sure we're protecting the soil in our backyard! We also discuss the District's soil testing program and even analyze a soil test for Conservation Starters host, Kiana. Tune in to this episode to learn more about how you can get a sense of what's happening in your soil!
Resource:

• Adam Peterson, [email protected]
• Thurston CD's Soil Testing Webpage
• WSU's Growing Cover Crops Guide
• WSU's Plant Clinic Webpage
• DOE’s Web Map of Commercial Environmental Labs

If you have a question about Conservation Starters or want to suggest an episode topic, contact [email protected].

This month on Conservation Starters, we're joined by Washington State Orca Recovery Coordinator, Tara Galuska. During this episode, we learn more about our local Southern Resident orca pods, why they are endangered, and why it's important that we protect them. Tara shares the threats that Southern Resident orcas face and what we can do in our daily lives to make a difference for this vital species! We also talk about our upcoming Orca Recovery Day volunteer event, happening on October 15th at Squaxin Park and how folks all over the west coast can get involved in recovery efforts. Tune in to learn more about Southern Resident Orca Whales and how you can be a part of the solution to protect our pods!
Resources:

• www.orca.wa.gov
• www.thurstoncd.com/ORD - Orca Recovery Day in Thurston County -
• www.betterground.org/ord/ - Not located in Thurston County? Learn about Orca Recovery Day events in your neighborhood
• Orcasound - Orcasound connects your headphones to live hydrophones (underwater microphones), your ears to an ocean of sound.
• Orca Network - a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of the Pacific Northwest whales.

Questions about Orca Recovery Day? Contact Kiana Sinner, [email protected]

This month, on Conservation Starters, were joined by TCD's Conservation Program Manager Karin Strelioff, Engineering Geologist and Hydrogeologist Wendy Gerstel, and ISA Certified Arborist Ray Gleason. This second part episode takes a deep dive into our local shorelines. Wendy, a local geologist teaches us about the glacial formation of our Puget Sound beaches and delves into how water management plays a role in changes along our shorelines. We talk about the importance of vegetation along our shorelines and get some insight from Ray, a local arborist who shares his techniques for sustainably managing vegetation while also protecting property owners' views. Tune in to this episode to learn more!Resources
Karin Strelioff, [email protected]
Shore Friendly Thurston
Northwest Straits Foundation - Shore Friendly
Washington Coastal Atlas for all things coastal.
Washington Geology Portal for all things geologic, and LiDAR.
T-Sheets for historic coastline information.