Caring for the systems that sustain us
Soil, water, farms and ranches, forests, riparian areas, wildlife habitat, and resilient communities are not separate concerns. They are parts of the same living system.
I’ve attended Wasco County Soil & Water Conservation District meetings at different points over the years because I value the locally grounded, cooperative work conservation districts make possible: bringing people, knowledge, funding, and technical resources together to conserve and restore the lands and waters on which both ecosystems and livelihoods depend.
I’m renewing that engagement now — learning more about the District’s current work, attending meetings, and looking for useful ways to help more people understand the opportunities, programs, partnerships, and resources conservation districts make possible.
I’m especially interested in soil health, water security, riparian and forest resilience, working lands, habitat, wildfire preparedness, food-system resilience, and community resilience in a county shaped by agriculture, water constraints, fire, and changing environmental conditions.
Local conservation, practical assistance
Wasco County SWCD works cooperatively with landowners, agencies, organizations, and communities to promote conservation and wise use of natural resources. Its work connects local needs with technical assistance, conservation planning, restoration, education, partnerships, and financial resources.
Soil & working lands
Supporting soil health, erosion control, agricultural conservation, and productive working landscapes.
Water, streams & riparian areas
Advancing water conservation and quality, riparian restoration, monitoring, and watershed projects.
Forests, habitat & resilience
Supporting restoration, wildlife habitat, wildfire resilience, and partnerships that strengthen the wider landscape.
Science, agriculture, education and resilience
Part of why I’m attending conservation district meetings — and sharing some of what I learn here — is that their work intersects with several long-standing interests of mine. I expect to use this website from time to time to highlight conservation programs, meetings, events, resources, and opportunities that may be useful or interesting to people in our community.
My background crosses several of the worlds that meet in conservation work. I have taught introductory biology, geology, and ecology, and during the COVID-19 pandemic taught high school agriculture online. I’m a member of Oregon Women for Agriculture.
Today I am founder and principal consultant of CompreSec LLC, where I work in risk management, safety, resilience, and protective planning. I belong to ASIS International’s Agriculture and Food Security Community, which focuses on resilience and security across agricultural and food systems. My broader experience includes education, nonprofit leadership, climate-change education, community facilitation, and public service.
I bring a systems-oriented perspective: looking at how land, water, people, infrastructure, institutions, and changing conditions interact, and asking what practical steps can help protect and restore the whole.
Your local conservation district is worth getting to know.
Oregon has 45 Soil and Water Conservation Districts serving communities throughout the state.
Conservation districts grew out of the national response to the Dust Bowl. In 1937, a model Soil Conservation District law was sent to state governors, encouraging states to establish locally governed districts that could help communities address soil erosion and other natural-resource concerns.
Today, thousands of conservation districts operate across the United States, connecting local people with technical assistance, conservation planning, education, funding, partnerships, and practical on-the-ground projects.
One of the easiest ways to understand what they actually do is simply to attend a meeting. In-person attendance can be especially useful because you may encounter reports, project updates, handouts, and conversations that are easy to miss online. Many districts also provide remote participation options, so check your local district’s meeting information.
See Wasco County SWCD meetings & updates → Find an Oregon conservation district →Wasco County: land, water and community
From the Columbia River and orchards of the Gorge to dryland wheat, rangeland, forests, river canyons and high desert, Wasco County brings together an extraordinary range of working lands and natural systems. Conservation here is practical, local work — sustaining the landscapes that sustain us.
Stewardship in Wasco County means caring for working lands and natural systems together — protecting soil and water, restoring habitat and riparian areas, strengthening forest and wildfire resilience, and supporting the people whose livelihoods are rooted in the land.
Principles for constructive public involvement
Listen before prescribing
Farmers, ranchers, landowners, staff, Tribal communities, conservation partners, and residents hold knowledge that matters.
Think in systems
Water, soil, forests, agriculture, infrastructure, habitat, economics, and community resilience affect one another.
Protect and restore
Good stewardship includes conserving what is healthy while helping damaged lands, waterways, and habitat recover.
Use resources wisely
Conservation districts can connect local priorities with expertise, partnerships, grants, and programs that multiply what communities can accomplish.
My 2022 campaign for Oregon Senate District 26
Explore my 2022 SD-26 campaign: endorsements, positions, campaign report & successes.
What do all those acronyms mean?
Conservation work brings together agencies, districts, programs, funding sources, and partnerships — which means a remarkable number of acronyms. Click one for a quick translation.
SWCD
A locally governed special district that helps communities conserve soil, water, working lands, habitat, and other natural resources.
NRCS
The USDA agency that provides conservation planning, technical assistance, and voluntary conservation programs for landowners and agricultural producers.
ODA
The state agency that, among many other responsibilities, supports Oregon’s Soil and Water Conservation District program.
OWEB
A state board that supports watershed restoration, conservation, monitoring, and related partnerships.
OACD
A statewide association supporting Oregon’s conservation districts and their work.
USDA
The federal department housing agencies and programs important to agriculture, conservation, forestry, rural development, and food systems.
FSA
A USDA agency administering programs for agricultural producers, including loans, disaster assistance, and conservation-related programs.
DEQ
Oregon’s state environmental agency, with responsibilities including air quality, water quality, and waste management.
ODF
The state agency responsible for forest stewardship, wildfire protection, and other forest-related programs.
EQIP
A voluntary NRCS program providing technical and financial assistance for conservation practices on working lands.
CSP
An NRCS program supporting agricultural producers who maintain and expand conservation practices across their operations.
CREP
A partnership-based conservation program that helps protect environmentally sensitive agricultural land and water resources.