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More than 200 students participated in tree-planting field days, an experience that will stay with students for a lifetime. This work is an outcome of plans developed by the Eastern Klickitat Conservation District
that reflect the values of the local community.
Part of the Eastern Klickitat Conservation District's
annual plan is to provide education to residents within the District's boundaries. One way to accomplish this goal is by visiting second and fifth grade classrooms to teach students about the importance of trees and the actions that will help sustain watershed health and protect water quality. The lessons are extended into the outdoors with tree-planting days for students, teachers, and parents.
In 2007, over 200 students participated in tree-planting field days sponsored by the Eastern Klickitat Conservation District. This kind of "hands-on" activity is exactly the kind of learning that will stay with students for a lifetime.
The education goals are only one component of the District's annual and five-year plans which provide vision and guidance for District activities. There are also Natural Resources Priorities and Goals for reducing wind erosion, enhancing water quality and salmon habitat, managing private rangeland and forests, managing livestock nutrients, and controlling noxious weeds. These plans are developed by the District's elected and appointed supervisors, and they reflect the values of the local community. The plan goals guide the district in seeking grants and offering landowners cost-share funding and free technical assistance for conservation projects.
The Washington State Conservation Commission assists all 47 conservation districts with their annual and five-year planning. In addition, the Conservation Commission helps districts by administering state grants, assisting with day-to-day operations, providing guidance for elections, and offering staff trainings. Together, the Conservation Commission and districts are working to educate private landowners and assist them with projects that will enhance their operations while protecting Washington's natural resources. For many districts, those educational efforts extend to local schools and tomorrow's land stewards, like the second and fifth graders in Goldendale.
For more information about Eastern Klickitat Conservation District programs and projects, please read their 2007 annual report:  Annual Report 2007 - Eastern Klickitat Conservation District 167.88 Kb
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