Conservation Success Stories

The Conservation Commission and conservation districts integrate  science, technology, and effective strategies for engaging people into our  voluntary solutions. This helps us build community around conservation and  deliver multi-benefit results. You’ll find examples of these solutions—and  the results we’ve been able to celebrate with participating landowners and  partners—in these community success stories.

Engaging Youth in Spokane

Spokane Conservation District

Spokane Conservation District and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are working together to empower local youth to get involved in conservation work!

Using funding from an EPA environmental justice award, Spokane CD worked with students last summer to plant and care for hundreds of trees in Airway Heights and Spokane Valley— targeting underserved neighborhoods that need more tree canopy coverage. Participating students will receive stipends covering books and tuition at Spokane Community College, setting them up for future success.

This project was also supported by The Lands Council, SNAP, and the Pacific Education Institute— providing comprehensive environmental education and community involvement.

Thank you, Spokane CD, for helping inspire the next generation of natural resource conservation and forestry professionals!

More Community Stories:

Pine Creek Conservation District

Thriving Waters, Thriving Farms: Sowing a Legacy for Hangman Creek

Generations of farming along Hangman Creek have faced erosion and water quality challenges. Through a partnership between the Spokane and Pine Creek Conservation Districts and the Washington State Department of Ecology, local landowners are restoring natural stream channels, planting native vegetation, and stabilizing creek banks, all while keeping working lands productive. Together, they’re proving that voluntary conservation benefits both farms and fish.

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Spokane Conservation District

Thriving Waters, Thriving Farms: Sowing a Legacy for Hangman Creek

Generations of farming along Hangman Creek have faced erosion and water quality challenges. Through a partnership between the Spokane and Pine Creek Conservation Districts and the Washington State Department of Ecology, local landowners are restoring natural stream channels, planting native vegetation, and stabilizing creek banks, all while keeping working lands productive. Together, they’re proving that voluntary conservation benefits both farms and fish.

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Stevens County Conservation District

Vetter Farm: A Living Legacy of Partnership and Innovation

Established in the 1890s and donated to Washington State University in 2020, Vetter Farm is jointly managed by the Stevens County Conservation District and WSU Extension. This 158-acre property serves as a working demonstration farm, supporting soil health research, agroforestry trials, and educational field days that bring local producers together to share ideas and test new approaches.

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