Press Releases

2012 CD Supervisor Election
VOTE IN THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS CONSERVATION DISTRICT ELECTION

The election of the San Juan Islands Conservation District will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2012.  All San Juan County registered voters are eligible to vote in this election.  One supervisor will be elected by registered voters and one supervisor will be appointed by the Washington State Conservation Commission for a 3-year term on the governing board of the San Juan Islands Conservation District.

The Board of Supervisors is responsible for governance and oversight of the Conservation District, for formulation of policy regulating District operations, for approval of District budgets, and monitoring use of District resources.  The Board of Supervisors meets monthly, and individual supervisors typically also serve on District committees and provide technical support as appropriate. Supervisor positions are not compensated.
 
VACANCY- Elected SUPERVISOR
We have one elected position vacant.  The candidate must be a registered voter owning land or operating a farm within the San Juan Islands Conservation District boundary.  ANYONE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SUPERVISOR CANDIDATE for the San Juan Islands Conservation District Board of Supervisors must file a nominating form and 25 qualifying signature petition with San Juan Islands Conservation District no later than January 31, 2012.

VACANCY - Appointed SUPERVISOR
We have one appointed position vacant as well.  This position expires in May 19, 2012 and is a three-year appointment.
The Washington State Conservation Commission must receive applications for appointment no later than March 30, 2012 by 5pm.
 
For more information, or to obtain application forms, please contact Carol Maas at the San Juan Islands Conservation District 360-378-6621 or e-mail c.maas@sanjuanislandscd.org) or visit the Washington State Conservation Commission website at http://www.scc.wa.gov.

This election will be conducted by mail-in or drop-off in person at the polling station, 540 Guard Street, #150, Friday Harbor from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2012.

Those wishing to vote in this election, by mail, must request a ballot, and must do so not later than February 21, 2012. Ballot requests may be submitted, to the attention of the Elections Officer.  Please provide your name, address, phone & email address.  These are needed to verify voter registration.

mail:   SJICD, 350 Court Street, #10, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
telephone:   360-378-6621
fax:   360-378-2445
email:   c.maas@sanjuanislandscd.org
in person:   540 Guard Street, #150, Friday Harbor, WA

Ballots will be mailed to voters when the list of candidates is final.
Mailed ballots must be returned postmarked no later than Tuesday, February 28, 2010.



Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
This popular conservation funding assistance program deadline is set for December 2nd, 2011 



SPOKANE, Wash. (November 7, 2011) - Agricultural producers have until December 2, 2011 to apply for financial and technical assistance through Washington's most popular conservation program, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced today.


The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary, technical and financial assistance program designed to help farmers improve irrigation efficiency; manage nutrient run-off and/or animal waste; improve the health of native plant communities; and reduce soil loss. In most instances, producers who participate in the program pay for roughly half of the costs of the conservation measures or practices.


The December 2 signup deadline is for Washington's general EQIP funding.  According to the NRCS, there will be additional deadlines later in the year for some special initiatives such as funding specifically for Organic Producers, Conservation Activity Plans and possibly others.


"EQIP has become NRCS' primary program to provide conservation assistance to producers on Washington's working lands," acting Assistant State Conservationist Lacey Gaw said, "Applicants who want to be considered for a fiscal year 2012 EQIP contract will need to have a signed application on file by December 2, 2011".

In 2011, Washington agricultural producers qualified for more than $12 million in financial assistance through the program, according to the NRCS.

Interested agricultural producers are encouraged to contact their local USDA service center office or check the agency's web site at www.wa.nrcs.usda.gov for more information.


CONTACT:  
Steve Nissley
District Conservationist
USDA-NRCS Mt. Vernon
360.428.7684 ext. 131
 
36 
 

An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.


Free Educational Workshops:  Drainage 101: Learn How to protect your property
During the fall, winter and spring the San Juan Islands receive significant precipitation that can cause property to become wet and muddy and even cause property damage.  Sometimes, when the excess rainwater runs downslope it can cause erosion of soil, isolated flooding and may contain pollutants from roadways and lawns/landscaped areas.
San Juan County Community Planning and Development and the San Juan Islands Conservation District are excited to sponsor two informative free workshop for San Juan County residents who are interested in drainage, water quality, soils, plants and Low Impact Development (LID) best management practices that can help reduce runoff, clean pollutants and increase infiltration as well as create attractive landscapes and conserve precious water resources.  The general concept is to mimic natural hydrologic processes by protecting soils, amending soils, planting native plants that can tolerate local conditions and directing runoff into small scale facilities for treatment and infiltration.
There are two workshops being offered. 
Friday, November 18th, from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm at the Grange in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island
Saturday, November 19th, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at the Outlook Inn in Eastsound on Orcas Island
Topics to be covered include “Sustainable Land Use Principles” with a national expert on soils and sustainable land practices, Mr. David McDonald a Resource Planner at Seattle Public Utilities and an educator for the PSP/WSU/UW Low Impact Development Certification program.  He will cover Best Landscape Practices, Soil Protection & Restoration, Vegetation Management and Pollution Prevention.  The second part of the workshop will cover the basics of engineering and” Low Impact Development” with speaker Mark Buehrer, Professional Engineer from 2020 Engineering in Bellingham.  His firm has designed stormwater systems and low impact development facilities in the San Juan Islands.  He will address  Site Planning Principals, Best Management Practices (BMPs), Erosion Control , Water Quality Treatment as well as Construction, Operation & Maintenance of various drainage solutions.  Also included in the workshop is a discussion of “Water & Your Land:  Opportunities for Land Owners in the Eastsound & Westcott / Garrison Bay Watersheds” by Julie Thompson, San Juan County Community Planning and Development Department and D. N. Kinsey, San Juan Islands Conservation District.  We will look at current project areas and the future of stormwater management in the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound. 
The target audience for these workshops includes landowners and business owners in the watersheds of East Sound and Westcott/Garrison Bays, Community Decision Makers (County Council, HOAs, Eastsound Planning & Review Committee, etc.), Contractors, Architects, Engineers, Builders/Developers, Landscape Professionals and anyone interested in green technologies and natural resource conservation.
To reserve a seat or for more details contact the San Juan Islands Conservation District at 360-378-6621 or by email at info@sanjuanislandscd.org.  
This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the assistance agreement PO-00J12501 to San Juan County. The Puget Sound Watershed Management Assistance Program ends in 2013.

Sunday, September 25, 10 am - 3 pm FRIDAY HARBOR, SAN JUAN ISLANDS, WA
Horses for Clean Water WORKSHOP: Fall in Place for Winter: Preparing Horse and Livestock Properties for the Rainy Season. Join Alayne Blickle on beautiful San Juan Island to learn about horse keeping--island style! Hear tips and ideas on reducing mud and runoff as well as pasture and manure management options. See: http://www.horsesforcleanwater.com for details


WORKSHOPS: Protecting the Shoreline in San Juan County
Join us for a free workshop with coastal expert Jim Johannessen. Learn ways to protect your shoreline.

SAN JUAN - Tues. June 7, 2:00-3:30 pm, English Camp
ORCAS - Wed. June 8, 10:00-11:30am, Crescent Beach
LOPEZ - Wed. June 8, 2:30-4:00 pm, Odlin Park

This landowner assistance workshop is free.
Please call 378-2319 to RSVP or for more information.
Sponsored by:
San Juan Islands Conservation District & Friends of the San Juans


Governor Gregoire reappoints Commissioner Lynn Bahrych for a third term.
News Release:  May 27, 2011 Contact:  Mark Clark, Washington State Conservation Commission, mclark@scc.wa.gov, 360-407-6201
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Lynn Bahrych, Commissioner, was reappointed to the Conservation Commission by Governor Gregoire on Friday, May 20, 2011.  Commissioner Bahrych, resident of Shaw Island in the San Juan Islands, has served on the Commission since 2004. Commissioner Bahrych has been instrumental in a number of activities closely related to the environmental and agricultural communities.  She is currently leading, on behalf of the Commission, the effort to bring the highly acclaimed Smithsonian exhibit “Dig It! The Secrets of Soil” to Washington State.
Commissioner Bahrych will serve from June 7, 2011 until June 6, 2015. 


The Official 2011 Election Results were certified at the Washington State Conservation Commission meeting on May 19th.
Elected Conservation District Supervisor-
Steve Belluomini, San Juan Island
Appointed Conservation District Supervisor-
Shannon Hoffman, Lopez Island

The election of a San Juan Islands Conservation District Supervisor was held on March 29, 2011. All San Juan County registered voters were eligible to vote in this election. One supervisor was elected for a 3-year term on the governing board of the District.The San Juan Islands Conservation District Board of Supervisors is comprised of three elected positions and two appointed positions. Each supervisor is a volunteer and serves a 3-year term.
All 2011 election and appointment information is available, click on the following links:

Elections
Appointments

The Board of Supervisors is responsible for governance and oversight of the Conservation District, for formulation of policy regulating District operations, for approval of District budgets, and monitoring use of District resources. The Board of Supervisors meets monthly, and individual supervisors typically also serve on District committees and provide technical support as appropriate.


Governor Signs Ruckelshaus Bill - A Voluntary Stewardship Program Created for Agriculture in Washington State 
May 17, 2011
It took over 3 years of negotiation between parties who rarely see things eye-to-eye, but hard work in the Ruckelshaus Process finally showed success yesterday when Governor Gregoire signed ESHB 1886, known as the Ruckelshaus Process bill.  You can view a copy of the legislation
here. The legislation creates the Voluntary Stewardship Program at the Conservation Commission, a program intended to address the contentious issue of the protection of critical areas on agricultural lands while maintaining viable agricultural production.  The San Juan County Council decided to Opt-In to the Voluntary Stewardship Program on January 10, 2012.
For more information on Voluntary Stewardship


Holistic Management for Farm Planning and Profitability: A Two-Day Introductory Workshop
When: Sat. and Sun., Feb. 19 and 20, 2011 Where: Skagit Valley College

Who Will Benefit? Participants will learn about Ecosystem Processes, Holistic Goal Setting, Financial and Land Planning, Decision Making, Monitoring and Implementation.

Presenter: Dr. Sandra Matheson is a rancher, Certified Educator in Holistic Management, group facilitator, retired veterinarian, writer, and documentary filmmaker, who lives and farms near Bellingham, WA.

Cost: $86 per person includes instruction, light snacks, and materials.


Washington Association of Conservation Districts Supervisor of the Year for the NW Area was awarded to the San Juan Islands Conservation District Board of Supervisors Chair, Mr. Pete Walmsley.


Public Hearing about SJICD Special Assessment Renewal Request ($5/parcel for 10 years)
DATE: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 TIME: 10:45 am
LOCATION: San Juan County Council Chambers 55 Second Street, Friday Harbor, WA
ABOUT: Public Hearing regarding the San Juan Islands Conservation District's request to renew Special Assessment funding of $5/parcel for 10 years commencing January 2011.

FRIDAY HARBOR, Washington, Aug. 22, 2010 -- San Juan County Council will hold a public hearing at the Council Chambers in Friday Harbor on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 10:45 am to consider a request from the San Juan Islands Conservation District for renewal of a $5/parcel special assessment for 10 years to support activities and programs to conserve natural resources in the San Juan Islands and thereby benefit all county residents.

For more information, contact Josie Byington, SJICD Office Manager at 360-378-6621 or j.byington@sanjuanislandscd.org or visit www.sanjuanislandscd.org.
* Based on parcel numbers provided by San Juan County Assessor's office on August 16, 2010.


PUBLIC HEARING: Tuesday, June 8th, 2010, 10:00 AM

Please join us for a Public Hearing regarding the request by the San Juan Islands Conservation District for renewal of parcel assessment.
Location: The San Juan Island Grange (152 First Street N, Friday Harbor).
Call for more information, (360) 378-6621



San Juan County Soils Workshop
Dates: Public Presentation, Tues April 6th, 7:30 pm
San Juan Island Public Library Meeting Room

Presentation for Professionals, Weds April 7th, 9-11:00 am
Council Chambers, Legislative Building

Presenters:
Chuck Natsuhara, Soil Scientist, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service and
Erik Dahlke, Soil Survey Office Leader, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service

Topics: How the Soil Survey update was created and changes from the 1962 Soil survey maps.
Presented by: The San Juan Islands Conservation District in cooperation with The United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service



Native Plants: Look for them on an island near you
The Annual Native Plant Sale: A partnership between the Master Gardener Foundation and the San Juan Islands Conservation District.

Please call WSU Extension at 378-4414 if you have any questions.
Plants are 1-2 years old and are bare root or plugs sold in bundles of five plants, unless noted. Plants average
from 8” to 36” in height. Plants are conservation stock, not nursery stock and some plant loss should be expected.
Orders may be picked up on Saturday February 27, 2010 between 9-12 in one of three locations: SJC Fairgrounds 4-H Building, Orcas Island Grange, Lopez at Sunset Builders


Orcas Islander - daily news about Orcas Island
The Conservation District is charged with preserving our natural resources, supporting agriculture and educational activities. The district is supervised by ...

 Workshop for Contractors: Journal of the San Juans Jan 2007
“Land Development Permits and Practices — the Good, the Bad and the Ugly” will be held March 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the San Juan Island Grange, downtown Friday Harbor.



Firewise, Waterwise and Energywise: Practical Solutions for Living ...

Bill Hamilton, SJC Conservation District, Bill McLaughlin, Fire Protection District No. 3 at chief@sjifire.org or ...