Washington
List of Sustainability-Focused Extension Programs
Program: Sustainable Community Stewards Outreach Program
Institution: Washington State University
Category: Energy
Range: Snohomish County
Description: Be the change you want to see in your community! Over the past 5 years, Sustainable Community Stewards have diverted over 15,000 pounds of food waste and compostable ware from the landfill, tested over 900 cars for leaks, and taught over 500 people how to make their own non-toxic tub scrub. These impacts are especially important since Washington State’s recycling rate is stagnant at 51%, over 7 million quarts of oil leak into the Puget Sound watershed each year, and over half of the Snohomish County residents surveyed in 2016 did not know about the Household Hazardous Waste facility. You can be a positive change, educator, and researcher in your own neighborhood by joining this program!
Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings
Program: Small Acreage Program
Institution: Washington State University
Category: Water
Range: Clark county
Description: The Small Acreage program provides outreach to residents on how to manage issues small acreage landowners confront, helping residents reduce pollution entering storm and surface water from residential and agricultural properties. The program provides residents the knowledge and skills necessary to manage their land and animals in a way that will help keep water clean while often saving them money.
Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information, Signage
Program: Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources
Institution: Washington State University
Category: Land, Air Quality/ Climate Change, Food, Water, Energy
Range: Regional
Description: CSANR leads efforts in sustainable agriculture, food, and natural resource systems that are economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially responsible. CSANR’s role focuses on facilitation and networking, funding, and education. CSANR facilitates new linkages and better communication between diverse interest groups, WSU units, growers, agencies, industry, environmental groups, and the public.
Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information, Research
Program: Biologically Intensive Agriculture & Organic Farming (BIOAg)
Institution: Washington State University
Category: Land, Food, Water
Range: Washington statewide
Description: BIOAg is the flagship Grant Program of the WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources. The goal of the BIOAg solicitation is to engage WSU faculty to advance the development, understanding, and use of biologically-intensive, organic and sustainable agriculture in Washington State. BIOAg funding can be requested for three purposes: to stimulate new research initiatives, to augment existing research to address critical gaps, and to move existing, game-changing research out into the real world.
Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information
Program: Native Plant Salvage Project
Institution: Washington State University
Category: Water
Range: Thurston County
Description: The project trains volunteers and offers workshops on using residential landscapes to protect water resources and wildlife habitat. An important element of the program is to implement green stormwater infrastructure strategies that look to nature for managing storm-water, conserving water, and keeping pollution out of our waterways.
Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website
Program: Cultivating Success Courses
Institution: Washington State University
Category: Food, Land
Range: Washington Statewide
Description: Our Cultivating Success Program offers courses that provide beginning and existing farmers with the planning and decision-making tools, production skills and support necessary to develop a sustainable small acreage farm. Cultivating Success connects the student with the farmers and exposes them to real world situations through a community-based, experiential approach. Whether you are a community member wanting to learn the basics of farming/ranching or an experienced farmer/rancher wanting to try something new – Cultivating Success provides educational opportunities for anyone interested in the knowledge and skills you need to be a successful small acreage farmer or rancher.
Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information
Program: Water Resources Education & Involvement
Institution: Washington State University
Category: Water
Range: Kitsap County
Description:
- Stream Stewards – learn about local watersheds and freshwater ecology; help teach others about their conservation and restoration; participate in stream restoration, sampling, and tree planting
- Beach Naturalists – discover, monitor, and help teach others about the Salish Sea and the many critters who inhabit our shores
- Salmon Docents – learn about Puget Sound’s iconic salmon species and share your knowledge as a streamside Salmon Docent at the annual Kitsap Salmon Tours events.
Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Information
Program: WSU Water Irrigation System Efficiency
Institution: Washington State University
Category: Water
Range: Washington statewide
Description: We work with stakeholders to improve Irrigation efficiency. Farmers that show up to trainings receive a free Irrigation evaluation and tutorial on Irrigation System Management.
Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings
