Local conservation organizations are planning free online winter workshops. A joint presentation called “The Benefits of Beaver” is planned on Thursday, Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. Registration for the workshop on the Underwood Conservation District’s webpage www.ucdwa.org.
This workshop is organized by a collaboration of organizations working to promote beavers for watershed health and fish recovery. That group, the Wishpush Working Group, includes the Yakama Nation, Mid-Columbia Fisheries, Underwood Conservation District, Mt. Adams Resource Stewards, and more. The presentation will cover how beaver can be allies in watershed improvements, wildfire risk reduction, and climate resilience, along with local efforts to boost beaver populations and reduce conflicts. The director of the Methow Beaver Project will also speak on the successes and lessons of many years of beaver relocation and restoration in their watersheds.
Other topics in the workshop series include salmon recovery, fires and fish, carbon market access for forest landowners, forest planning, and cottonwood forest ecology. These free presentations are being hosted by Mid-Columbia Fisheries and Underwood Conservation District. Learn more and register for the various workshops at the websites of Mid-Columbia Fisheries midcolumbiafisheries.org and Underwood Conservation District www.ucdwa.org.
Underwood Conservation District (UCD) is a locally-governed, non-regulatory agency available to provide information and technical assistance for natural resource conservation and best management. UCD is also holding its annual Native Plant Sale through the winter. Contact them at www.ucdwa.org or 509-493-1936 to learn more.
Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring wild salmonid populations and their habitats through restoration, protection, education, and community involvement throughout our region.
The Wishpush Working Group is a collaborative of various stakeholders whose goal is to respect, retain and re-home beavers on the landscape in order to provide a host of ecological benefits leading to watersheds that are healthy, diverse and resilient.
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