Backyard Conservation Series
Backyard Conservation is an annual six-week program offered each spring featuring: Native Plant Landscaping, Environmentally Friendly Garden Practices, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Composting, Building Healthy Soils, Managing Invasive Plants, Gardening for Wildlife, Introduction to Low Impact Development/Rain Gardens, and MORE! Training provided by local experts! Participants learn the principles of how to create beautiful landscapes that benefit humans, animals, stream health and the environment...one backyard at a time!
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Please view the schedule below and follow the link to register. For more information email carla@skagitcd.org
April
April 3 at Skagit Valley College, Angst Hall 125, 5:30 PM- 8:00 PM
Welcome/Introductions/Program Orientation – Carla Glassman, Skagit Conservation District
Rainwater Harvesting – CJ Huxford, Northwest Rain Solutions NW Rain Solutions
Saturday Fieldtrip, April 6
Pomona Grange Park, 10:00 AM- 1:30 PM
Join the Skagit Land Trust for a brief overview of Skagit amphibians, then gear up as we will be trekking through a local conservation area to complete an important egg mass survey.
April 10 at Skagit Valley College, Angst Hall 125, 5:30 PM- 8:00 PM
Landscape Design for Homeowners – Kathy Anderson, Bountiful Landscapes
April 17 at Skagit Valley College, Angst Hall 125, 5:30 PM- 8:00 PM
Invasive Plants of the Pacific NW – Madelyn Loy, Skagit County Noxious Weed Board
Sustainable Gardening – Lisa Miller, Eco-Restore Consulting & Design LLC.
April 24 at Skagit Valley College, Angst Hall 125, 5:30 PM- 8:00 PM
Beneficial Insects – Bob Gillespie, Entomologist
Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Food – Brenda Cunningham, WA Native Plant Society
Saturday Fieldtrip, April 27
WSU Skagit County Master Gardeners Discovery Garden
10:00 AM- 2:00 PM
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Join the WSU Master Gardeners for a Native Plant Demonstration Garden, Discovery Garden Walk & Talk, & Backyard Composting Demonstration.
May
May 1 at Padilla Bay Research Reserve, 5:30 PM- 8:00 PM
Green Crab Identification and Monitoring, Northwest Straits Commission
May 8 at Skagit Valley College, Angst 125, 5:30 PM- 8 PM
Local Birds and habitat - Skagit Audubon Society
Integrated Pest Management – Bob Gillespie, Entomologist
Graduation Celebration – Carla Glassman, Skagit Conservation District
This program is held in partnership with the City of Mount Vernon, City of Sedro-Woolley, City of Anacortes, City of Burlington, and Skagit County
Some of the past classes were recorded and can be viewed by clicking the links below.
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Handouts and reference materials are also available to view or download by clicking the links.
All land on earth is a watershed, connecting all our backyards together. Our activities affect our health, the health of our homes, and everything around us. Hear from experts and on the topics of “rainwise” gardening, Native plants, landscaping for wildlife, Integrated Pest Management, Invasive Weeds, Composting, and more..
Participants will learn the principles of how to make your home a place of beauty that benefits humans, animals, watersheds, and the environment starting in your own backyard.