Education and Volunteer Programs
Education and Volunteer Programs
Check our "Upcoming Events" section for registration information
Community engagement
The Scoop on Poop
"There's no such thing as the Poop Fairy..."
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What’s the problem?
1. Dog poop is like human poop. It contains pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can make people, pets, and wildlife sick. Some of these pathogens can survive for years in the soil and water.
2. Rainwater picks up everything it touches, including dog poop, and carries it to the nearest drain or ditch which flow into nearby waterways.
What's the solution?
1. Bag it and put it in the trash.
Bagging and trashing dog poop is the preferred disposal method. The bag protects everyone from contact with the pathogens, and landfills safely contain the pollutants. Trash haulers and public health professionals agree.
Do you know the answers?
Dog poop is just like cow manure... Right?
No. Like human poop, pet poop is raw sewage. Dogs eat a much different diet than livestock and wild animals, so their poop has parasites and germs that can harm wildlife as well and people and their pets.
Can I bury or compost pet poop?
No. Buried poop is still full of bacteria and can still pollute the water. Most compost conditions don’t properly treat or remove the pathogens and parasites in poop. That’s why your yard waste hauler doesn’t want dog poop put in the yard waste bin. Pet poop should never be placed in your home compost bin or directly on your landscape.
Wild animals poop too.
True. Wildlife poop is also a water quality problem. When it rains, bacteria from the poop in the soil gets into the waterways where it can infect people, pets and wildlife. Poop on the ground is a problem.
Why do I have to pick up after my dog, but they don't have to pick up after their cows and horses?
Oh, but they do have to pick up after their livestock! Picking up poop is part of the job. Dogs, cats, cows, goats, chickens, you name it…If your pet or livestock poops, you’ve got to scoop it up and manage the waste responsibly.
Is it really better to use plastic bags instead of leaving poop on the ground?
Yes. Plastic isn’t great for our environment, but it is currently the best and safest option. When tied up and thrown in the trash, plastic bags keep dangerous bacteria out of the environment. To reduce the use of plastic, use recycled or reused plastic bags. At home, try using a scooper tool and a bag-lined bin to reduce the amount of plastic you use.
Should I use biodegradable bags?
No. Biodegradable pet waste bags are only useful if they're going to an industrial compost facility (which we don't have in Skagit County). The environment in traditional landfills doesn't allow Biodegradable bags don't break down.
Can I leave my bagged poop on the trail to pick up later?
Please don't. Bags left on the side of the trail for later pickup are often forgotten. And even if you are certain to remember your bag, other people may see your bag sitting on the trail and think it's ok to just leave their bags too.Using a bag carrier or keeping a hard-sided plastic food container in your bag are two hands-free solutions for packing out poop.
This didn't seem like an issue when I was growing up. What's different now?
Our population here in the northwest is growing quickly. With more people and more dogs living close together, the density of poop adds up. It's another drop in the pool of contaminants we are trying to keep out of our waterways.
Dirt, poop, oil, chemicals, every little bit counts.
Scoop it, Bag it, & Put it in the trash.
Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Program
The marine Biotoxin Monitoring program assists the WA State Department of Health monitor local recreational shellfish harvesting beaches during the HABs (Harmful Algal Blooms) season.
Adults, 18+ in Skagit County who are interest in public health and the Salish Sea can participate.
The volunteer time commitment for this program includes completing the 2-day training, then approximately 4 to 6 hours a month from mid-April through September (during daytime low tides).
Volunteers will learn about PSP, DSP, and its effect on humans, how to identify our local clams, and about the Shellfish industry processing in our area. Volunteers with their teammate(s) will harvest, by hand, the shellfish present at their assigned local Skagit beaches which are then sent to the Dept. of Health Lab to be tested for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP), Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) and Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning. PSP is a serious illness caused by eating shellfish that have consumed large amounts of toxins. DSP has recently been detected in Puget Sound waters.
Regular monitoring allows a quick response of closing beaches when toxins levels are high to assure the safety of the public's health.
The 2 days of training are held in early spring, between mid-March and the end of April. The dates will be selected based on the tides.
The first training is done virtually and the second training is done on the beach during a low tide.
will include 1 (Virtual) training session and 1 (on the beach) training session, TBD
Announcements will be posted in our quarterly E-Newsletter. Sign-up for E-News
For more information contact Carla Glassman,
at Skagit Conservation District
Phone 360-708-2360
or e-mail: carla@skagitcd.org
(Please read the position description before filling out the Registration form)
2025 Program Registration Closed.
See you Next Year!
Myths and Misconceptions: Biotoxins - Myths and Misconceptions | Washington State Department of Health
Domoic Acid/Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning: https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/Documents/Pubs//332-057.pdf?uid=6296531f7ce63
Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning: https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/Documents/Pubs//332-097.pdf?uid=629662a3e5298
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning: https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/Documents/Pubs//332-058.pdf?uid=629652c77152b
Vibriosis: https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/Documents/Pubs//332-059.pdf?uid=629647f90d451
Norovirus: Norovirus in Shellfish | Washington State Department of Health
Stream Team
A Citizen Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program
The Skagit Stream Team is a network of citizens concerned about the health of local streams. They are trained to work in teams to collect water quality data on stream reaches located in our priority watersheds: Nookachamps Creek Watershed; Padilla Bay Watershed; and Samish Watershed, as well as sampling stormwater runoff in the cities of Anacortes, Burlington and Mount Vernon. Each team tests for temperature, fecal coliform, turbidity, depth, and dissolved oxygen and averages around 4-6 hours per month.
SPONSORED BY: Skagit Conservation District, Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, City of Anacortes, City of Burlington, City of Mount Vernon, and Skagit County
Key Roles:
Stream Team Field Monitors: Responsible for collecting and recording water quality data at assigned stream reaches on a monthly basis.
Please note that this position may require walking on rocky, steep, and/or uneven terrain.
Stream Team Lab Managers: Trained to conduct fecal coliform and turbidity tests at the Padilla Bay Research Reserve lab facility.
Data Managers: Maintains monitoring and lab data, while generating graphs and charts for the year end monitoring report.
All Stream Team Volunteers learn new skills, gain new insights, network with local experts, meet new friends, and participate in a worthwhile community program.
Stream Team Volunteers have access to a manual, equipment, supplies, and FREE TRAINING. Volunteers are covered by L&I Insurance.
The Skagit Stream Team Monitoring Program was established in 1998 to inspire community stewardship of water resources through education and volunteer science. Data from this program are for informational and educational purposes only.
Annual Reports
For 2022-23, 2023-24, and onwards, the Stream Team data website serves as the annual report. Click the Data Explorer page button to see current information.
Goals of the Skagit Stream Team Program:
To inspire community stewardship regarding water quality.
To teach community volunteers the sampling and analytical techniques used by professionals that can be used to assess water quality trends, and to characterize existing conditions.
To document improvements in water quality.
Youth Education
The Skagit Conservation District offers natural resource related presentations to students from K-12.
Where Does Your Water Shed?
Did you know that we each contribute to the biggest source of pollution for the Skagit Watershed? Learn about how our actions impact the health of our rivers, streams, and bays and what citizens like you are doing to help keep them clean for the people and wildlife that depend on them here in the Skagit Valley. More information.
Annual Youth Programs
A yearly High school academic competition in environmental/resource topics for grades 9 - 12.
Envirothon is a problem-solving, natural resource competition for high school students. In the field, teams of students are challenged to hone critical thinking skills and work as a team to both answer written questions and conduct hands-on investigation of environmental issues in five categories - Aquatics, Soils & Land Use, Forestry, Wildlife, and Current Environmental Issues. A sixth component integrates all five test categories and requires teams to use an interdisciplinary approach to present an Oral Presentation on the Current Environmental Issues topic
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For information on the Washington State Envirothon, please visit www.waenvirothon.org
For more information on the North American Envirothon Competition, please visit https://envirothon.org/
Annual Poster Contest
The Skagit Conservation District’s Natural Resource Conservation Annual Soil & Water Stewardship Poster Contest provides kindergarten through twelfth grade students with an opportunity to share their thoughts about soil, water and related natural resources.
The Skagit Youth Conservation Tour is designed to provide a fun and educational outdoor experience to local youth and inspire a better understanding of the watershed/human connection.
The tour consists of 6 stations hosted by local natural resource professionals who will guide students through entertaining educational activities focused on conservation of our natural resources. Classes spend 15 minutes at each station for a total of one and a half hours to complete the entire tour. Some of the past year's forest partners include the WA State Department of Natural Resources, Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, Skagit Land Trust, Skagit County Department of Public Works Master Composter/Recyclers, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Sierra Pacific Industries, North Cascades National Park, and Skagit Conservation District.
The Skagit Conservation District has a limited number of FREE NATIVE SEEDLINGS available for Skagit County educators and their students.
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Workshops
Skagit County residents can attend our yearly workshops at no cost. Evening workshops and Saturday fieldtrips will cover forest and stream health, building healthy soils, managing invasive plants, riparian and habitat planting and maintenance, climate impacts and solutions, salmon, estuaries, and shellfish resources, and MORE!
All land on earth is a watershed. Our activities affect our health, the health of our homes, and everything around us. Learn the principles of how to make your home a place that benefits humans, animals, and the environment.
The Stormwater Workshop Program is sponsored by the cities of Anacortes, Burlington, Mount Vernon, and Sedro-Woolley, and Skagit County through the Skagit Conservation District.
For more information, please contact Carla Glassman 360-708-2360 or Carla@skagitcd.org
Small Space Gardening
Partner Groups' Volunteer Programs
The goals of the monitoring program are to:
1) Engage community members in hands-on monitoring projects to improve their understanding of forest ecosystems.
2) Gain insight into the stressors on forest ecosystems and the implications of climate change for individual species and forest ecosystems.
3) Provide the City of Anacortes forest managers and the ACFL Forest Advisory Board with environmental monitoring summaries to support forest management.
The Salish Sea Stewards is a volunteer program of the Skagit County Marine Resources Committee in partnership with Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Our program offers approximately 40 hours of FREE community science training each year focused on the marine environment. In return, participants commit 40 hours of volunteer service in protecting the marine environment over the course of one year.
SFEG is a nonprofit and non-governmental organization, that was formed in 1990 to involve our communities in habitat restoration and watershed stewardship in order to enhance salmon populations.
Conserving wildlife habitat, agricultural and forest lands, scenic open space, wetlands, and shorelines for the benefit of our community and as a legacy for future generations.
Skagit Watershed Council is a community partnership for salmon.
By means of collaboration, technical assistance and education, the watershed council seeks to fulfill their mission, which is to understand, protect and restore the productivity of healthy ecosystems in order to support sustainable fisheries.