2021 Election - March 19, 2021

Interested in serving on the District Board? District board members (supervisors) set district policy and program priorities, oversee district finances, and meet monthly to discuss district business and activities. They serve unpaid for a three-year term. Three are elected and two are appointed by the state Conservation Commission. Scott Chitwood’s elected position and Ben Smith’s appointed position expire in 2021. Candidate filing deadline for the elected position is February 16, 2021. The deadline to apply for the appointed position is March 31, 2021. More information is available on our website.

Are you eligible to Vote? Eligible voters must be registered to vote in Clallam County. This year’s election will still be held in person. With public health and safety in mind during this COVID19 pandemic, we’re setting polling hours from noon to 8:00pm and will mail out absentee ballots to vote by mail; however, absentee ballots must be requested. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is February 26, 2021.

Do you want to serve as a polling officer? Our elections would not be possible without volunteer polling officers. Polling officers work in groups of two for two-hour minimum shifts.

The winter solstice is here. Daylight hours are few and gray dreary days are many. For some, this means the dreaded seasonal affective disorder (SAD). But fear not, ladies and gentlemen because I have a cure for SAD.

Take advantage of this time of year to plan next year’s landscaping projects. Many gardeners spend the winter thumbing through gardening magazines and seed catalogues (or more likely browsing the internet), anxiously looking forward to getting their native plants from the conservation district, and daydreaming about spring planting.

Shopping for seeds and plants is a tried and true SAD coping strategy, and we do love to sell you plants. But we also want you to make good decisions about your plant purchases.

Last month I outlined the process for figuring out your landscaping objectives and your site’s capabilities and limitations. On January 6 from 4:00 to 5:30pm, I will be giving an online presentation on this very topic. Go to our website to register. You can participate in the live presentation or sign up to view the recording at a later date.

Once you’ve identified your landscaping objectives and determined what your site is best suited for, it’s time to dig into the details. So you don’t get too overwhelmed, try to think of your landscape as a compilation of “rooms” or spaces, each serving different purposes and treated independently. Then, focus on one space at a time. Pay special attention to those parts of your landscape that you see more regularly, such as the view from your kitchen sink.

Unless you have a city lot, try not to feel compelled to landscape your entire property as if it is a city lot. And keep in mind that although turf grass is a quick and easy groundcover to get established, it can require a lot of ongoing maintenance and offers little in the way of habitat. Note that most turf grass species go to seed at a fairly short height, so forgo mowing and treating it like a natural meadow is an option.

For design, I advocate what I refer to as the Three Fs of landscape design harmony: Function, Fit and Form.

Function, or harmony of purpose is about making sure your basic needs are being served. This includes creation of distinct spaces, windbreaks, privacy screens, framed views, summer shade, etc. Structural elements, such as fences, arbors, pergolas, and pathways are important features.

Fit, or harmony with nature, is about making sure your decisions match your site conditions. This ties in with your site analysis and embracing what nature has given you to work with. The better you can work with nature, the more successful your landscaping will be with the least amount of manipulation and maintenance.

Form, or aesthetic harmony is the traditional focus of landscape design – creating an attractive and pleasant landscape. Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there are common design factors that resonate with most people, such as creating order through repetition, balance, unity and proportion. Your landscape doesn’t have to be formal, but it should appear intentional and managed. I’ll comment more on this later. Also important is the use of color and texture. Reject the impulse to have one of everything and every color in the rainbow. Remember, you have different spaces to work with, so consider themes for each. And the cool thing about landscapes is how dynamic they can be, changing throughout the year and from one year to the next.

If you’re striving for a natural style landscape, try to space plants somewhat randomly, and plant each species in 3s, 5s, or 7s for an informal, natural feel. Try to mimic natural plant communities you might find near where you live. Add boulders and moss-covered root wads and snags, pave with natural stone, and install split rail fencing for a natural feel and a sense of landscape maturity.

When you finally do get to the point of developing your plant lists (I say “lists” because each space should have its own list), always take into account the soil texture (i.e., sandy gravelly, clay or silt loam). Soil texture affects drainage and water holding capacity, and it is critical to match your plant selection to your soil conditions. Details about soil preferences of the species we sell are included with the plant descriptions. This will narrow your plant choices considerably (that is, unless you are blessed with silt loam, which accommodates a wide variety of species).

Next, consider the following: tree or shrub, evergreen or deciduous, and size at maturity. Deciding between a tree or a shrub is mainly a function of available space. But how do you know if you should go with an evergreen or deciduous tree? Deciduous trees provide summer shade but allow light in winter. Evergreens are good for screens and windbreaks and liven up drab winter scenery. Don’t forget how low the sun is in the winter sky, as well as where the sun rises and sets. To lessen the impacts of SAD, you’ll want to allow as much light around your house as as possible.

Check out King County’s interactive website that allows you to search plants by choosing from various site condition options, as well as numerous other factors. It then gives you a list of suitable plants.

If attracting wildlife is one of your objectives, check out our Wildlife Use of Trees & Shrubs Native to the North Olympic Peninsula publication. Another excellent resource is Landscaping for Wildlife by Russell Link.

Lastly, incorporate what are known as cues to care into your landscape design. Cues to care are little things that suggest to the observer that what they see is intentional, that the landscape is indeed being managed. Some examples include pathways, split rail fences, rock borders and other “barriers” that separate a more manicured part of the landscape from a wilder-looking part. A simple, meandering mowed pathway through an unmown grassy area indicates that the grass is meant to grow tall. Other cues to care include focal points or destination elements, such as a path to a bench in an otherwise unmaintained area, and remotely placed bird baths, bird feeders, bird and bat houses, and other human elements and landscape manipulations. If you strive for a perfect-looking, manicured landscape, every imperfection will stand out like a sore thumb. It’s all about expectations.

So don’t let these dreary days give you the winter blues and SAD. The daylight hours are increasing! Before you know it, you won’t have a good excuse to sit inside daydreaming and planning. Meanwhile, get outside to soak up every bit of sunshine you can.

Get Your 2021 Native Plant Order in Now!

Thank you to everyone that has placed an order through our annual native plant sale. Inventory is low on some species, so don’t delay placing your order.

Orders will be taken through January 28, 2021 and plants will be available for pick-up on February 26 and 27. To ensure volunteer and customer safety, please choose a timeslot to pick-up your plants during checkout.

Due to COVID19 and our reliance on volunteers to help with the plant sale, this year plants are only being sold in bundle sizes offered by the nursery, which means some species are only available in bundles of 25 or 50. We encourage customers to join together with neighbors, garden clubs and other organizations on orders, so individual needs can be better met.

WORKSHOP: Planting Native Species for Pollinators

We are thrilled to once again host Xerces Society Pollinator Program Co-Director Eric Lee-Mader for a presentation on improving pollinator habitat for honeybees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Eric and his family also operate Northwest Meadowscapes, a native seed business based on Whidbey Island.

This year's presentation will be held virtually, and will include a step-by-step process to properly plan, install and maintain wildflower meadows and native hedgerows, and improve existing pollinator habitat.

WHEN: Tuesday, January 5, 2021 from 2:00pm – 3:30pm

WHERE: Virtual workshop on Zoom.

REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE to register and receive an invitation to attend the workshop. If you aren’t able to attend the live workshop, check the box at registration to request the recorded presentation.

*If you have already registered and received the old GoToMeeting Link, we will email you the new Zoom link.

WORKSHOP: Planting & Maintaining a Native Landscape

Executive Director, Joe Holtrop will give a presentation on how to plan and implement a native plant-based landscape. The presentation will cover basic site analysis, an overview of common native trees and shrubs, plant selection, bare-root plant care, planting and maintenance. Time is allotted for questions and answers to help participants choose plants from the District’s annual plant sale that are the best fit for their land.

WHEN: Wednesday, January 6, 2021 from 4:00pm to 5:30pm

WHERE: Virtual workshop on Zoom.*

REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE to register and receive an invitation to attend the workshop. If you aren’t able to attend the live workshop, check the box at registration to request the recorded presentation.

The Conservation District held a webinar in November to discuss how use native plants to beautify your farm or property. Please visit our website to view the full recording of the webinar.

Below are a few highlights from the webinar:

• Plant native conifers in riparian areas to shade waterways, stabilize banks, and provide wildlife habitat.

• Plant native trees and shrubs to create windbreaks and hedgerows that provide shade for livestock in the summer and protection from wind and rain in the winter. Hedgerows and windbreaks provide excellent wildlife habitat while also enhancing privacy and screening.

• Devote areas that don’t offer much farming value, like field corners, property lines, and boggy spots, to habitat by planting natives. Choose a variety of conifers, deciduous trees, and shrubs to add color, interest and natural beauty to your farm.

WSU 2021 Farmer Survey

Washington State University (WSU) Extension needs your help planning for their 2021 Regional Small Farms programming and educational offerings. If you are a farmer in Clallam, Jefferson or Kitsap Counties they want to hear from you!

Please take a few minutes to give them your feedback and help shape their 2021 Regional Small Farms programming by taking their survey.

Follow Us on Facebook

During this time of social distancing, Facebook has become a great way to reach out to our community. We encourage you to follow us on Facebook for articles and links to educational material and upcoming events. Click HERE.

CONSERVATION SPONSORS