Ferry Conservation District

06/17/2026

Having clean water is always a good idea. The Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) recently released new guidance for agriculture that will impact Ferry County farmers and ranchers. Understanding the costs to agriculture and the implications for land use in the county are important for the sustainability of agriculture. The Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) is a county program that measures the effects of agriculture on critical areas, such as water pollution.

The new guidance centers on “non-point” water pollution. This is pollution that can’t be pinned to a specific source. It also focuses on areas near streams and rivers, known as riparian areas. The DOE also operates under a law that doesn’t require it to have any data showing whether something is a source of pollution and considers any livestock as a source of non-point pollution. The VSP searches agency records for data on agricultural activities that affect water quality, and DOE has no usable data for Ferry County on non-point pollution or impacts to riparian areas.

The recommendations require a minimum of a 150-foot buffer on each side of a stream or river. This is an area where no agricultural activities could take place and would need to be fenced to keep out livestock. For Ferry County, that amounts to about 15 million feet of fence to be built at a cost of over $62 million. That is simply not possible. That does not include costs associated with off-channel watering sites or the restoration of those buffer areas, which would also cost in the tens of millions of dollars.

These recommendations are voluntary, at least for now. There will be a VSP workgroup meeting to discuss these DOE guidelines on Tuesday, June 23rd, at 5:00 pm, at the Carousel Building at the Ferry County Fairgrounds.

Having clean water is always a good idea. Having good data to understand where pollution is coming from and a realistic approach for fixing it is also not just a good idea; it is the only way it can actually happen.

Visit https://www.ferrycd.org/ to view the meeting agenda.

05/05/2026

Last month, we welcomed another group of second-grade Republic Outdoor Adventure Rangers to the Ferry Conservation Outdoor Education Center! Although the weather was a bit chilly, it didn’t stop us from having a great time. Thank you to all the volunteers who contributed to making this field trip a success!

Spring 2026 Field Trip With The Second Grade Republic Outdoor Adventure Rangers!

04/27/2026

2026 Spring Conservation Fair!

04/27/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the 2026 Spring Conservation Fair! We had another successful year, with beautiful weather (though a bit breezy at times), nearly 40 vendors, and over 150 bat houses built and given away. Attendees enjoyed amazing food and refreshments, along with numerous fun activities for all ages. We appreciate all the support for this event and thank everyone who participated. Here’s to a fantastic spring in Ferry County!

04/22/2026

Please pay for your plant sale orders in cash or by check at the time of pickup. All orders that are not paid for by 12:00 PM on Saturday, April 25th, will be sold to other customers. If you need to make special arrangements, please leave us a voicemail at (509) 775-3473, extension 4775. Thank you!

04/21/2026

It’s spring and we’ve got some BEEsiness to take care of. The bees are alive and they are HUNGRY 🍯🐝

04/13/2026

We're approaching the time for plant sale pick-up! Be sure to get your orders in!

04/13/2026

Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of taking the Republic Second Grade class to the Ferry Conservation District Outdoor Education Center! What a fun adventure, making the most of the weather and even came face to face with the elusive sWaMp MoNsTeR 👀

04/08/2026

Results are in!

Visit the link below to view a summary of the Ag Viability Survey conducted a few months ago.

https://www.ferrycd.org/vsp