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Foster Creek Conservation District

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Waterville, WA
Foster Creek Conservation District

Serving the community through quality technical assistance for natural resource stewardship.

05/27/2026

Join us as we say goodbye to Nate!

Since joining FCCD in 2023, Nate has been instrumental in leading our soil health program, helping establish the cover cropping program, and providing valuable assistance to producers across the plateau. His passion for monitoring and field work made him a familiar face out on the landscape whether he was identifying plants, conducting grouse surveys, or supporting cost share projects.

Throughout his time with FCCD, Nate played a key role in strengthening programs, providing meaningful input in mission development and strategic planning, while also helping guide and support new staff as they joined the district. Beyond his work in the office and field, Nate also made a lasting impression through his involvement with Camp Sagebrush, where he was known as one of the best cabin leads out there as “Ground Squirrel.” His energy, leadership, and ability to connect with campers helped create memorable experiences for so many youth throughout the years.

While we will certainly miss Nate, we are excited for him as he begins his new adventures near Mt. Rainier. We wish him all the best in this next chapter!

05/22/2026

🌱Native or Noxious? Guess that Plant!🍂

A place to build our plant ID skills to protect our native flora! Did you guess them right?

🌱Left: Smooth Sumac (Native) | Right: Tree-of-Heaven (Noxious)🍂

Introducing the Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)!🌳

Don’t let this tree’s name fool you; it’s also known as the “tree from Hell” for a reason. Native to China and Taiwan, this tree was introduced to the States as a popular ornamental shade tree, but it has since proven to be an aggressive problem.

Between this tree’s huge seed set, rapid growth, spreading roots, and habit of suckering even from herbicide-treated stumps, this tree is notoriously hard to manage. Control methods require precise timing and staying on top of a thicket for several years to make sure it is fully beaten back.

The Tree-of-Heaven has been documented infesting 100 - 1,000 acres of land in Douglas County, WA. The state is looking for more detailed information on its range to develop an improved program.

💡Fun Fact! When crushed, the leaves and especially flowers of the Tree-of-Heaven release a pungent smell like peanut butter. 🥜

📱Think you’ve spotted some in Douglas County? Report it on:
-Washington Invasive Species Council’s App (iPhone and Android) or web form
EDDMapS West App (iPhone or Android) or web form
-Think you saw a Spotted Lanternfly? Report it to the forms above or to [email protected]

ℹ️For More Information:
-Visit the https://tinyurl.com/586euwfn for more information on controlling noxious weeds in Douglas County
-Visit https://tinyurl.com/PennSETOH for more information on control methods for the Tree-of-Heaven
-Check out https://tinyurl.com/USDASLFly to learn more about this nuisance agricultural insect

Sources:
📖 The Nature Conservancy
📖 Washington State Noxious W**d Control Board (WSNW)
📖 University of Maryland Extension
📖 UC Invasive Plant Working Group
📖 Portland.gov
📖 NCSU Plant Toolbox (NCSUPT)
📸 Bill Barber @ NCSUPT
📸 WSNW (2, 3, 7)
📸 Leslie J. Mehrhoff @ University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
📸 Annemarie Smith @ ODNR Division of Forestry, Bugwood.org
📸 Richard Gardner @ Bugwood.org
📸 Ken Kellman @ NCSUPT

05/20/2026

Today is World Bee Day, a day of awareness established by the UN to celebrate humanity’s partnership with our hardest-working farm fellows and looking toward an even better relationship with them!

Of the world’s pollinators, bees are one of the most highly specialized. Geared entirely toward the collection of nectar and pollen, the world’s 200,000+ species of bee (and counting!) are undisputed powerhouses of pollination. They put 1 of every 3 bites of food on our tables (like the apples, pears, and sweet cherries grown here!) and provide pollination services that keep our world’s ecosystems going.

Unfortunately, between habitat degradation, malnutrition, off-pattern flowering times, harmful chemicals, and dangerous pests like the varroa mite, 40% of bee and butterfly species in the world are threatened with extinction.

💡Fun Fact! Of over 20,000 species of bee known globally, only 3% of them live in hives, and only 8% live with other bees at all. Most bees are single moms that work hard enough to put whole colonies of honeybees to shame, nesting underground or in sheltered cavities above ground.

🐝Do you love bees, or want to get more involved? There are many ways to do so!

- Check out https://agr.wa.gov/departments/insects-pests-and-weeds/insects/apiary-pollinators/pollinator-health/bee-atlas/native-bees to learn more about Washington State’s 600+ species of native bee.

- Document bees you see and the plants they visit on citizen science apps like iNaturalist!

- Join up with societies like the Washington Bee Atlas, the Xerces Society, and the Central Washington Beekeeper Association.

- Plant at least 8 species of native plants in your garden, with a variety of bloom times and colors.

- Leave leaf litter! It is critical protection for native bee burrows and help keep them warm.

- Build bee houses for solitary bees!

Sources:
📖 Washington Department of Agriculture
📖 Washington Native Bee Society
📖 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
📖 Washington Native Plant Society

05/13/2026

🐾Welcome to Wildlife Wednesday🐾
Where wildlife of all species get a chance to shine!

Meet the mysterious Black Widow (Latrodectus spp.)!🕸️

Though widely feared as one of the only spiders in the States with a medically significant bite, their reputation is often much more fearsome than the spiders themselves. Widows, like most spiders, are very shy and would much rather flee than fight. Widows generally look for the most out-of-the-way and sheltered places to build their webs that they can and rarely leave, eating any insect at all that wanders into the web. This makes them fantastic pest control – just maybe not near the house!

Males and females look incredibly different – it is the female widow that is so famous (or infamous). This lovely lady was probably in the middle of looking for a quiet burrow to make a web in when we found her showing off her iconic hourglass.

As with all wild animals, the best thing is to be kind to them and admire them from a respectful distance.

💡Fun Fact! Juvenile black widows of both sexes can look frustratingly similar to the invasive Brown Widow (Latrodectus geometricus), especially because individual spiders of both species can be so variable in specific patterns. Some brown widows are dark enough to look like black widows as well, though even the darkest brown widows don’t have the same glossy sheen to their bodies as the blacks. The most reliable way to tell them apart is their egg sacs; black widow egg sacs are as smooth and orb-like as their mothers, while brown widow egg sacs have a bunch of little silk spikes sticking up like a WWII harbor mine.

Sources:
📖 Washington State University Department of Entomology
📖 Washington State Department of Health
📖 University of California Integrated Pest Management
📖 Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences

📸 Nate Vigdor, South of Farmer, WA
📸 Whitney Cranshaw, CSU, Bugwood
📸 Chuck Evans from Wikimedia Commons
📸 UC Riverside (x2)

05/12/2026

We're growing our team!

We are excited to announce that we are hiring a Natural Resource Specialist- Farm Planner! If you are passionate about conservation and ready to get your hands dirty making a difference in our local landscape, we want to hear from you!
📆First review of applicants: May 22nd, 2026
📩Apply via email: [email protected]
🔗Link in bio (or visit www.fostercreekcd.org) for the full job description.

05/11/2026

🌱Native or Noxious? Guess that Plant!🍂
A place to build our keen plant ID skills to protect our native flora! Did you guess them right?

🍂Left: Reed Canary Grass (Noxious) | Right: Great Basin Wildrye (Native)🌱

Introducing Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea)! 🌾

A highly variable species of grass native to Europe, Asia, and North America, the introduced Eurasian variant that was introduced for hay forage and erosion control has escaped control and proven to be highly invasive.

Sprouting in early spring, this plant produces leaves and flower stalks for 5-7 weeks before focusing on growing out to the sides. Its growth peaks in early summer with another burst in the fall. Between these growth spikes, the flower shoots collapse in midsummer, making a dense mat that is too thick to provide cover and shades out native plants underneath. During this time the seeds ripen, shattering when fully matured, and are dispersed by the water, animals, people, and machines.

Reed Canary Grass is growing in restoration patches along East and West Foster Creek, including on active restoration sites the FCCD is monitoring. We are responding with active mapping of its currently known patches and developing Early Detection, Rapid Response (EDRR) plans to control it on these project sites.

💡Fun Fact! Phalaris arundinacea ‘Picta’ is a variety of Reed Canary Grass with white stripes on its leaves, leading to its name of Ribbon Grass. It is a cultivated variety that is often planted in gardens.

For more information about controlling noxious weeds in Douglas County, visit the Douglas County W**d Management Task Force Website at https://www.douglascountywa.gov/384/W**d-Management-Task-Force

Sources:
📖 Washington State Noxious W**d Control Board
📖 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
📖 Missouri Department of Conservation
📸 WSNW – Washington State Noxious W**d Control Board
📸 Mary Winter – CalPhotos

04/29/2026

🐾Wildlife Wednesday🐾

Where wildlife of all species get a chance to shine!

Meet the elegant Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnopis elegans)! 🐍

These shy and mostly harmless animals are the most common snakes in North America alongside their 74 other species and subspecies of garter snake in the region. They come in a positive rainbow of colors, and they keep populations of a variety of small animals in check while being hunted by birds of prey and small to mid-sized mammals.

This fellow was a perfect, if startled, gentleman about being handled. He was, however, quite stressed out about it, if his sudden transformation into a spinning ballerina said anything! 💃

As with all wild animals, the best thing is to be kind to them and admire them from a respectful distance.

💡Fun Fact! Garter snakes hibernate together in large groups come winter to stay warm but are solitary animals otherwise. They also have incredible smell and taste, but they can’t see very well.

Sources:
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife – Species & Habitats
Pajarito Environmental Education Center – Featured Critter Guides
📸 Piper Kent at East Foster Creek

04/24/2026

Adventure is around the corner and here's another reminder to get those parent packets in!

Due to high demand for camp this year, we’re asking all parents to submit their completed parent packets by April 30th to reserve their child’s spot for Camp Sagebrush 2026. Please email completed packets to [email protected].
You should have already received the parent packet via email. If you don’t see it in your inbox, please reach out and we’ll be happy to send you a new copy to fill out.

We’re excited for another great year of adventures! 🦡

04/22/2026

Celebrate Earth Day right here in Douglas County 🌎💚

Today is a reminder that the landscapes we enjoy every day - from open skies of the plateau, to the winding ways of the Columbia River - depend on all of us to do our part. Whether you’re in the field planting, reducing waste, picking up litter, setting up your garden or simply spending time outdoors, small actions make a real difference. 🐝🌱

Let’s keep Douglas County and its landscapes thriving for generations to come!

04/21/2026

Spring is springing in Douglas County and with it we are seeing some of our flowering species that hold special roles in the shrub steppe ecosystem!

The golden currant is a native, drought-tolerant, wildlife-supporting shrub common in Douglas County’s riparian and shrub steppe transition zones. This hardy shrub brightens our spring with sweet-smelling yellow flowers and later produces tasty berries loved by wildlife (and people too!). It’s valued for early pollinator support, edible fruit, and restoration use, making it an important species in our local ecosystems.

Have you spotted a golden current this season?

Address

203 S Rainier Street
Waterville, WA
98858

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+15098886372

Website

http://fostercreekcd.org/, http://instagram.com/fostercreek.cd

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