PMC Update for January 9, 2025
Happy New Year: For many, including the PMC, the start of a New Year is a time to reflect on the year gone by and look at the coming year with a fresh start. The past year has been an eventful one for the PMC. It completed another awesome harvest and saw a whole new generation of conservation plants start their lives. The PMC that is entering 2025 is not the same one that started 2024. It has grown, matured, and adapted to an ever-changing business environment.
During 2024 the PMC saw that more outreach was needed to Conservation Districts so that they had a better understanding of what the PMC can do and what it cannot. It held an open house in August for CD staff and Supervisors, and over 70 people attended. To further address that need the PMC also published a PMC Users Guide which is a document detailing what goods and services the PMC provides and how to better utilize them. The User’s Guide was sent to all CD’s and is available upon request.
The PMC has seen the supply of many species of seeds become further stretched. To address this critical problem the PMC participated in different work groups and seminars that are dealing with the problem. It has also partnered with DNR to operate a conifer tree seed orchard to better ensure a more stable source of some conifer seeds. It has also continued to develop and maintain its own seed orchard on site.
The PMC has been working with Nick Kunz from Skagit CD on using drone imagery to conduct field inventories of stock in the field, freeing up staff time for other needs. Along the way, the PMC also replaced an old irrigation pump with a new variable-frequency drive pump to ensure that a robust irrigation capacity is maintained while improving efficiency.
In the coming year, the PMC will continue to look at upgrading older equipment with newer more efficient equipment. It will expand its outreach efforts not only to Conservation Districts but to other user groups like non-profits, tribes, agencies municipalities, and others. The PMC will continue to gauge future demand for conservation plant materials such as increases in riparian buffer strip planting, reforestation, and fire restoration. Most of all, the PMC will work on operating efficiently and effectively for the benefit of the association, its membership, and others involved in conserving the region’s natural resources. It should be another exciting, eventful year so hang on!
Harvest: Harvest is the major focus this time of year. The PMC is nearing the halfway point and so far, so good. The total number of plants harvested is approaching 750,000 plants which is also close to the halfway point. The weather has cooperated well enough with no interruptions due to frozen ground. Despite being able to continue uninterrupted, harvest is conducted during winter and the 7-person crew that goes out to lift plants this time of year earn their pay. They are out in the wind and rain putting dirty, muddy plants in field totes and deserve recognition for their grit and work ethic. The 20 people in the unheated packing shed doing the sorting, grading, and packaging also deserve a big shout out for their hard work. Together they run over 30,000 plants a day down the line making sure that the good plants are processed and the sub-par plants are culled. Equally important, the equipment is also functioning properly. The 3 tractors used during harvest have not missed a beat, the 3 aged cooler compressors are cooling the cooler and the 3 strapping machines that band the bundles are working normally which is amazing because they were designed to operate in a cleaner environment than ours, and made possible by Oscar coming in early every morning to clean and service them.
Shipping: Shipping started out slow in December but that has all changed now that January is here. One of the first shipments for the year was a full 53’ refrigerated trailer headed to Grays Harbor Conservation District, followed the next day by 7 pallets going to Mason Conservation District. Building orders and shipping them out takes time. It is kind of like emptying a swimming pool with an eye dropper. If anyone is needing plants soon it is advisable to give the PMC at least 2 weeks lead time to get the order in the que.
Sales: Sales are a little off from the same time last year. As of December 31, 2024 the PMC has booked $1,344,450 in sales for this season. Sales were at $1,384,578 on the same date last year. That is not much of a decrease but the expectation was for increased sales given the emphasis in recent years on increased plantings of riparian buffer strips. If sales for the remainder of the season do not decline much more the PMC should be able to achieve the budgeted amount in sales. If sales remain constant to last year’s however, there will be more excess surplus plants due to increased production in anticipation of major riparian buffer strip plantings. A decrease in logging has also resulted in a decrease in sales for reforestation species.
Remembering a Legend: The conservation community lost a visionary and leader on December 2nd. Lynn Brown, the one-time NRCS State Conservationist, Washington State Conservation Commission Chair, Kittitas Conservation District Supervisor, Timothy hay farmer, and PMC Administrative Committee Chair will be missed. His association with the PMC goes back to the initial conception of WACD operating a Plant Materials Center at this location because that initial concept was his. As NRCS State Conservation he was responsible for all NRCS facilities in the state and that included a bare root seedling nurseryin Bow, WA. In the mid 80’s NRCS was leasing it to DNR and they gave notice of leaving. Lynn came up with the idea that it could be offered to WACD to produce needed conservation plant materials and generate revenue for WACD. After much debate WACD took him up on his offer and the rest is history. In recognition for his contribution in this unheard-of transfer WACD named the nursery the WACD Lynn Brown Plant Materials Center. His vision and memory will continue, hopefully in perpetuity which is what he wanted. In his honor a memorial scholarship fund has been established. If anyone is interested in being a part of that well earned tribute, they can donate to the Washington Conservation Society (http://www.waconservationsociety.org/). Thanks, Lynn, for everything.