The Hub

WACD Legislative Week
2021-03-10 08:00 - 2021-03-17 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
WACD’s annual Legislative Day will be, for 2021, a Legislative Week. Details to follow. Learn more.

OCCRI Webinar on Climate Change and Future Flooding in the PNW
2021-03-05 11:00 - 12:00
A new study finds increases in flood size throughout the Columbia River Basin and longer flood seasons for select watersheds by the end of the century. Join the scientists behind this study for an overview of key findings and discussion about its implications for management.
Climate change is projected to exacerbate flooding throughout the Columbia River Basin, according to a recent study by researchers at the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute and the University of Washington. Using a large ensemble of simulated flows throughout the northwestern USA, the study compares daily flood statistics in the past (1950–1999) and future (2050–1999) periods and finds that nearly all locations will experience an increase in flood magnitudes. The flood season expands significantly in many currently snow-dominant rivers, moving from only spring to both winter and spring.
In this webinar, the study’s authors will present their research and facilitate discussion on the findings including how this research may inform future management of our current flood risk management infrastructure.
Friday, March 5th, 2020 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m (Pacific)
Speakers include Laura Queen (OSU), Bart Nijssen (UW), and Phil Mote (OSU).
Webinar Information
Please click the link to join the webinar: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/92125438157
Webinar ID: 921 2543 8157

Innovative Funding for Conservation across Puget Sound
2021-03-04 12:30 - 14:00
Webinar #2, Thursday, March 4, 12:30 – 2:00 pm.
Across Puget Sound, many organizations are exploring new ways to protect, restore and enhance the vitality of Puget Sound. How can existing funding mechanisms be adapted or expanded to support implementation of shared conservation priorities? At the same time, where are the new sources of funding for conservation and restoration that can accelerate both the pace and scale of projects that enhance conservation outcomes as they deliver multiple benefits to the public?
We invite you to join the Emerald Alliance and partners across Puget Sound, in a webinar to learn more about the innovative funding and partnerships mechanisms that organizations are using to invest in projects that address forest health, salmon recovery, agriculture protection, urban forestry and open space and natural infrastructure enhancements. This is the second in a series of discussions to strategically bring together partners across Puget Sound including local leaders, project developers, land and resource managers and NGOs to identify opportunities to leverage innovative tools and our collective efforts to advance conservation goals and outcomes.
The purpose of these online convenings is to:

Share updates, progress and new plans for innovative funding strategies across Puget Sound;
Foster a network of organizations interested in developing and testing innovative funding tools;
Consider the connection and alignments necessary to attract prospective private, philanthropic, corporate and federal infrastructure funds to invest in shared priorities across Puget Sound.

This second webinar will feature:

The work of City Forest Credits, a national nonprofit organization that manages carbon protocols and impact standards for urban forest projects in metropolitan areas in the U.S. Their work is focused on efforts to accelerate access to funding to plant and protect urban trees for our communities. In addition, they offer two pathways for companies to contribute to local climate action and enrich our communities. Companies can purchase verified carbon offsets from urban forest projects, or through Impact Certification, invest in certified planting projects with demonstrated health, equity, and environmental impacts.
City Forest Credits working in partnership with the Pierce Conservation District to fund the restoration of some 4,783 acres identified in public ownership focused on restoring key riparian corridors by removing invasive species and planting trees and shrubs to sustain healthy ecosystems and provide recreational opportunities for people.

We are intentionally aiming to keep the number of participants to 40 in order to allow for more in-depth exploration of the mechanics of this partnership.
Register in advance for this meeting: Mar 4, 2021, 12:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcvc-Cpqj0jGNW1IA9Ui-XApFEu7bosdSgv
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
For additional information, please direct inquiries to Tracy Stanton, Emerald Alliance, tracy@emeraldalliancenw.org.
*This series, Innovative Funding for Conservation across Puget Sound, is made possible by a grant from The Boeing Corporation and support from the Bullitt Foundation and the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities.

Bi-monthly Pacific Region meeting with virtual advocacy week discussion
2021-03-02 16:00 - 17:30
TO: NACD Board Members, conservation district board members and staff, partners, and any others
Please share widely if others may benefit from the content.
This is a friendly reminder for our Bi-Monthly Pacific Region Meeting on Tuesday, Mar. 2, 4 PM Pacific time (please note the time in your own time zone).
Coleman Garrison, NACD’s Director of Government Affairs, will join us to discuss NACD’s Virtual Advocacy Week (Mar. 22-26). For those that are new to NACD: we typically host an annual Spring Fly-In each March in Washington DC, where conservation district officials and partners are encourage to come to DC to advocate on behalf of the conservation partnership.
This year, we are encouraging virtual meetings. Please come learn from Coleman about how to participate and bring any of your questions about NACD’s issue papers (forthcoming), advocacy tips and tricks, etc. This is a great opportunity to learn more about how to engage with the federal policy dialogue on behalf of conservation districts.
Zoom connection info below. And please share widely if you know of others who may want to join us. Thank you, and see you next week!
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86049601047?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 860 4960 1047
Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,86049601047# US (San Jose)
+14086380968,,86049601047# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 860 4960 1047
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcgXlQEmll
Source: Ariel Rivers, NACD Pacific Region Representative

Rangeland Analysis Platform: Integrating production and economics into area-wide planning
2021-02-25 12:00 - 13:30
February 25, 3:00 p.m. ET – Rangeland Analysis Platform: Integrating production and economics into area-wide planning.
Rangelands produce ecosystem services that not only support biodiversity and wildlife, but also sustain livestock operations and rural economies. Woody encroachment is a threat to rangeland productivity, but its impact is often overlooked due to its slow pace and the positive public perception of trees. The Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) is an innovative online tool that combines current and historical satellite imagery with thousands of on-the-ground vegetation measurements to facilitate an exploration of trends in western vegetation over time. Using RAP’s recently developed remotely sensed products of rangeland production, we quantify the amount of forage lost to woody encroachment across western rangelands over the past three decades. Translating these losses into dollars, we demonstrate how this knowledge can be integrated into area-wide planning to stop further economic loss and prevent wholescale ecosystem transitions.
Presenters: Brady Allred (University of Montana) and Dirac Twidwell (University of Nebraska-Lincoln).
Access the webinar at https://nrcs.adobeconnect.com/ceap2/ a few minutes before the webinar starts.
Closed captioning is available. Add to my calendar.
Each webinar will be recorded and archived for later viewing on this website and the NRCS Conservation Webinar Portal.
Questions? Contact Liz Marshall at elizabeth.marshall@usda.gov.

Board of Directors regular meeting
2021-02-15 18:00 - 20:00
WACD Board of Directors
February 15th from 6:00 – 8:30
Link to Meeting Materials – https://wacd1.box.com/s/uux7kq430i1o0zxcupkhlilmcux2mwan
Zoom Videoconference Link – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89256647313
Zoom Teleconference Number – (253) 215-8782 | 892 5664 7313#

Board of Directors work session
2021-01-18 18:00 - 20:00
The WACD Board of Directors will meet in a work session on January 18th to discuss the draft annual work plan for calendar year 2021.
