Introducing our new monthly Electronic Newsletter!
The goal of our enews is to improve accessibility and timeliness of our updates, increase community engagement with our activities, and demonstrate the public benefits of our work.
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English and Spanish calendars available for FREE at our office - 1350 McKittrick St, Ste B in Wenatchee. Our regular office hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 am -4:00 pm, however our staff spends a lot of time in the field, so we encourage you to call ahead before stopping by - (509) 436-1601.
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Join Our Board of Supervisors
Cascadia Conservation District is self-governed by a Board of Supervisors who work to establish priorities, set policy and direct the work of District staff. Each conservation district is governed by a board of five supervisors who are all local residents.
Click here to meet our current board members. Registered voters residing within Chelan County who are interested in guiding Cascadia's conservation efforts are encouraged to run for office. Board members are unpaid volunteer public officials who serve three-year terms and must be available to attend monthly meetings.
To announce your candidacy:
1. Request or download an information form
2. Submit completed information to the district office at 1350 McKittrick St, Ste B, Wenatchee, WA 98801 by 4:00pm on February 13. 2026 Deadline to file to run February 13.
You can learn more here
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2/11 - EWPU Meeting
4:00pm-7:00pm at Entiat Fire Station 2200 Entiat Way
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In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, our office will be closed on January 19. This day honors Dr. King’s lifelong commitment to equity, service, and building stronger communities—principles that remain central to our conservation and stewardship work.
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More information at cascadiacd.org
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3/14 - 2026 Conservation Fair
Saturday, March 14 10:00am-2:00pm at Pybus Public Market in Wenatchee
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3/14 - Board of Supervisors Election
Saturday, March 14 10:00am- 3:00pm at Pybus Public Market in Wenatchee
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Come learn about our programs and enjoy fun interactive family activities and refreshments! Check our February enews and our social media for more details to come!
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Vote for a candidate to serve on our Board of Supervisors! Board members help guide and oversee the conservation work Cascadia carries out across Chelan County. You may also request an absentee ballot or mail in on or before election day. Absentee ballot requests must be made by February 13, 2026 by 4:00pm.
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Every year, the NW Hort Expo presents the latest innovations and research in tree fruit and horticulture. Over two and a half days, researchers and industry professionals present new and exciting information, hundreds of vendors exhibit their products and services at the trade show, and thousands of attendees learn, earn pesticide credits, and network.
This year, the expo was held at the Wenatchee Convention Center and the Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee. Cascadia had a table in the newly renovated lower level of the convention center, and agriculture and outreach staff had the chance to connect (and reconnect) with growers, researchers, and other vendors.
This annual event happens in early December and rotates between Wenatchee, Yakima, and Kennewick. It’s free to attend! If you’d like to learn more, check out their website here: Horticulture Expo | Washington - NW Hort Expo
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Photo from the 2024 NW Hort Expo in Yakima.
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Top: Workshop participants watch a kiln as it burns, while listening to Korina explain the process Bottom left: Nearly smoke-less flames in the kiln burn in front of a rainbow Bottom right: Korina demonstrates that the burn process doesn't harm the soil. This piece of carboard was placed at the bottom of the kiln underneath the fire and didn't burn, while the rest of the fuel above burned completely, leaving just carbon behind.
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Written by: Marcy Bartelheimer
On December 10th, Cascadia hosted our first Orchard Biochar Workshop. While we’ve held biochar workshops in the past, this was our first with a focus on agriculture. Even though the forecast looked crummy leading up to (and following) the day, we ended up with nearly perfect weather for a great event.
Participants rolled up their sleeves at the McManus Orchard, getting hands-on experience loading, feeding, observing, and quenching two mini kilns using old apple and pear wood. Biochar expert Korina Stark from Circular Spring led the workshop, sharing knowledge, answering questions, and keeping things running smoothly throughout the day. One of the participants even said, “The field demonstration for making biochar was impressive and impactful…This field day really made believers out of the people that saw it.”
This workshop was a learning opportunity for us too. Because we’ve historically worked with biochar in forestry settings with softwoods like pine and fir, we discovered some key differences when working with orchard hardwoods – apple and pear take a lot more patience to burn!
Thanks to strong community interest and funding from the Washington State Conservation Commission, we’re already planning another Orchard Biochar Workshop this spring. We’re hoping to scale up and use our larger Ring of Fire kilns, demonstrating the application for orchard removal. There’s even a rumor of s’mores at this workshop. Want to learn more? Email [email protected] and we’ll keep you posted.
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Farewell Kelly: Wishing her the best in her new role in Yakima
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Kelly has been an invaluable part of the agriculture team at Cascadia for a year and a half but moved on to an exciting new opportunity with the Yakima County Water Resources Department at the beginning of December.
During her time at Cascadia, Kelly made significant contributions including piloting the Farm Tool Library with Eastside Rebuild, building our resources for and connections with horse owners, and helping to secure funding through several high-value grants. She also performed site visits and field work, built lasting connections between landowners and CCD, and lent a helping hand wherever needed. Kelly bonded tightly with the agriculture team, filling gaps in expertise and providing a new perspective, while being an excellent colleague and friend.
We are incredibly grateful for all the hard work and support over her time here. We will miss seeing Kelly around the office but wish her the absolute best in the newest chapter of her career!
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Written by: Lucas Lachica
Across all of Chelan County, 3 different watersheds, and 41 distinct properties, CCD staff was able to meet restoration goals set for the 2025 field season. In the Spring, field crews from CCD, Washington Conservation Corps, and contractors with Ecological Services performed maintenance on roughly 220 previously installed beaver dam analogues (BDAs) along Chumstick Creek and its tributaries. In the summer, CCD, in partnership with Cascade Fisheries, led projects. The restoration working group completed construction of 177 new in-stream structures consisting of BDAs and post-assisted log structures (PALS). These structures mimic beaver complexes that retain water in our systems for longer and provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife. Implementation of these structures requires hundreds of untreated posts and are labor intensive as they are hand built. This fall, our team was able to plant 4,275 native trees and shrubs. These plants will provide cover and forage for fish and wildlife, expanding stream buffers across the county.
A sincere thank you to our Riverscape team for their hard work and adaptability as the program continues to grow. We also extend our gratitude to our partners and landowners for their collaboration, trust, and shared stewardship that make this work possible and truly impactful.
We are always interested to meet landowners, partners, and serve the residents of Chelan County. Contact us at 509-436-1601 and press 2 to learn more about our program.
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