King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks Blog
Our Solid Waste Division is conducting a major cleanup project where the Duwamish River reaches Elliott Bay, removing a derelict dock and nearly 2,000 toxic-coated pilings from the Harbor Island shoreline. Continue readingWe’re removing nearly 2,000 toxic-coated pilings from the mouth of the Duwamish River
King County farms and related businesses will soon have professional support to boost their operations through Business Impact NW, an organization dedicated to supporting local entrepreneurs through coaching, classes, and access to capital.
As the new King County Farm Business Support Specialist, Devra Gartenstein will provide direct one-on-one navigation and coaching for King County farm and food business owners through the Business Impact NW’s Food Business Resource Center (FBRC), which is expanding with the support of King Conservation District.Continue readingBusiness Impact NW: Introducing Devra Gartenstein as the new King County Farm Business Support Specialist
Farmers markets across King County are at their most vibrant as we head into the last push of summer and
Continue readingCelebrate Farmers Market Week and find variety at King County farmers markets
It was April 2020 when EastWest Food Rescue main founder George Ahearn learned that onion and potato farmers in his hometown of Othello, Wash. were struggling to sell their crops because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Worried that the produce would go to waste while thousands of Washingtonians struggled to put food on the table, George posted on Facebook looking for folks to support him in diverting food from going to waste to people who were experiencing food insecurity.Continue readingEastWest Food Rescue: Reflecting on two successful years of working with farmers to feed Washingtonians experiencing food insecurity
Nearly one-third of households in Washington reported they were food insecure in 2021, according to the Washington State Food Security Survey. Hunger relief organization such as NorthWest Share work to address this ongoing issue.
Harry Terhanian, founder of NorthWest Share, recently sat down with the Local Food Initiative team to discuss how food trucks serving free meals came about, and the importance of providing free vegetarian meals via food trucks.Continue readingNorthWest Share: A new approach to increasing access to free vegetarian meals
An ambitious, game-changing Green River floodplain restoration project accomplished by DNRP’s Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) landed among the
Continue readingDNRP Performance Award nominees exemplify project innovation, leadership excellence
Fresh water availability is a growing concern as snowpack storage and rainfall decrease during our dry summer months. Access to a stable water source is important for farmers who rely on river water during the summer months to irrigate their crops. Yet this use, impacts the habitat of the aquatic life that rely on the river streamflow to survive and thrive. Continue readingNew study examines potential for recycled water to address irrigation needs
The King County Agriculture Commission is an opportunity for people with a background and interest in commercial agriculture to advise the county in developing and evaluating policies that affect agriculture. We talked with Commission Chair Kevin Scott-Vandenberge, and Patrice Barrentine, staff liaison to the commission and the Agriculture Policy and Economic Development Specialist with King County DNRP WLRD. Continue readingKing County Agriculture Commission offers opportunities to take an active, advisory role in the development and evaluation of policies affecting agriculture
As it becomes more urgent to address the effects of climate change, the Solid Waste Division in King County’s Department
Protecting greenspace in urban communities is a significant challenge. The land is expensive to buy and it is more difficult
Continue readingTake a tour of land conservation successes in the Green-Duwamish Watershed