Okanogan Conservation District

06/05/2026

Free opportunity to learn the basics of raised bed gardening and simple drip irrigation!

🌱 From Dirt to Dinner: Raised Bed Gardening 101 🌱

Ready to grow your own fresh food right at home? Join us at the Omak Community Garden for a hands-on class that will teach you everything you need to know to get started with raised bed gardening!

📍 Location: 1007 Koala Drive
📅 Date: Sunday, June 14th
🕠 Time: 5:30 PM
👩‍🏫 Instructor: Lisa Leber

In this beginner-friendly class, you’ll learn:
✅ How to properly fill your raised garden bed
✅ Planting basics for a successful harvest
✅ Simple drip irrigation setup

Whether you’re brand new or have some gardening experience, this class is perfect for anyone looking to grow fresh, healthy food!

👉 Learn more: www.occac.com
📞 Questions? Call 1-509-422-4041 or email [email protected]

Come get your hands in the soil and start your journey from dirt to dinner! 🌿🥕🍅

06/05/2026

Our office will be closed next week from Monday (6/8) through Wednesday (6/10) for staff training at the Washington Association District Employee's annual training. We will reopen on Thursday (6/11) at 8:00 AM. We apologize for any inconvenience.

06/04/2026

June is National Rivers Month! Rivers are the lifeblood of Okanogan County, connecting our communities, irrigating our farmland, and providing vital habitat. This month, we will be highlighting the amazing resources that they provide and ways you can help protect our waterways.

05/29/2026

Mobile chipping is coming to Nespelem, Elmer City, and Coulee Dam June 15th - 18th! Sign up by June 12th so that we can find your piles: https://tinyurl.com/CTCRChipping

--> Vegetative waste and woody materials only: (branches, bushes, etc. *less than 8-in in diameter, 6-ft in length)
--> Stack pile(s) at the end of your driveway by 8am on June 15th
--> Organize materials with ends road-facing
--> Form multiple, smaller piles approximately 3-ft wide and 3-ft tall rather than one large pile

For questions contact Sam Nurmi: (509) 429-4326 or [email protected]

05/28/2026

Okanogan CD had the pleasure of hosting Washington's State Envirothon this year in Conconully! 13 teams from around the state convened and were tested on soils, forestry, aquatics, wildlife, and gave an oral presentation. Congratulations to Lincoln High School in Seattle for winning first place--they will move on to the National Envirothon in Mississippi!

Thank you to the sponsors: Washington State Envirothon, Washington Association of Conservation Districts, the Washington Conservation Commission, and the Washington Conservation Society.

05/27/2026

FREE woodchips available at the Okanogan Legion Park!

These chips are a result of our Okanogan and Omak community chipping events that recently took place. Woodchips are great for planting projects or gardens, mulching, and landscaping (for fire-resiliency purposes, it's not recommended to place them within the first 5-feet of the home).

Bring your pickup truck or trailer and grab them while they last!

05/26/2026

Join Okanogan CD and our partners in the North Central Washington Forest Health Collaborative for a community event!

Dr. Susan Prichard, a leading forest ecologist, will share insights on changing forest conditions and wildfire behavior. A panel of local experts working on forest health and wildfire preparedness in the Methow Valley will follow. Learn, ask questions, and connect with the people shaping the future of our forests.

📅 June 2nd, 5-7pm
📍 The Winthrop Barn

05/23/2026

Our office will be closed on Monday (5/25) in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen on Tuesday (5/26) at 8:00am. We hope you have an enjoyable holiday weekend.

05/21/2026

Please join us in welcoming Thomas Leicester to the district!

Thomas will be serving as our Range Planner. He is passionate about assisting agricultural users and building community connections. Thomas received his BSc in Conservation & his MSc in Agriculture and spent the last two years working with local landowners through the Audubon Society in Nebraska. We are excited to have him on the team!