Marie Vicksta, district Conservation Planner, was invited to Joan Austin Elementary School in Newberg to talk about Soil Health and Erosion. Marie took advantage of the opportunity to share how everything the students came in contact with that morning came from the soil at some point. Her session was followed by Neyssa Hays with Watershed Education Adventures and staff member for the Greater Yamhill Watershed District. She brought out the microscopes, where the students were able to see first-hand the effects of healthy and unhealthy soil. Educating kids at this age is crucial and thank you to Marie and Neyssa for providing valuable information to our future generations!

National Pollinator Week has been designated by the U.S Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of the Interior. It is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what you can do to protect them.

“Pollinators bring us the wildflowers of spring, the berries of summer, the pumpkins we carve into jack-o’-lanterns in fall. Our dinner tables would be less enticing without them: approximately three-quarters of crop plant species need a bee or other pollinator, which translates to roughly one-third of the food and drink that we consume. More than 8 in 10 flowering plants rely on a pollinator for reproduction, plants which provide food and shelter for myriad other wildlife.” Mathew Shepherd, Xerces Society Blog.

You can find wonderful resources at www.pollinator.org/pollinatorweek and at www.xerces.org to help pollinators increase in numbers and stay healthy. You can also purchase the book Attracting Native Pollinators by the Xerces Society for $25 at the district office.

Thank you Duniway Middle School students for volunteering at Miller Woods June 6, 7 & 8. The kids were divided into groups and were sent out with a volunteer where they engaged in trail work, native plant nursery tasks and weeding projects. So much was accomplished in a short amount of time and we appreciate their dedication and hard work. A big thank you to the Miller Woods volunteers and teachers who came alongside the kids. When you see the new mulch on the trails, the healthy plants in the nursery and the beautiful grounds, you can thank a Duniway student for a job well done!

The perfect weather and hundreds of enthusiastic 5^th graders made for a great experience for everyone at the Cruickshank Woodland Tour May 11 and 12. Students from Yamhill county private and public schools along with volunteers, instructors, teachers and Yamhill Soil & Water Conservation district staff were on hand to share a rich outdoor, educational day in the woods.  Dave and Doris Cruickshank and their family have hosted the Cruickshank Woodland School on their Three Oaks Farm since 1961 and have served over 11,000 students. The contribution they have made to our youth cannot be quantified and we appreciate their willingness to contribute to the future of our community in this significant way!

The success of this event is dependent on the instructors and group leaders who willingly volunteer their time to come out and work with the kids. We appreciate each of them so much!

Thank You Volunteers:

Thank You Instructors:

• SOIL & WATERSHEDS: Jericho Winters and Thomas Hoskins-USDA/NRCS
• PLANTS & WILDLIFE: Neyssa Hayes-Watershed Education Adventures
• FOREST HARVEST & PRODUCTS: Mary Johnson & Jenn Scott- Talk About Trees
• FOREST MANAGEMENT: Hal, Sam &ElinHagglund and Dennis Werth-OSU Extension Forrester Dept.
• FIRE PREVENTION & SAFETY: Jeff Cranford & Nancy Law-McMinnville Fire Department and Kevin McLaughlin-Oregon Department of Forestry
• OUTDOOR BEHAVIOR & SAFETY: Trooper Thomas Rodney-Oregon State Police and Kent Stuart-Yamhill County Sheriff Dept.