News

By Amanda Stahl, Washington State University and Karie Boone, The Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University Predicting climate impacts on water availability for agriculture and potential effects on salmon populations requires us to understand natural seasonal changes in streamflow patterns across the Pacific Northwest. The Washington Department of Ecology in collaboration […]

Medical Lake, Wash. — In August of 2023, the Gray Fire burned 10,000 acres of urban/suburban/rural interface west of Spokane, WA. Over half the Lazy R Ranch, the learning site for Roots of Resilience, was burned in the fire.  Roots of Resilience, in collaboration with Lazy R Ranch, is proud to announce a comprehensive workshop, “Tame the […]

By Christine Buhl, PhD, Oregon Department of Forestry Hot droughts have led to an increase in damaged and dead trees across the Pacific Northwest. However, many resources are available to help landowners create forests that are more resilient and better prepared for a changing climate. This post highlights current strategies from universities and natural resource […]

By Tim Nicosia, USDA Northwest Climate Hub Forest managers have been slow to include biochar in management plans despite an expanding body of research demonstrating biochar’s efficacy for improved vegetation growth, restored soil health, and improving air quality impacts. Enhanced understanding of costs, benefits, drawbacks and overall economic feasibility among forest managers could change this […]

By Morgan Lawrence, UDSA Northwest Climate Hub Adapting to changing wildfire patterns in Northwest rangelands will require dedication, collaboration, and careful consideration of the trade-offs between different management strategies. Rising temperatures, invasive annual grasses, and human ignitions are driving a concerning shift in wildfire patterns across Northwest rangelands. Since 2000, more acres of rangeland than […]

The WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources is requesting agriculture professionals to complete this 5-minute survey to shape the future of the Washington Professional Development Program to meet the needs of our agriculture professionals and support farmers, ranchers, and producers in agricultural sustainability.   The Western SARE Professional Development Program (PDP) is designed to […]

By Mario E. de Haro Martí, University of Idaho Extension A group of researchers at the University of Idaho have produced a publication titled “Answers to common questions about greenhouse gases” to help livestock producers foster dialogue about greenhouse gases (GHG) from beef production. The refereed publication is designed as a tool to equip producers […]

By Karie Boone, Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources, Washington State University For decades, federal agencies, practitioners and academics across the Northwest have promoted transitioning farmers to more efficient irrigation systems with the intent of reducing agricultural water withdrawals and making more water available for other uses such as municipal, industrial and flows for […]

By Janelle Christensen, USDA Northwest Climate Hub As the climate changes, the forests we love and care for will need to adapt to a “new normal.” We want to help, but sometimes are unsure of what to do. The choice of what to do often becomes more challenging because these places are more than places. […]

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is pleased to announce the WSDA Climate Resilience Survey, linked below. WSDA, in collaboration with Washington State University, is developing a Climate Resilience Plan for Washington agriculture. The plan will summarize recent climate science, identify vulnerabilities, highlight opportunities, and include newly developed resources. It is essential that this work […]