Grants
King County
Two grants from King County are helping Oxbow to make meaning contributions to the county’s conservation goals. A three-year Cooperative Watershed Management grant is funding us to expand efforts to improve salmon habitat and to systematically monitor the quality of river bank vegetation as a result of restoration work. Oxbow’s Native Plant Nursery is supplying the plants for the restoration while volunteer community members are giving their time for site preparation and planting. Contact us for more information about our King County-funded restoration work.
A cover crop grant from the King Conservation District is allowing our farm team to try out cover crop blends while protecting farm field fertility and soil integrity. Contact us for more information about our King County-funded agricultural work.
USDA (U. S. Department of Agriculture)
Oxbow is implementing a USDA Local Food Promotion Program grant aimed at strengthening the farm-to-school supply chain. The project provides two local school districts with technical assistance to purchase and serve more locally-produced foods in their schools’ meals. With support from SnoValley Tilth and the Snoqualmie Valley Farmers Cooperative, the project also tackles supply-side challenges. To increase farms’ access to institutional markets, including schools, a key project initiative is to prepare Snoqualmie Valley farmers to become food safety certified.
We also are receiving financial and technical assistance from the USDA’s Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS). We currently have NRCS support for forest stewardship planning and for a high tunnel to increase cucumber production during the main growing season and extend the farm’s shoulder seasons on select crops.
Contact us for more information about our USDA-funded initiatives.
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
Supported by a grant from the EPA, Oxbow is developing a robust environmental education program for early learners. Working hand-in-hand with Frank Wagner Elementary School, our environmental educators are designing a year-long program linked to the school’s kindergarten curriculum. The project emphasizes outdoor and experiential learning designed to support Next Generation Science Standards. Throughout the course of their academic year, Frank Wagner kindergartners are exposed to at least one Oxbow environmental education lesson. While learning about the natural world, students also learn about food and farming in their community. Click here to learn more about the partnership with Frank Wagner Elementary School.
CREOi (Conservation Research and Education Opportunities International)
We are grateful for grant support from CREOi to conduct two animal studies. With the help of UW avian ecologists, the first recently completed study examined the diversity of bird species using different parts of Oxbow’s property. The study observed over 80 unique species, some at risk, and identified specific ways we could better preserve and protect birds’ nesting areas and habitat. The research led to a long-term citizen science bird monitoring program done in partnership with the Puget Sound Bird Observatory.
Oxbow began a new CREOi-funded study focusing on amphibians in September of 2017. The study will advance scientific and public understanding of the status of amphibian populations and conservation opportunities in the rapidly growing region of western Washington. It will characterize the amphibian distribution and diversity in Snoqualmie Valley floodplain wetlands and provide specific information on the impact of roads and traffic on amphibian mortality and breeding success. Click here to learn more about the amphibian study.
Contact us for more information about both CREOi studies.
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Oxbow is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization, and we can’t do this work without your help! We’re grateful for your contributions.