How WSU Extension is engaged and can support you
For WSU Clallam County Extension, working with the changing climate and community resiliency means supporting policies, systems and on-the-ground efforts. With programs serving youth, homeowners, farmers, food systems and food access facilities, our breadth is wide and interwoven. This article offers a window into a handful of our efforts, as each program is deeply committed and engaged towards supporting our peninsula to be resilient and well-resourced as we move forward into a hopeful future or a burning-like-hell apocalyptic nightmare.
As an extension of Washington State University, we are tracking and applying the science, data and resources regarding the changing climate. For example, our Regional Small Farms team has been working with pathogens and insects that did not used to come this far north, they are helping farmers find drought tolerant varieties of crops as weather shifts and the team is working with farms to trial new crops. Diversifying crops provides growers with options to navigate varying temperatures, drought conditions and insect challenges that are part of our changing landscape. Working directly with farmers on regenerative pasture management and organic growing practices are ways to prepare the land and growers to be resilient and to sustain us over time.
Clallam Extension supports food access resiliency by programming that includes on the ground efforts. Gleaning, contracting with farmers to grow food for food banks, farm to school programs, developing little free food pantries around the county, and educating homeowners on sustainable growing practices are some of those efforts.
Also included in our work is policy development. Currently our office is participating in a Climate Advisory Committee that is creating an action plan for our county government regarding climate change. All departments of Clallam County have been meeting for the past year to discuss actionable steps and they will deliver an advisory draft to the Board of County Commissioners this November.
Our office plays a role supporting a state-wide initiative to promote tools for mapping farms throughout the state and increasing customer awareness of what each region offers. This, in turn, supports our farmers by generating more customers eating local food and keeping our local producers in business so our farmland is both productive and lucrative for farmers.
If you are a part of our gleaning team, you may be aware of the infrastructure that Extension has built to connect homeowners to volunteers. A new website was recently released in support of this end. This work creates a system that supports our peninsula’s ability to navigate difficult times. For example, during the pandemic, there were (and still are) supply chain issues and we had a glimpse into how challenging that could become with food. Weather events in our changing climate have also become more frequent. With infrastructure that supports our local food systems, we have greater resiliency to pace ourselves sustainably through challenges.
This summer, fruit has been minimal due to the unexpected hail and frost back in April. This echoes the message of how delicate the web of our local food can be and how important it is to continually be building community resilience in conjunction with food systems.
Another important part of the community resilience efforts of Extension includes involving kids in generating positive solutions. 4-H educates youth on all the aspects of raising healthy animals, judging them and selling them. These skills also teach them leadership, and with that, the future of our community grows in strength. 4-H youth are learning about much more than just raising animals, they are learning to be future leaders. The farm to school program is also reaching youth, supporting their understanding of food systems and how they themselves play a role in it. Teaching youth to participate in the food system will support how the future will unfold.
Another Peninsula population to consider are new arrivals to the area. At recent tours of farms that WSU sponsored during Eat Local First Month, the audience was predominantly new arrivals to the Peninsula from areas that are either under the constant threat of increasing wildfires or extreme high temperatures. Many new arrivals express interest in backyard food production and homesteading.
The continued availability of affordable farmland for new and beginning farmers is an important part of resiliency into the future. We work with the County government and our local land trusts on programs such as Farm-to-Farmer and Conservation Futures to help conserve active farmland.
While supporting strong policies for local food systems is essential to a resilient future, individual changes are also impactful. WSU Extension offers many resources via all of our programs to support individuals looking to make climate-change-smart decisions for food, farm and community resilience.
Action Steps:
- Have conversations with friends and family about climate change. Talking about it is a great way to engage and move energy forward. Generate ideas with your community about actions that are doable.
- Reflect on what you are already good at and consider how your unique skills could contribute to efforts being made or to new efforts.
- Plant native plants instead of water loving plants and share your experience and knowledge. This can have a great impact on water usage and reduce mowing.
- Give yourself grace. There is a lot that is out of our hands, do the best you can and be compassionate with yourself and others.
Melanie Greer, our 4-H / Youth Development coordinator will be presenting at the Studium Generale Thursday, October 27th from 12:30-1:30 on Climate Anxiety and Resilience. This is free and open to the public and in person at the Little Theater at the Peninsula College Campus. To read more about this presentation, click here.