Conservation News

Our beloved Washtenaw County Conservation District's Outreach & Volunteer Coordinator, Dru Mark-Wilson, is leaving the WCCD in early January. She will be starting her student-teaching 3rd grade in January to fulfill her final step in her Education degree.

Join us in congratulating Terry & Shelia Calhoun on being selected as the 2024 WCCD Tree Conservationists of the Year!

Join us in congratulating Kim Bayer for being selected as the 2024 Small and/or Beginning Farmer of the Year!

Join us in congratulating the Henes Family for being selected as the 2024 Conservation Farmers of the Year!

A warm thanks to all of the applicants for the 2024 School and Community Habitat Grant. We had 16 tremendous applications submitted for this year’s program. The SCHG application evaluation committee selected the following six.
The Farm at Trinity – The Native Prairie at The Farm at Trinity

Risdon Park, Saline – Pollinator Garden and Outreach Project

Mill Creek Middle School – Mill Creek Native Landscape Educational Habitat Project

Lyndon Township Hall – Lyndon Township Hall Native Gardens Project

Ann Arbor STEAM Northside – Phoenix Roots

EMU Children’s Institute – EMU CI Rain PlayGarden

In 2024, the WCCD collaborated with researchers from U-M Graham Sustainability Institute's Center for Empowering Communities to present on utility-scale rural solar energy systems in three townships. These presentations were inspired by questions from community members at land management and preservation presentations.

We've had the same website for nearly 10 years! It was becoming a bit unwieldy and unorganized as our organization grew and outgrew the website. We're pleased to have completed and launched a new and improved website to best serve our residents and region!

The Conservation Districts Employees of Michigan (CDEM) serve the employees of conservation districts throughout the state of Michigan, and provides annual recognition awards. At the winter conference, our Resource Specialist, Doug Reith, was awarded "Employee of the Year" for Region 10.

The well water testing on October 5th was one for the record books, with 142 samples tested! The event is a collaboration between Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw County Health Department and WCCD. EMU students screened water samples and discussed results with the residents. Educational materials were provided on common issues with groundwater contamination. Click below to learn more about drinking water services in our county!