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1. What is a Conservation Plan?

Conservation Plan recommends best management practices (BMP'S) to assist you, the landowner, to manage the objectives and goals you have for your natural resources. Best management practices protect our natural resources (wildlife and fish, animals, water, plants and soils), making your farm more cost effective, efficient and attractive.

Each Conservation Plan is tailored to an individual piece of property. Each piece of land has unique characteristics such as number of acres, soil type, and type of animals or crops raised. A Conservation Plan is developed to meet your needs whether your farm is 1 acre or 100 acres. The landowner's goals and objectives for the farm are taken into consideration when the plan is developed. Different alternatives are discussed with you to help you take advantage of opportunities to make better use of soil, water and plant resources, or to aid the fish and wildlife through habitat improvement.

A working and functional Conservation Plan is actually a constant evolving management plan developed with and for the land user. A Conservation Plan includes an inventory, site map, aerial photo, recommendations, and options. A Conservation Plan uses the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Best Management Practices to save you time and money in the protection and efficient use of your natural resources.

The key to the success of Conservation Planning is cooperation between the District and the land user.

2. How do I get a Conservation Plan?

Conservation Plans are available through the Pierce Conservation District (PCD) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The primary role of the Pierce Conservation District is to encourage, provide information, education and provide assistance to help landowners manage and use their natural resources wisely. The guiding philosophy of the Conservation District is that decisions on conservation problems should be made on the local level, by local people, with technical assistance provided by the available agencies.

When you request a Conservation Plan from PCD, your name is placed on a list. A PCD Resource Technician or a Conservationist from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will contact you to schedule an appointment with you at your farm. An inventory is taken of your farm and the available resources. This includes an inventory of the soils, plants and water resources, wildlife and fisheries habitat, available acreage for animal use, type and number of animals being raised, farm buildings and machinery, and how the farm is being managed.

3. What is included in my Conservation Plan?

Your Conservation Plan will be developed based on the inventory. The Conservation Plan will recommend changes to reduce the impact your farm has on water quality or other natural resources. It will discuss ways you also can increase productivity. Some recommendations in your plan could include pasture renovation, installation of gutters and downspouts on barns, stream fencing, the planting of native tree species along streams, creating sacrifice areas for livestock in the winter, cross fencing pastures and manure management.

After the Conservation Plan is developed, the PCD Resource Technician or the Conservationist from NRCS will review the plan and recommendations with you. You then decide when to implement the best management practices. The landowner may choose to schedule the implementation of all recommendations in one year, or spread the work out over several years. A record of decisions and an application schedule is developed based on the landowner's decisions. The plan is then finalized and the landowner is given a copy. As the goals or needs of the landowner change, revisions to the plan can be made to meet those needs by contacting the Pierce Conservation District. When you begin to implement your Conservation Plan, we can provide you with further technical assistance as the need arises.

4. What is the Agriculture Community of Interest?

The Agriculture Community of Interest (AgCOI) envisions a future in which healthy, safe, secure, and sustainable food production is inextricably linked to the economy and to the quality of life of the local community.

We are a community-based collaboration actively focused on supporting an economically-viable and environmentally-sustainable agricultural community in the Puyallup Watershed and greater Pierce County. Find out more at PWI.org

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1. How do invasive knotweeds degrade riparian habitat?

Knotweed replaces native vegetation, depletes available LWD, contributes to slump erosion of riverbanks, interrupts nutrient cycling and impacts soil health. For more information about these, please visit the Degradation page.

2. Where did knotweed come from?

Knotweed is native to volcanic regions of Asia and was introduced into the United States originally as an ornamental plant. It is believed to have arrived in Washington State around 1930.

3. How does it spread?

After winter/spring flooding, knotweed fragments are spread downstream, allowing new knotweed plants to establish themselves. View photos of knotweed.

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1. What is a Conservation District?

Across the United States, nearly 3,000 Conservation Districts—almost one in every county—are helping local people to conserve land, water, forests, wildlife and related natural resources. Conservation Districts are non-regulatory, we're here to help you implement best practices for conserving local natural resources, not to fine you for not using best practices.

Known in various parts of the country as “soil and water conservation districts,” “resource conservation districts,” “natural resource districts,” “land conservation committees” and similar names, we share a single mission: to coordinate assistance from all available sources—public and private, local, state and federal—in an effort to develop locally-driven solutions to natural resource concerns.

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1. What kind of fencing should I use?

It’s your choice. But whatever you use, we suggest building as many permanent paddocks as you think you will need. Permanent fencing actually adds to your flexibility because you can hook up polywire almost anywhere if you need to subdivide further. The secret is to have enough permanent subdivisions in the system so you can’t go wrong if your labor resources get stretched thin.

I’m wary of setting up systems that require you to move temporary fencing every time you move livestock. Moving wire is very labor intensive. Some farmers enjoy it, but for many, the thrill wears off pretty fast. Some say it only takes them 20 minutes to move fence. It takes me 10 minutes just to get my boots on and get out the door!

When there’s a cold rain falling, you don’t want to spend 20 minutes moving fence. That’s why I suggest designing your permanent fencing so all you have to do is open a gate before going to supper.

2. What shape should my paddocks be?

For best use of forage, the closer to square your paddock is, the better. Rectangles are okay as long as they are not more than four times longer than they are wide. With longer rectangular paddocks, livestock will graze the gate ends more heavily than the far nooks and crannies. If you must build long paddocks, use polywire or other temporary fencing to break them up into shorter rectangles or squares.

3. How should I orient my paddocks on slopes?

Don’t run rectangular paddocks up and down slopes, with gates and water at the bottom. Livestock will graze halfway up the slopes, then come back for water and start grazing again at the bottom. You end up with overgrazing at the low end and undergrazing at the far end. Whenever practical, make your paddocks run along the contour and run lanes up and down the slope.

4. How tall should the pasture be when I start grazing?

With most improved pastures consisting of grasses like Brome, Fescue, Orchardgrass, and Timothy as well as legumes like Red Clover, Ladino Clover, and Birdsfoot Trefoil, I tell farmers to start grazing when the plants are about 8 - 10 inches tall. In early Spring, you can start grazing when the plants are about 4 - 6 inches tall. That saves you a few extra days of winter feed plus it helps stagger pasture regrowth a little bit.

Don’t be tempted to start too soon or you’ll damage the pasture and it won’t recover. I’d rather have the grass ahead of the cows than the cows ahead of the grass. Don’t start grazing in the same paddock every year.

5. When should I move livestock to new grass?

Some people will suggest that you graze pastures right down to the dirt before moving them. I don’t. With the improved forage species I mentioned above, leave at least 2 - 3 inches of stubble so that there is enough leaf area to ensure quick regrowth. It’s about 2 inches from the tip of my middle finger to the knuckle. I simply stick my hand down through the grass to the ground to measure it.

If you do not leave about 2 inches, those improved species won’t bounce back quickly. Weeds and other less productive species will move in and take over. Also, if you leave livestock on too long, they will have to work too hard to get enough dry matter.

6. Should I drag my pastures?

With continuous grazing, dragging is almost a necessity. But once you get a good rotational system down, you probably won’t need to drag very much. You’ll find that the livestock will distribute the manure more evenly and the it will break up and disappear faster. You may still need to drag near waterers and loafing areas.

7. I’ve done everything that you suggested and I’m still not getting the production, what should I do?

1st, you can live with pastures that aren’t very productive even under intensive management. Cut down the number of animals you are grazing or increase your pasture acreage.

The next troubleshooting step is to take a good hard look at your soil test. Ideally, you should test your soil before you set up your pasture system. But with the low priority most pastures have gotten in the past, soil testing usually comes as an afterthought.

Even if you do soil test 1st, don’t run out and order enough fertilizer and lime to grow 10 ton per acre alfalfa. Most intensive grazing systems do just fine at moderate pH and fertility levels. If your soil is very acidic, lime to bring the pH up to about 6.0. Bring P and K levels up to the medium to high range suggested by your land grant university for grass/legume hay at yields appropriate for your fields.

8. Should I reseed my pastures?

If production is still less than you want after correcting any fertility problems, consider changing your pasture species. From my experience, this should be a last resort. But, for years, it’s been the 1st solution that people think of. The typical scenario is this: “Your pasture wears out. So you seed in some legumes or grasses and maybe put on some fertilizer. Then you go on grazing it continuously and the new species disappear again”.

You’ve got to change your management 1st. When mismanaged, grazing animals are nothing more than destructive pasture predators that can eat themselves out of house and home. Until you control your animals, reseeding is a waste of time and money. Only after you have established the grazing system, soil tested, and fertilized should you even think about reseeding a pasture.

If you do reseed, don’t plow up your pasture. Frost-seed or drill new species into the existing sod. If you really did pick species that are better for your soils and management than the ones that are already there, the new ones will take over.

Develop a good grazing system and you will get several tons of the cheapest high-quality feed you’ve ever raised. It may be the best move you’ve ever made.

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1. Q: What is the Pierce Conservation District?

Pierce Conservation District works with farmers, forest landowners, homeowners, and many others with conserving their natural resources. We do a lot of stuff. Some examples include helping: 

• Farmers grow food more sustainability, 
• Prepare rural communities like Greenwater to be more resilient to wildfire, 
• Small businesses install solar and energy efficiency projects, 
• Plant trees in cities, parks and on rural properties, 
• Teach students about their environment.

2. Q: What is the Rural Climate Dialogues?

The Rural Climate Dialogues is more than just a workshop, webinar, or training. It adapts a process that uses a model called the “citizen jury.” The Center for New Democratic Processes (who will be designing and facilitating this event) has conducted a series of Rural Climate Dialogues throughout the state of Minnesota. 

A citizen jury is a lot like a regular jury. Jurors will receive information from local expert testimony “witnesses” and then they will be tasked will deliberating, voting, and working together to draft a report to reflect local concerns related to extreme weather/climate change.

3. Q: Why are you doing this?

We don’t hear enough from rural communities about what they think about climate change and extreme weather. As a result, we can’t provide the services and resources that these communities really need or reflect your priorities in planning and decision making.

4. Q: When is the event?

Wed, June 9th – Sun June 13th, 1 – 5:30 pm. You will need to be available for the whole time to be able to participate.

5. Q: What if I don’t have a computer or reliable internet?

We can potentially provide you with the equipment you need to be able to participate in this event.

6. Q: What will you do with the Community Action Plan?

We will share with local partners, government agencies, and use within our own program to help inform what we can do to change how we help your community to better serve you. We also want to use this as a platform to help you connect with your local leaders and train you on how to advocate for your communities on how they can help you better.

7. Q: Who will be designing and facilitating this event?

The Center for New Democratic Processes (CNDP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic engagement organization based in St. Paul, MN with partners and clients throughout the US and globally. The Center's mission is to strengthen democracy by partnering with individuals, communities, and institutions to design and implement informed, innovative, and democratic processes to address today’s toughest challenges. The Citizens’ Jury method was invented by the Founder of CNDP (Ned Crosby) in the 1970s and the organization has conducted over 100 jury events on a wide range of topics in the US and globally.

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1. Do I need to protect my shoreline from erosion?

The answer to this question depends on your specific site conditions and should involve a site assessment by a shoreline specialist.  If your home is not directly at risk, then it is very likely that the answer will be "no" - there will be little reason to invest in expensive shoreline interventions such as a bulkhead.  In fact, it will be difficult to get new shoreline armor permitted if it does not directly protect a primary structure such as a home.  Ideally, your shoreline exhibits the typical slow, natural erosion process that supports coastal habitat and functions in Puget Sound.  Whatever the outcome of your shoreline assessment, you will want to make certain that you are not contributing to (or accelerating) erosion problems inadvertently.  Your property management decisions can cause unintended problems with drainage or slope instability.  Understanding how best to manage water and vegetation on your shoreline will limit erosion on your waterfront.

Go back to the Shore Friendly Pierce page for more information on shoreline plants and water management. 

2. What should I do with all the water draining down my slope?

Water often has a huge impact on slope stability.  You want to be certain that your shoreline drainage strategy or irrigation systems are not leaking or contributing to bank instability or erosion.  Drainage management above shoreline slopes can be complex, so we typically recommend using professional guidance to assess and develop a water management strategy that is appropriate for your property.  

Some things to keep in mind: if you have any pipe systems (tight lines, subsurface drains, French or curtain drains, etc.), know exactly where they are.  Monitor them several times each year for leaks or breaks, so you don't soak extra water into a slope or bluff unintentionally.  Remember that our "natural drainage management systems" are incredibly valuable: our native vegetation provides an incredible service with regard to water management.  Layers of trees, shrubs and groundcovers will intercept, slow down, take up, and evapotranspire rainfall on your property, thus decreasing the amount of runoff that you need to manage.  In contrast, large paved or roof areas and big lawns actually create extra water that you will have to manage in order to avoid contributing to erosion or even slope instability.  

Go back to the Shore Friendly Pierce page for more information about shoreline plants and water management. 

The webpage and downloadable publication below provide an excellent overview and additional guidance:

• Publication: Ecology Publication #95-107: Surface Water and Groundwater on Coastal Bluffs: A Guide for Puget Sound Property Owners. 

3. How should I manage trees for views (and plants in general) on my shoreline?

As a basic rule, you benefit the most by keeping as much native vegetation (trees, shrubs and groundcovers) as possible on your waterfront (and on your property as a whole).  Layers of vegetation provide significant water management and slope stabilization services.  Instead of clearing your property and putting in a large lawn to the water's edge, limit the extent of clearing to the area that you will actually use.  Hire tree care professionals such as certified arborists to prune your trees for views, and plant additional native trees and shrubs in the unused areas of your property to improve water management and slope stability around you home.

Try the International Society of Arborists, Pacific Northwest Chapter, for certified tree care professionals.

Try the Washington Native Plant Society for year round local sources for Pacific Northwest native plants.

Once each year in winter, check for the Bare Root Native Plant sale here at Mason Conservation District.

Read through our Shore Friendly resources for a basic grounding in marine waterfront plant species and landscape management.

Don't hesitate to contact staff here at Pierce Conservation District for plant species suggestions, planting plans, and resources to increase the diversity and amount of native vegetation on your waterfront property.  We can help you choose the right species to meet your landscaping aesthetics while also benefiting Puget Sound habitat and property management goals.

4. Are there alternatives to bulkheads and what to alternatives, or soft shore projects, look like?

Yes, there are bulkhead alternatives and they are being used more and more often around Puget Sound. When deciding how you will respond to erosion on your waterfront, you will want answers to the following questions... 

• First, are you certain that you truly need to do something? 
• Is erosion posing a direct risk to your home, or is it part of the natural process of coastal change and something you can live with? 
• Why is erosion happening? Is it natural or is it caused by vegetation and drainage management practices?
• Is it possible to change upland management before modifying your shoreline? This could be a significantly less expensive and less complex process - as well as better for your property and for the overall health of the Puget Sound. 

Before you make a decision, seek unbiased guidance from a shoreline professional - not just a bulkhead installer.  When possible, consult several coastal professionals before you decide how to respond to erosion on the waterfront.  

If an intervention is necessary to protect a critical structure such as your home, you will also want to find out if bulkhead alternatives are feasible for your specific property.  Site conditions will determine the options available for your unique section of the marine shoreline.  Characteristics such as bluff conditions, bank height, exposure to open water and wind energy, the surrounding shoreline context, upland conditions, and many other factors determine which options make sense for stabilizing a shoreline.  Again, seek unbiased professional guidance before making a decision.  Learn about the alternatives, their appropriateness for your site, and the timeline involved.  Taking time to learn all you can may save you thousands of dollars in the long run. 

See examples of alternatives, or soft shore stabilization projects HERE

5. Who can help with shoreline permits?

Making changes to the waterfront is a complex process and typically involves a number of permitting agencies as well as permit fees in addition to the cost of construction.  The first place to receive guidance on your proposed shoreline project will be Pierce County Planning and Land Services.

Web: Pierce County Planning and Land Services 

Physical address: 2401 South 35th Street, Tacoma, WA 

Telephone: (253) 798-7036 

Mason County's Planning Department staff will help you understand whether your proposal is feasible, and if so, what is required.  Depending on the nature of your project, permits may be required from:

• Pierce County
• Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife
• US Army Corps of Engineers, depending on the type of project you are planning. 

Be aware that Cultural Resource investigations for archaeological sites may also be required. 

6. I can't remove my bulkhead. Can I still do something to contribute to a healthy Puget Sound?

If your shoreline armor can't be safely removed, you can still contribute to a healthy Puget Sound. 

• Start with shoreline vegetation: wherever possible, plant natives species that will overhang the shoreline armor and drop food such as insects into the water below. You can select lower-growing species for important view areas, and larger shrubs or trees for the edges.  Remember that birds, insects, and many mammals share the shorelines with us - and with all the sea creatures.
• Be sure to properly maintain your septic system.
• Avoid the use of fertilizers and chemicals along Puget Sound's sensitive shorelines. Landscaping with native plants eliminates the need for fertilizers.

WSU's Shore Stewards program has a great guide full of additional tips, that can be downloaded from the link below or picked up at their office in downtown Shelton:

WSU Shore Stewards - Guide for Shoreline Living

7. What is the problem with shoreline armor (aka. bulkheads)?

Waterfront impacts vary depending on the specific context of each property, but the cumulative impact of shoreline armor has led to declines in quality habitat for many Puget Sound species.  The type and number of impacts depend on the form of armor involved and the nature of the property.  Potential (and commonly observed) impacts include:

• Loss of upper beach and backshore (beach area above MHHW), due to increased beach erosion
• Reduction of the area of dry beach at high tide due to increased beach erosion
• Reduction of the amount of accumulated large wood (drift wood and logs) and beach wrack (shells, seaweed, etc. left on the beach at the high tide line)
• Reduction of available forage fish spawning habitat (herring, sand lance...)
• Reduction of area available for recreation due to increased beach erosion
• Modification or removal of connections between the water and land, which makes access difficult for people and for wildlife
• Reduction of the movement of materials and organics between aquatic and terrestrial systems 
• Reduction of the quality of riparian (shoreline vegetation) functions, such as food delivery, wood recruitment, and shelter
• Altered drainage patterns to the beach
• Passive erosion
• Limitation of the natural retreat of the shoreline, which narrows the remaining available beach
• Altered sediment delivery and transport, which affects the availability of materials that build Puget Sound beaches
• Reduction of the delivery of sediment into the system and reduction the overall amount of available sediment moving along the shoreline in the local "drift cell" or littoral cell
• Changed sediment movement along the shoreline, which causes localized erosion down-drift
• Altered wave action, which can shift the direction or impact of wave energy to neighboring sites
• Increased erosion and scour on the beach through wave reflection, which can undermine the stability of shoreline armor over time...

Learn more: Washington State Department of Ecology website

Source: Gianou, K. 2014. Soft Shoreline Stabilization: Shoreline Master Program Planning and Implementation Guidance. Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program, Washington Department of Ecology, Olympia, WA. Publication no. 14-06-009.) 

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1. Will you be able to do testing and provide us some direction regarding the health of lakes and ecosystem?

• PCD does not provide laboratory water quality testing. 
• You are welcome to sample on your own and send to a laboratory.  We recommend sampling more than 1 or 2 times. For understanding general lake health, we recommend longer term sampling. 
  • A local laboratory is Water Management Laboratories in Tacoma 
  • Their instructions include calling 253-531-3121 prior to sampling. They will provide you with sample bottles, sampling instructions and drop off instructions. 
  • Laboratory costs can range from $50 to $500 depending on the number of samples and type of testing. 
• You can also contact the Washington State Department of Ecology and take a sample for toxic algae if the lake is not already monitored by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. How to report and test a bloom (nwtoxicalgae.org)

2. Where can I find resources available on herbicide guidance for aquatic noxious weeds?

• The Department of Ecology provides aquatic weed control technical assistance: Aquatic weed control technical assistance - Washington State Department of Ecology
• You can also check with your WA Fish & Wildlife Area Habitat Biologist: Rules for aquatic plant removal and control | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife

3. Can you provide a general lake presentation?

• See our Lakes 101 PowerPoint

4. Where can I find information about the water quality of my lake?

• If the Washington State Department of Ecology has monitored your lake, data can be found here: Lakes Environmental Data | Washington State Department of Ecology, aquatic plants, cyanobacteria, algae blooms, water quality, fisheries, bathymetry, maps

5. How do I become an Algae Watch Volunteer?

• If you live on or near a lake you can become an Algae Watch Volunteer. Get involved with the Algae Watch Volunteer Group. Email Lindsay Tuttle: ltuttle@tpchd.org to sign up.

6. What do I do if I think my lake has a toxic algae bloom?

• If you think there is a harmful algae bloom on your lake refer to: 
  • Freshwater algae control - Washington State Department of Ecology
  • Toxic Algae | Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (tpchd.org)
• The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department does not work on lake treatments, but can provide education on toxic algae, preventative actions and how to take care of your septic system. 

7. What can I do to prevent toxic algae blooms?

• Reduce fertilizers.
• Maintain your septic system.
• Pick up after your pets, don’t feed waterfowl and keep livestock away from the water.
• Plant native plants between your yard and the water to reduce runoff and prevent erosion.

8. Why is my lake filling in with vegetation/sediment?

• Lakes go through natural processes and lakes in Pierce County are in different phases. Humans and climate change can accelerate this process. Lakes can transition from marsh to swamp to bog and go from deep to shallow lakes over long periods of time. Lakes can also be dominated by plants or algae.