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Partner Community

In April of 2021, Benton SWCD welcomed Michael Ahr as our Natural Resources Conservation Program Manager. Michael immediately hit the ground running as he and his team took on multiple inventories on the Willamette this summer, searching out Ludwigia and yellow floating heart and complementing the work of colleagues from Willamette Riverkeeper.

A compilation of presentations and resources from the 2020 State of the Willamette workshop for Willamette Basin restoration partners to share perspectives on the current state of river restoration practice, science, funding, and ways to improve restoration outcomes from local to regional scales.

Can information from the soil explain why some prairie restoration efforts are more successful than others? In 2016, the Prairie Soils for Sustainable Restoration project set out to find the answer, thanks to funding from Oregon Natural Resources Conservation Service.

2017 was an exceptional year of Integrated Biological Pest Management (IBPM) education thanks to USDA Risk Management Education Partnerships Program funding and the leadership of Gwendolyn Ellen.

Here is a summary of the Watershed Council efforts Benton SWCD has supported when our budget allows.   Year Watershed Council Project Summary Amount Funded 2021 Luckiamute The funds will support staff time to plan and deliver a variety of Love Your Watershed Program events in 2021. The LWC also anticipates that many of the

Since the coronavirus pandemic curtailed our ability to offer most in-person volunteer events, tours, workshops, talks, and other educational programming, Benton SWCD began sending out a weekly e-news to help us stay in touch. Here is a table with links to each of the e-news we’ve sent during the first year of the pandemic, from

In her current job at NRCS and in her volunteer work Heather Medina Sauceda continues her passion for outreach to underserved communities, tribes, and youth. She feels a responsibility to help others, just as people encouraged her to reach her goals. Heather says she “always has one hand reaching up with the other extended below to help others rise to their next level. If a door gets closed, jump through the window! Don’t give up.”

As a youngster exploring the wild forests and streams of his home, Alan Ayres developed an appreciation for the abundant waters and lush vegetation that gave him comfort. Now he is working with The Confluence to create a sustainable office building in downtown Corvallis.

When asked what conservation challenges she faces, Jenny says the biggest one is when she feels that what she does doesn’t do enough. “Then I remember the butterfly effect. Success is seeing the work that BSWCD does.”

Andy Gallagher first came to Benton SWCD looking for conservation-minded people in the Willamette Valley.

Matt and Serene Mellenthin know how lucky they are. Their spot on the Willamette River is their paradise.