Need help managing your streamside property?
Learn about the health of your stream, the benefit of native plants, and the impacts of noxious weeds from organizations offering educational resources. Organizations offer educational classes, workshops, consulting, and hands-on volunteer opportunities that can assist you in making informed decisions about your property.
Workshops
Native Plant ID Walks and Excursions
Join Native Plant Salvage for a few hours or a whole day of learning about native plants.
Native Plant Salvage Foundation
Plant Walks and Plant Excursions are group hikes with botany and ecology experts, plus outdoor enthusiasts like you. Our goal is to get people outside, build community and educate about magical Mother Nature along the way. Excursions are all day events and will be led in four different South Sound ecosystems.
Contact: Erica Guttman / / 360-867-2167 erica@nativeplantsalvage.org
Winter Twig ID
Join Native Plant Salvage for a winter outing and learn how to identify native plants.
Native Plant Salvage Foundation
Add a new dimension to your winter outings when you join local plant experts to learn the secrets to identifying local shrubs and trees without their leaves. These “walking workshops” will take place on a West Olympia-area nature trail. Small groups of learners will be matched with knowledgeable instructors to learn the keys to identify over 25 native plants.
Contact: Erica Guttman / / erica@nativeplantsalvage.org 360-867-2167
Guided Nature Walks
Join Nisqually Land Trust for guided nature walks and learn about restoration in the Nisqually Watershed.
Nisqually Land Trust
Join Nisqually and Trust for one of their nature walks and enjoy the beauty of our natural areas. Learn how collaborative conservation is making a lasting difference in the Nisqually Watershed. Visit here to learn more.
Contact: staff@nisquallylandtrust.org
Washington Native Plant Society Events
Participate in Washington Native Plant Society workshops and learn about native plants.
Washington Native Plant Society
Visit here to learn about upcoming workshops and field trips in the South Sound.
Contact: wnps@wnps.org
Center for Urban Horticulture Activities
Join University of Washington for educational activities and virtual workshops.
University of Washington Botanic Gardens
Visit here to view upcoming education activities, virtual workshops, and tours.
Contact: uwbgeduc@uw.edu 206-685-8033
Events, Workshops, and Tours
Join Thurston Conservation District for educational workshops and tours about water quality, ag, and habitat restoration.
Thurston Conservation District
Thurston Conservation District offers regular workshops and tours for Thurston County residents. Topics include water quality, agriculture, and habitat restoration. Visit here to learn more.
Contact: Nora White / / nwhite@thurstoncd.com 360-754-3588
Thurston County Stream Team
Participate in hands-on activities and workshops.
Thurston County Stream Team
Stream Team helps to raise awareness about local waters through learning and hands-on activities. This includes efforts to restore riparian areas through planting events, workshops, and providing educational materials. Additionally, Stream Team generally only does work on public land since its run by the jurisdictions, but the classes we offer and the educational material we provide could be useful for any landowner.
Contact: Meridith Greer / / 360-754-4148 mgreer@ci.tumwater.wa.us
Guides & Handbooks
“At Home With Wetlands: A Homeowners Guide”
Use this guidebook to learn how to deal with wetlands on your property.
Washington Department of Ecology
A guidebook for landowners with wetlands on their property. It describes how wetlands function, explains their significance in your local watershed and in the hydrologic cycle, and shows how human activities have come to threaten wetlands. This book offers protection, enhancement, and preservation options – things you can do for your wetland. It also explains the importance of your role as a wetland steward. Visit here to learn more.
Contact: Kaye Brozina / / kaye.brozina@ecy.wa.gov 360-407-6908
Thurston County Noxious Weed List
View the 2020 Thurston County noxious weed list.
Thurston County
This brochure lists the 2020 noxious weeds in Thurston County. Visit here to view the list.
Contact: tcweeds@co.thurston.wa.us
Noxious Weed Fact Sheet
Learn more about noxious weeds in Thurston County.
Thurston County
Interested in learning more about a noxious weed in Thurston County? Visit here to view Thurston County’s noxious weed fact sheets.
Contact: tcweeds@co.thurston.wa.us
2020 State Noxious Weed List
View Washington State’s noxious weed list.
Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board
This is the official list of Washington State noxious weeds for 2020 organized by common plant names. View the list here.
Native Plant Directory
Use this directory to learn about native plants in your region.
Washington Native Plant Society
Use this directory to learn more about plants native to your region.
Contact: wnps@wnps.org
Garden Wise: Non-Invasive Plants for Your Garden (Western Washington)
Use this booklet to learn about non-invasive alternatives to common invasive garden species.
Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board
This popular booklet offers several non-invasive alternatives for 17 invasive ornamental and noxious weeds. View this booklet here.
Riparian Buffer Recommendations
View NOAA Marine Fisheries stream buffer guidance.
NOAA Fisheries
View a chart graphic designed to provide recommended NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service buffer guidance information for streams in Puget Sound agricultural landscape. View this chart here.
Thurston Geodata
Use this online mapping tool to look up information about your property.
Thurston County
Thurston Geodata is an online mapping system that allows you to look up information about your property, download data maps, and create unique maps. Visit here to learn more.
“Homeowners Guide to Wetlands and Buffers”
Use this guidebook to learn how to protect wetlands on your property.
Washington Department of Ecology
Homeowners play a big role in wetland protection and health. This guide provides information for homeowners on how to protect wetlands and information on the importance of buffers to wetlands protection. It also includes gardening and yard care tips for every season. Visit here to learn more.
Contact: Patricia Johnson / / patricia.johnson@ecy.wa.gov 360-407-6140
Do You Have Knotweed On Your Property?
Use this brochure to learn how to identify and control knotweed.
Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board
Knotweed brochure, covering four knotweed species that are Class B noxious weeds. It provides an overview on identification, impacts and control options. View the brochure here.
Weed Search
Get help identifying plants on your property.
Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board
Need Help Identifying a plant? Which weed is it? Fill out a search form with what you do know, and find the matching results from our weed database. Our database includes over 140 noxious weeds that are known to Washington State. Visit here to use this search form.
Contact: Wendy DesCamp / / 360-725-5764
Thurston County’s Guide To Noxious Weeds
Use this guide to help you identify common weeds found in Thurston County.
Thurston County
This handbook provides information and photographs of noxious weeds in Thurston County. View this handbook here.
Contact: tcweeds@co.thurston.wa.us
Noxious Weed Disposal
Use this brochure to learn how to properly dispose of weeds.
Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board
This brochure provides general information about the disposal of noxious weeds and how some noxious weeds should be disposed of differently than others. View the brochure here.
Landscaping Resources
Explore landscaping resources.
Washington Native Plant Society
Visit here to view resources that provide guidance for planning your landscape.
Contact: wnps@wnps.org
Stream Habitat Restoration Guidelines
View Washington State stream habitat restoration guidelines.
Washington State Aquatic Habitat Guidelines Program
Guidelines developed in the AHG program employ an integrated approach to marine, freshwater, and riparian habitat protection and restoration. That is, they seek to protect and restore the structure and function of whole ecosystems by striving to consider projects in their landscape and watershed contexts. Development of guidance documents and underlying scientific surveys has involved broad participation from academic, public, and private sector practitioners, planners, and regulators. View guideline here.
Waterfront Guidance Resources
Use these online guides and videos to explore options for your marine shoreline.
Thurston Conservation District
These guidance documents are designed to be helpful resources for waterfront residents when exploring options for planting, building, or maintaining their property. View guidance here.
Hands-on Volunteer Opportunities
Meet the Beach
Volunteer with Puget Sound Estuarium and learn about shorelines and intertidal life.
Puget Sound Estuarium
So many amazing creatures live in South Puget Sound and can be found on our local beaches. The Estuarium’s Meet the Beach program sends our trained Beach Naturalist volunteers out during summer low-tides to help our community discovery intertidal life! Find our dedicated team of Beach Naturalists sporting green vests and hats as they wade through the low-tide to explore estuary plants and animals. Our Beach Naturalists will help you dig in the mud and turn over rocks to find estuary creatures and answer all of your questions about Puget Sound’s intertidal marine life. Visit here to learn more about the Estuariums Meet the Beach program.
Contact: center@sseacenter.org
Native Plant Salvages, Nursery Learning, and Work Parties
Join Native Plant Salvage for hands-on educational volunteer opportunities.
Native Plant Salvage Foundation
Native Plant Salvage Foundation (NPSF) events bring the community into forested spaces. The organization salvages native plants from being demolished in the space’s upcoming development. Volunteers are welcome to salvage plants for their home landscaping projects too. NPSF has a nursery where they propagate salvaged plants. To maintain healthy plants, they organize regular work parties, co-sponsored by Thurston County Steam Team, at their nursery throughout the year.
Contact: Erica Guttman / / erica@nativeplantsalvage.org 360-867-2167
Volunteer with Nisqually Reach Nature Center
Volunteer with Nisqually Reach Nature Center and receive training and hands-on experience.
Nisqually Reach Nature Center
As a small non-profit, volunteers are the backbone of the Nisqually Reach Nature Center. They provide training for all our volunteers; no experience is necessary- just a passion and desire to learn. Visit here to learn more about volunteering with the Nisqually Reach Nature Center.
Contact: NRNC@nisquallyestuary.org 360-459-0387
Volunteer Work Parties and Land Stewardship
Volunteer with Nisqually Land Trust and gain hands-on restoration experience.
Nisqually Land Trust
Volunteering to help maintain and restore Land Trust properties is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors and help protect important habitat. Stewardship Work Parties are held every Wednesday year-round and 2-3 Saturdays per month between October and May. Visit here to learn more.
Contact: volunteer@nisquallylandtrust.org
Native Plant Stewardship Program
Volunteer with Washington Native Plant Society and gain hands-on experience working with native plants.
Washington Native Plant Society
The Washington Native Plant Society Stewardship Program offers opportunities to serve in community and habitat restoration. Interested volunteers can prepare to join the Stewardship Program by investigating course options in their community and preparing to take the Stewardship Training Course. No prior native plant or habitat restoration experience education or experience is required to apply. Visit here to learn more about becoming a South Sound Native Plant Steward.
Contact: wnps@wnps.org
Volunteer with Capitol Land Trust
Volunteer at regular work parties or become a Trail/Land Steward and gain hands-on experience.
Capitol Land Trust
Stewardship work parties connect people and conserve land. While sharing ideas and making friendships, you will be doing incredibly important work to help us steward conserved lands. Capitol Land Trust’s weekly stewardship parties respond to the needs of the land and typically include activities like planting native plants, mulching, removing invasive species or debris, and maintaining trails. Visit here to learn how you can become a stewardship volunteer.
Contact: americorps@capitollandtrust.org
Volunteer with Thurston Conservation District
Volunteer with Thurston Conservation District and gain hands-on experience through regular work parties.
Thurston Conservation District
Thurston Conservation District offers opportunities for community members to engage through regular work parties, a Native Plant Festival & Sale, and the Regional South Puget Sound Envirothon. Visit here to learn more about how you can get involved.
Contact: Kiana Sinner / / ksinner@thurstoncd.com 360-754-3588
