Insects are in trouble throughout the world. And as David James said at our Music and Monarchs event: “About 98 percent of insects are beneficial or benign.” Only about 2 percent are considered pests. The Monarch is one of the most iconic and beautiful insects...
David Hagen has been one of CCC's most valuable volunteers for decades. A critical supporter since the organization's founding, David has also helped scout and create many of our most beloved trails. Below is a short interview with David on volunteering and photography.
Considering that they're blood-sucking and disease-carrying parasites, ticks can be kind of gross. From another perspective, also scary cool. Read on for simple ways to prevent tickborne illness as well as how these miniature vampires have remarkable lives and survival strategies.
Megan Whiteside, Conservation Projects Manager, describes the daunting experience of introducing prescribed fire to CCC lands.
Here are some images from this year's Cowiche Canyon Rocks Garden Party & Auction. It was a day filled with gratitude and blue sky.
Cowiche Canyon Conservancy (CCC) lands are home to some beautiful and rare plants, including Hoover’s biscuitroot, or Lomatium lithosolamans. We have Hoover’s biscuitroot to thank for the initial protection of land in the Cowiche Canyon Uplands.
Are you one of nature's storytellers? Do you have a story to tell about the land, water, or wildlife around you? Share your words with the community!
This was a bittersweet day. Based on annual counts at overwintering locations in California, the western monarch population has dropped below numbers widely considered necessary for it to survive. We grieved for lost western monarchs, and we celebrated those still with us. Enjoy some photos from the event.
Throughout my internship with Cowiche Canyon Conservancy, I learned about the diversity of, and found a new appreciation for, the Yakima Valley. All the small and big experiences my team and I went through were fun, exciting, and new for me. Hiking throughout Cowiche Canyon, driving up to the top of Snow Mountain Ranch, and wading through the river are all experiences I hope to never forget. From the hot sunny days to the hail and rain, thrashing through rose bushes and thistles, to feeling the cold rush of the river around my waders.
You may have heard about the alarming and sad decline of the Western Monarch, a decline that is stoking talk and fears of extinction. But one local scientist isn’t so sure. David James, Washington State University Professor of Entomology, offers some perspective and hope for the future of this beautiful and iconic insect.
Rattlesnakes are scary. Seeing or hearing one can induce a primal reaction – sweat and adrenaline and swear words. We want to remind folks that intentionally harming or killing other living things on the trail is not okay. You can prepare for, and maybe even embrace, the experience of encountering a rattlesnake.
This year, we're not gathering for an Earth Week celebration. But we want to offer some ways for local families or individuals to engage with the wildflowers and plants currently blooming in the shrub-steppe. So check out our Earth Week Scavenger Hunt!