Digging Deep into Ag Conservation

Emerald Alliance Update

October 2021

The roots of the Emerald Alliance trace back to the region’s explosive growth in the decade starting 2010 and the projected growth out to 2050. A key point of focus, then and now, is to draw attention to the value of our natural landscapes and the need for increasing investments in their protection. This month, we provide a snapshot of land conservation in the agricultural sector - including a Q&A with the Washington Farmland Trust, commentary on the Farms Under Threat report, and a bunch of agricultural news for you to dig into.

- The EA Team

Partner Spotlight - WFT

This month, we spoke with Melissa Campbell, Executive Director at the Washington Farmland Trust. Take a peek at this Q&A to learn about some of WFT's new initiatives and Melissa's perspective on the future of farming.

Read the Q&A at EA's blog here >>

Featured Events

One-Time Events:

— WEC's Carbon Friendly Forestry Conference - October 26-27
— NOAA's Salmon in the City - October 28
— E3 Conference - November 12-20

Volunteer Opportunities:

— Forterra & Snohomish County's Healthy Forest Day at Lord Hill Park - October 23
— PCD's Green Puyallup Day - November 6

From Our Blog

Puget Sound counties continue to chalk up some of the fastest growth rates in the country. No matter how you slice it, when it comes to the conservation of agricultural land, the core question is: are we protecting the most valuable farmland? American Farmland Trust's 2020 report sheds light on the state of farmland conservation in Washington State.

Read the full blog here >>

News

— Crosscut: Ambitious B.C. project aims to fight climate change one seed at a time

— The Guardian: From the ground up: Regenerative agriculture revives farmland while curbing climate change

— Grist: Scientists have long warned climate change threatens our food security. Now they’re finding solutions.

— Crosscut: Scientists say WA wildfire management must go beyond forests

— Urbanist: An Urbanist Case for Vertical Farming

Inspiration

Urban food production and agricultural conservation are vastly different but work hand-in-hand to address food security and build healthier communities. The Black Farmers Collective is an example of a new and growing organization that works across these two areas by providing healthy food, education, and farming access to Black communities in the Puget Sound. For more on the intersections between race and agriculture, check out AFT's webinar on How Institutional Racism Shaped the American Farming Landscape.

Thank you for your continued interest in our work! Send us your ideas and stories for future newsletters: Tracy Stanton at Tracy@EmeraldAllianceNW.org

We are building a collaborative, multicultural coalition to ensure that all voices are included and recognized. If you have a stake in the future of the Puget Sound's open spaces, consider becoming a partner:

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