Mason Conservation District

10/13/2026

10/12/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us and Capitol Land Trust at Hilburn Preserve on Saturday for an Invasive W**d Pull to prep for Orca Recovery Day on Saturday! With volunteers from Shelton High School's ROTC Cadets and our broader community, we were able to remove invasives that have popped up at the site since our construction & mulching this summer.

Missed out on the fun? Join us this upcoming Saturday, October 17 for the ninth annual Orca Recovery Day as we plant a native pollinator meadow to support local salmon and Southern Resident orca populations that depend on healthy upstream water systems. We'll begin at 9am at Hilburn Preserve (198 W Hulbert Rd, Shelton, WA 98548), with supplies & snacks provided. We have nearly 2,000 native plants to install, so bring your friends!

More information available at masoncd.org/orca-recovery-day

10/07/2026

This fall, we are excited to offer a number of opportunities to get outdoors and learn about the incredible plants and animals that make Mason County great!

Join us after dark for two Pier Peers with Puget Sound Estuarium & Squaxin Island Tribe to explore the estuary creatures found below the water's surface. And drop by our Orca Recovery Day events to prepare for and help us plant a pollinator meadow at the Capitol Land Trust property Hilburn Preserve to support our Southern Resident orca populations. Full event details & registration can be found at masoncd.org/events.

Pier Peer at Alderbrook Resort
Friday, October 9th from 7-9pm, Registration required

Invasive W**d Removal at Hilburn Preserve
Saturday, October 10th at 9am

Orca Recovery Day Native Planting at Hilburn Preserve
Saturday, October 17th at 9am

Pier Peer at Shelton Yacht Club
Friday, October 30th from 7-9pm, Registration required, costumes encouraged

10/07/2026

10/05/2026

What happens when conservation is rooted in relationships? 🌿

In a project supported by WaSHI's Sustainable Farms and Fields program, the Squaxin Island Tribe and Mason Conservation District partnered to transform a riparian area at Salish Roots Farm into a productive, harvestable landscape rooted in culture, ecology, and community.

This project shows how Indigenous leadership, flexible funding, and strong partnerships can create landscapes that benefit both people and ecosystems.

🔗 Read the story here: https://washingtonsoilhealthinitiative.com/2026/09/indigenous-agroforestry-at-salish-roots-farm/

10/05/2026

This Wednesday, join our Food Security Initiative and partners Salish Roots Food Sovereignty Program & Mason County Climate Justice - MCCJ for a Chile Pepper Preservation Workshop! Learn how to string festive & edible chile pepper garlands and take your creation home to enjoy.

Date: Wednesday, October 7
Time: 10am-2pm
Location: Salish Roots Farm (541 W State Route 108, Shelton, WA)

10/05/2026

This month, we're celebrating Orca Recovery Day on not one, but two weekends!

We're teaming up with Mason Conservation District to create a pollinator meadow at Hilburn Preserve in Shelton and we need your help. Pollinators not only help plants, they are also an important part of the food web by providing nutrition for wildlife including salmon, who in turn feed our resident orca populations.

Saturday, October 10 we’ll be preparing the site by removing invasive vegetation. You can learn more or sign up here: https://capitollandtrust.org/2026-orca-recovery-day-1/

Then the following Saturday, October 17 (the official Orca Recovery Day!), we’ll be planting the native flowers and shrubs that will grow into our pollinator meadow. Here are the details: https://capitollandtrust.org/2026-orca-recovery-day-2/

You can sign up for one or both days, each event begins at 9:00 am and supplies will be provided.

10/01/2026

The Southern Resident Killer Whales were once a robust community of about 200 individuals. In the 20th century, their population crashed due to hunting, live capture, and environmental stressors. Today, this population is officially endangered. As of April 2025, there are approximately 74 Southern Residents, divided among J, K, and L pods. This small population is still declining, with threats like prey scarcity, pollution, and marine noise impeding their recovery.

​Join MCD & Capitol Land Trust for two volunteer events at Hilburn Preserve as we prepare for & plant a pollinator meadow to enhance biodiversity and provide habitat for pollinators that support salmon and these Southern Resident orca populations.

We begin next weekend with an Invasive W**d Pull on Saturday, October 10 at 9am to prep the site for the Orca Recovery Day Native Planting on Saturday, October 17 at 9am. Both events are at Hilburn Preserve (198 W Hulbert Rd., Shelton, WA 98584). Learn more at masoncd.org/orca-recovery-day

09/18/2026

More drone footage from Phase 6 of the restoration project on the Upper South Fork of the Skokomish River!

Large logs and root-wads have been placed, and we are now entering the final stages of the project in partnership with the Skokomish Indian Tribe and the U.S. Forest Service. The engineered log jams (ELJs) will improve habitat complexity, stabilize sediment, accumulate “natural” large wood, and create the deeper pools and complex channel conditions that Chinook salmon and steelhead need for migrating, spawning, and rearing.

This work is an important part of ongoing ecosystem restoration and supports efforts to improve conditions for spring Chinook salmon reintroduction in the Skokomish watershed. The benefits extend downstream, too. By helping retain gravel in the upper watershed, these log jams complement efforts to manage sediment and reduce chronic flood risks in the Skokomish Valley.

Learn more about our restoration projects at masoncd.org/restoration-projects

09/17/2026

The Ninth Annual Orca Recovery Day is just one month away!

Join us and Capitol Land Trust at Hilburn Preserve as we prepare for and plant a pollinator meadow to enhance biodiversity and provide habitat for pollinators that support salmon and Southern Resident orca populations.

The Orca Recovery Day Native Planting is Saturday, October 17 beginning at 9am, but we will be on site the same time the Saturday before (October 10) for an Invasive W**d Removal and Site Preparation ahead of the planting.

Join us for one or both events to help steward the site. All supplies will be provided. Hilburn Preserve is located at 198 W Hulbert Rd., Shelton, WA 98584.

Learn more at masoncd.org/orca-recovery-day