Natural Resource Stewardship

Habitat Types | Water | Noxious Weeds | Solar Installation 

151 acres comes with a wide variety of natural resources. Forest edges, fields, surface water, wetland ecosystems, agricultural land, a spring-fed pond…

And in our case, it also comes with big events, 10’s of thousands of visitors (people as well as dogs) each year, a big parking lot, buildings filled with small businesses, a need for drinking and irrigation water, and a large septic system.

This is where real-world natural resource stewardship comes into play.

Because of the variety of agencies and people to whom we are accountable, and because of the diversity of goals the community has set for Greenbank Farm, we are faced with deeply interesting challenges.

A blue bird box borders active farm land.

For instance, do we manage the open fields to keep them open, to protect the incredible vistas that so many come to enjoy? Or do we manage the open fields to let them fill with habitat for wildlife. Or can we find the balance to provide a bit of both?

In an area judged to be at high risk for seawater intrusion into neighborhood wells, do we irrigate our educational gardens with potable well water, or do we divert spring and surface water for that purpose? If we do the former, do we put too much pressure on the aquifer? If we do the latter, what might the impacts be to our wetland?

We love having dogs and their human companions walk our many trails. But what impact might the collective amount of dog waste have on site? And do dogs impact the use of habitat by wildlife?

Our big barn, built in 1904, makes a spectacular venue for weddings, celebrations, and workshops, yet as an historic barn, it does not have insulation. Do we change the character of the construction in order to make it energy efficient? Or do we encourage all of our guests to “layer, in true Northwest fashion?”

These are just a few of the ventures into critical thinking that a thoughtful visit to Greenbank Farm can inspire. Watch for signage and information as you wander around to help further your discussions.

On-going stewardship projects: Master Gardener Educational Gardens; Blue-bird boxes; monthly bird monitoring; education regarding solar energy; development of water catchment systems; education regarding organic farming practices; wetland monitoring; and more every day!