Supercharge UCD with Your Donations
by Barbara Bailey, UCD Board Supervisor
Have you received a stimulus check from the government? Have you resolved to do your estate planning this year, and do you see protecting our planet as an important part of your legacy? Perhaps you are always on the lookout for ways to help the environment. Where better to do that than right here at home?
Underwood Conservation District is funded primarily by project-specific grants and contracts. That is how we pay our staff when we work with local farmers to improve water quality or make a conservation plan that improves soil health and supports our pollinators. It’s how we fund larger projects to restore our creeks so they can support salmon again. We use grants to help improve the health of our forests, and to help residents make their homes and landscapes – our landscape – firewise.
Maybe you’ve done some tree trimming and taken advantage of our mobile chipping service to turn that debris into mulch rather than burning it. If so, you may know we can only offer this service sporadically due to funding shortages. Maybe you’ve attended one of our workshops, or you’ve seen our work in the local schools. Perhaps you’ve bought trees and shrubs in our annual Native Plant Sale. Did you know we lose thousands of dollars making those trees available at rock-bottom prices? The benefits – water conservation, healthier air and soil, better habitat for birds and bees, and bringing the community together to improve our environment – make it worthwhile.
We’re proud of the work we do. But our dream is to be a more central part of our community, with more educational outreach to adults and children alike, new programs to help farmers and foresters succeed and innovate while protecting our soil and water, more fun and informative events to bring our community together. We will always rely on grants to fulfill our mission, but with the robust support of our community, our impact can be much greater. If you can afford to help, we hope you will.
Consider a donation to UCD today or consider including Underwood Conservation District in your will. Better yet, do both! Your gift, your legacy, will be a healthier, more resilient, more beautiful region. And what could be better than that?
Questions about donations? Please contact Tova Tillinghast, UCD District Manager at tova@ucdwa.org.