Farmers and ranchers can learn strategies for boosting climate-resilient agricultural practices in the face of worsening climate impacts on the region when the Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance hosts “The Tenacious Farmers’ Exchange: Farming for a Climate Resilient Future,” a farmer-led gathering at Carnation Farms in Carnation, Feb. 20-21.
The Tenacious Farmers Exchange will provide a space for developing pathways forward towards implementing climate-smart agricultural practices, restoring soil health, and more to help farmers and ranchers ensure the profitability and viability of their practices through environmental uncertainty.
SVPA is a non-profit organization based in Carnation, WA that focuses on balanced, sustainable land use planning, floodplain management, flood risk mitigation, and protecting and enhancing agricultural soils and farming viability. SVPA serves the entire Snoqualmie Valley while primarily focusing on the lower Snoqualmie valley which, sitting below the Falls, is almost entirely floodplain. This area in the Lower Valley is one of five designated Agricultural Production Districts (APD) in King County and 75% of the farms in the Sno-Valley APD are in flood hazard areas.
In conversation with SVPA Executive Director Lauren Silver-Turner, she shares that the impacts of climate change are already beginning to cause challenges for farmers in the valley.
“People are seeing, on-the ground, what would be categorized as a 100-year flood event much more frequently than once in a hundred years,” Silver-Turner said.
Flooding is a normal part of life on the floodplains in the Lower Valley and floods serve important ecological purposes as they are necessary for healthy river ecosystems and help to recharge groundwater. However, as severe flooding is already King County’s most common natural disaster, climate change and development practices are worsening these floods.
What is particularly threatening is that these flood events are beginning to occur outside of the typical flood season.
“Just a couple years ago, I think it was 2022, there was a June flood which was pretty crazy, and farmers already had things planted in the ground,” she added.
As climate impacts become more pronounced, the risks to agricultural practice are becoming more of a priority across the region. This sobering context emphasizes the necessity of events like The Tenacious Farmers Exchange that provide space for collaboration and knowledge sharing to ensure that farmers and ranchers of the Valley are receiving the support they need to become more climate resilient
If interested in learning about agroecological principles and processes, climate resilient crops for Western Washington, flood and drought resilience, and more visit the Tenacious Farmers’ Exchange – SVPA to register. Registration deadline is Sunday, February 16 at 11:59PM and tickets cost $115 for farmers and $150 for non-farmers. Tickets include admission for both full days (8am-5pm), free lunches, light morning refreshments, and more. Be sure to look through the brochure for more detailed information and keep an eye out for the full agenda.
Leave a Reply