Looking Back, Moving Forward

As summer comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to look back at the people, projects, and experiences that made the past few months special. From volunteers getting their hands dirty in the field to students learning about the natural resources in their own communities, summer brought plenty of opportunities to connect with conservation. Now, we’re looking ahead to fall with new education programs, community events, and opportunities to get involved.

Upcoming Events

A Day of Conservation, Community & Learning

Saturday, October 17th, 2026

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Lake Sylvia State Park, Legacy Pavilion

Join us for our first annual Community Day!

This free community event is a chance to meet the people behind Grays Harbor Conservation District, learn more about the work happening across our county, and spend an afternoon connecting with local conservation.

Explore hands-on activities for all ages, learn about soil health and restoration, dig into the world of aquatic macroinvertebrates with Grays Harbor Stream Team, and discover how riparian forests help protect our streams and salmon. We’ll also have family-friendly salmon activities, a guided riparian hike, opportunities to connect with our staff and partners, and a great lineup of raffle prizes donated by local businesses and farms.

Whether you’re interested in volunteering, natural resources, agriculture, education, or simply want to learn more about the conservation work happening in our community, we’d love to see you there!

Good to Know: A Washington State Discover Pass is required for parking at Lake Sylvia State Park.

Volunteer Sign Up

News from GHCD

New in Grays Harbor: Wheat Week

We’re excited to bring Wheat Week to Grays Harbor classrooms for the first time! This free, hands-on education program invites 4th and 5th grade students to explore wheat, agriculture, and the natural systems that connect them to the world around us.

Over the course of one week, our trained educators visit classrooms for five one-hour lessons, with students exploring everything from soil and water to plant systems, energy, and DNA. Students will investigate soil textures, model the water cycle, thresh wheat to explore its energy, extract DNA from wheat germ, and create their own wheat terrariums to observe throughout the week.

Wheat Week is FREE, and all supplies are provided! The lessons are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and connect science concepts to agriculture and students’ everyday lives.

We’re currently looking for 4th and 5th grade educators interested in bringing Wheat Week to their school. Teachers are asked to coordinate with their grade-level team so that 3-4 classrooms can participate each day.

Interested in bringing Wheat Week to your classroom? Reach out to Kelsey Hunter at khunter@graysharborcd.org to learn more or get your school on the schedule. Spaces are limited, so we encourage interested educators to reach out soon!

From the Archives

We’ve been doing some digging through the archives and recently uncovered a collection of photographs from the 1980s and 1990s showing students testing water quality, planting trees, volunteers cleaning up local waterways, and community members coming together around conservation.

While the equipment, hairstyles, and photo quality may have changed, it’s fun to see how familiar some of these activities look. Hands-on education, volunteer stewardship, restoration, and community involvement have been part of Grays Harbor Conservation District’s work for decades.

As we continue sorting through these photographs, we’re working toward creating a digital archive on our website where the community can explore more of GHCD’s history. Until then, enjoy a few of our favorites!

A special thank you goes to Troy Colley, who served as GHCD’s Education Specialist during this time and is credited with many of the photographs in this collection. His photos offer a wonderful glimpse into the people and conservation work that shaped our community decades ago.

Do you have an old GHCD photo, story, or memory to share? We’d love to hear from you as we continue piecing together the history of conservation in Grays Harbor. Send your photos or stories our way and help us preserve these memories for future generations.

Image Details:

Row 1:

1. McCleary Elementary students release salmon fry into Wildcat Creek - 1990

2. Elma 7th graders helping plant a riparian buffer along the Satsop River- 1999.

Row 2 :

1. Satsop Wells Environmental Learning Lodge (SWELL) which was owned and operated by GHCD and was utilized for an educational center, meeting venue, and for retreats.

2. Students learning about streamside water quality by using several methods of testing for dissolved oxygen and turbidity -1989

Row 3:

1. Girl Scout Troop at Camp Klahanee on a guided hike with GHCD Education team- July 1979

2. Alder Creek Cleanup for Earth Day. This project was coordinated by GHCD, Grays Harbor College, and Aberdeen Neighborhood Housing Authority. The event had roughly 40 people in attendance and they cleaned up about 1 mile of stream- 1990.

Row 4:

1. Volunteers assisting planting of 6.2 acres in Ocean Shores, 1977

Thank You, Summer Volunteers!

A huge thank you to all of the volunteers who showed up this summer to lend a hand with trash cleanups, storm drain markings, weed pulls, and macroinvertebrate sampling! The work we do across Grays Harbor County is made possible in part by the generous time and labor of community members who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work.

We’re taking a short lull in volunteer events as we prepare for the upcoming planting season, but there’s plenty more work ahead! Sign up for our volunteer list to stay in the loop about upcoming planting events and other opportunities to get involved this winter.

Volunteer Sign Up

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Grays Harbor Conservation District values the diversity of our staff and the communities we work with. We are committed to creating a workplace and programs that are welcoming, equitable, and inclusive for everyone. Our services are accessible to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other characteristic.

Grays Harbor Conservation District
150 Technology Lane STE 201
Elma, WA 98541
USA
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