Join the Washington Native Plant Society for this awesome webinar!

The Heritage Garden program is growing throughout the Columbia Basin with seven conservation districts and three native plant society chapters participating.   Developed by the Benton Conservation District in partnership with the Columbia Basin Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society, the program is designed to honor the cultural and natural heritage of the Columbia River Basin while utilizing sustainable gardening practices. The Heritage Garden program transforms traditional landscapes into beautiful pollinator friendly native plant gardens.  Join us to learn how this program was developed, how different areas of the basin are implementing the program and be inspired by photos of established gardens and wildlife that call these gardens home.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Apr 18, 2023 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: NPAM: The Heritage Garden Program

Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fWMemUieS0edGFG76wE2GQ 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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Webinar Speakers

Heather Wendt (Assistant Manager @Benton and Franklin Conservation Districts)
Heather Wendt is the co-creator, and Director of the Heritage Garden (HG) Program. She is also the co-author of the Plant Selection Guide, Heritage Garden of the Columbia River Basin. Heather has worked for conservation districts since 1997. She currently serves as the Assistant Manager for both the Benton and Franklin Conservation Districts, and she is responsible for implementing the HG Program in Benton and Franklin Counties. Heather also serves as the Co-Chair of the Columba Basin Chapter WNPS.

Kelsey Kelmel (Program Coordinator @Yakima Heritage Garden)
Kelsey Kelmel is the Yakima Heritage Garden Program Coordinator. She also works for a native plant nursery where she grows native and drought tolerant species. Kelsey loves to connect folks to the local shrub-steppe flora and is actively involved in the Columbia Basin Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society. She is currently in the midst of converting her brother’s lawn of Bermuda grass into a native, drought tolerant landscape and is an avid food gardener with an affinity for vermicomposting aka worm bins.

Dinah Rouleau (Project Manager @Columbia Basin CD)
Dinah Rouleau, Project Manager at Columbia Basin CD, has spent most of her life in both Grant and Adams Counties. Shortly after graduating from Whitworth in 2020 with a Plant Biology degree, she started working for the Columbia Basin Conservation District. She currently lives in Ritzville with her husband, three horses, three dogs and several reptiles. Dinah’s favorite native forb is Lewis' Flax.

Elizabeth Jackson (Resource Specialist @Cascadia Conservation District)
Elizabeth Jackson joined Cascadia Conservation District as a Resource Specialist in February 2021. Her main programs include Heritage Gardens in Chelan County, agricultural landowner assistance and cost-share, urban agriculture, irrigation efficiencies, Salmon Safe certifications, and education and outreach for adults and youth. She earned a master’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Oregon State University in 2021. Currently, she is a member of Wenatchee Valley Chapter WNPS. Elizabeth enjoys traveling, gardening, hiking, and caring for foster animals on her urban ranch.

Wendy Mee (Resource Technician @Kittitas County Conservation District)
Wendy Mee has called Kittitas County home for over 50 years. She is a CWU graduate with a BS in Biology with a Horticultural Specialization. Wendy holds a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning 2003 from Utah State University. Her thesis project was the publication of Water Wise: Native Plants for Intermountain West Landscapes. Wendy currently works as a Resource Technician for the Kittitas County Conservation District. Her duties include providing landowner assistance with wildlife and pollinator plantings, riparian plantings, Firewise home assessments and fuel reduction efforts and the Heritage Garden program.