Benton Soil & Water Conservation District

06/04/2026

📣 Funding now available for homeowners who need help eradicating invasive species! 🎉

Our Invasive Species Control Grants are now accepting applications through June 14th. Benton County residents may apply for up to $2000 for renting/purchasing tools, hiring contractors for invasive species removal or native species revegetation, and purchasing native plant materials to replace invasive plants.

Summer is a great time to get a jump on those pesky w**ds! To learn more and apply, visit https://www.bentonswcd.org/2026-2027-invasive-species-control-grants

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06/02/2026

ATTENTION TEACHERS! Looking for a professional development opportunity this summer? Earn credits and a deeper knowledge of agricultural industries at the Summer Agriculture Institute!

Summer Agriculture Institute (SAI) is a week-long, graduate-level class that engages K-12 teachers with little or no background in agriculture in learning about farms, wineries, plant nurseries, and more. The goal of SAI is to help educators use agriculture as a context for teaching core academic subjects—science, math, social studies, and English.

Bonus - Benton SWCD is providing a FULL scholarship to one teacher from Benton County! To learn more and apply, visit https://www.oregonfb.org/sai

05/29/2026

Have you heard the buzz? 🐝 Our annual Native Pollinator Conservation Grant is now open for applications!

Created in honor of our late Board member Jerry Paul, this grant aims to help Benton County residents create pollinator-supporting spaces using native plants, bee boxes, public education, and/or other tools.

Open to home gardeners, environmental educators, and everyone in between! If you have a space for pollinators, we want to help you attract them. Learn more and apply at: https://www.bentonswcd.org/jerry-paul-native-pollinator-conservation-grant

05/27/2026

Inspiration from the younger generation - the future of farming 💪

05/26/2026

Our summer Twilight Tours are now open for registration! 😎🌞

This year's lineup includes both well-loved community areas and usually-off-limits research sites. Tour #3 is still in the works, but don't worry, more details are coming soon!

Check out the tours and RSVP below:

Join us each summer as we introduce you to conservation and restoration areas you may not know about or normally have access to! We'll provide ideas…

05/13/2026

Join us and our partners this Saturday for one of several w**d pull events throughout Benton County as we work to eradicate ivy, blackberry, scotchbroom, and other noxious invaders! Let's Pull Together for a better environment 💪

Choose your location and register at: https://www.bentonswcd.org/calendar

05/13/2026

Check out our awesome Plant Program Coordinator as she teaches folks about noxious w**ds at our recent W**d Watchers Workshop!

05/13/2026

Oregon Water Resources Department invites you to a Rulemaking Open House!

OWRD is seeking public input on a number of proposed rule changes related to water waste, exemptions, and penalties. They will also explain required rule changes from recent legislation, including exempt use and water hauling. These meetings are open to the general public and will be of special interest to farmers, ranchers, market gardeners, and anyone with a water right.

In Benton County, the meeting will be held at Monmouth City Hall on May 21st from 6-8pm, but there are a number of other meetings scheduled across the state. Learn more by contacting Kelly Meinz at [email protected].

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05/09/2026

Upcoming Event: Wednesday, May 13 – 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Lessons from the Land: Cultivating Abundance through Land-Based Education
Presenter: Marta Capriles, Corvallis Waldorf School Agricultural Arts teacher

Learn how a local schoolyard has come to life with pollinator gardens, a dry farm field, orchards, woodlands, a wetland, an elderberry circle, raingardens, herb gardens, willow huts, a Wapato garden, a Camas patch, a Milkw**d patch, a large greenhouse, a chicken run, large-scale rainwater collection and much more. These abundant resources are matched with a dynamic curriculum in which students tend the land and learn to work with its gifts. We are proud to be sponsors of Marta's incredible work.

This one-of-a-kind webinar is co-sponsored by the Marys Peak Group Sierra Club, Corvallis-Benton County Library, and the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition Water Action Team. Pre-register at https://cbcpl.net/Frenkel3 to watch the webinar on May 13th and to receive the recording by May 16th. Don’t miss it!

05/02/2026

Education is a year-round effort! If you want to learn more about soil health, download the free education materials from at bit.ly/nacd-sw26.

You’ll find activity sheets, lesson plans, coloring pages, bookmarks, and more. These are perfect for classroom visits, field days, festivals, and more!