News From Your Friends

Preserving Farming and Local Food in Clark County: March 2024 Forum

in Climate Change, Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Events & Fundraising, Farmland & Forests, Local Food Systems, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations, Responsible Development, Wildlife Habitats

Thanks to all who attended our March 2024 Forum on Preserving Farming and Local Food in Clark County! And thank you again to our knowledgeable panelists! In case you missed it, or in case you want to go back and review all the great information that was shared, you can view the recording here: And […]

Join us for our upcoming forum: Preserving Farmland and Local Food Access in Clark County

in Climate Change, Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Events & Fundraising, Farmland & Forests, Local Food Systems

Forum Date and Time: March 14th, 2024 from 5 – 6:30 pm Pacific Time Location: Remote Only via Zoom; Register on Eventbrite  Join Friends of Clark County for a panel discussion on the importance of preserving farmland and access to local food in Clark County. Farmland is being lost throughout the United States, but Clark […]

Freight Rail Dependent Uses (FRDU) Update – February 2024

in Mining, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations, Railroad, Rivers, Lakes & Aquifers, Wildlife Habitats

Quite a bit has happened regarding the railroad since our last newsletter that included a background on the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad, Portland Vancouver Junction Railroad (PVJR), and the Freight Rail Dependent Uses (FRDU) controversy, as well as FOCC’s position on the matter. You can read up on those here before reading on for the latest […]

Legislative Update – February 2024

in Climate Change, Housing & Transportation, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations, Railroad, Responsible Development

The mid-session cutoff in the Washington State Legislature happened on February 13th. This means that the bills that did not get voted out of their chamber of origin are considered dead. There exists a chance for bills  to be resurrected in the budget process, but this is rare.  Following is an update on bills that […]

Farmer’s Corner: Representing Farmers in Planning for Climate Change

in Climate Change, Farmland & Forests, Local Food Systems

Our guest article comes from Trish Haggerty of Dilish Farm in Vancouver, WA. Trish is a farmer, small business owner, and a food security and environmental justice advocate in Clark County. She represents the Farm & Food Justice Network on the newly formed Clark County Environmental Justice Coalition (EJC) in order to support the county […]

Responsible Planning for Growth: The 2025 Comprehensive Plan – February 2024 update

in Climate Change, Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Housing & Transportation, Parks, Trails, & Open Spaces, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations, Railroad, Responsible Development

What is the Comp Plan?  The Growth Management Act (GMA) was adopted in 1990 to address growth in Washington State. Cities in counties over a certain size must do periodic Comp Plan updates in accordance with the GMA, while smaller counties may choose to do so. Cities within a county that plans under the GMA […]

Heritage Farm Sustainability Plan: Reconsider in Light of Climate Change and the Public Good

in Climate Change, Farmland & Forests, Parks, Trails, & Open Spaces, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations

Heritage Farm is a 79-acre historic poor farm owned by Clark County and located just off of 78th Street in Hazel Dell. It is the site of many wonderful agricultural projects, mostly run by WSU Clark County Extension, including programs for agricultural research and education, food preservation, and health and wellness. In addition, rental garden […]

Camp Bonneville: Safety, Transparency, and Accessible Parks

in Parks, Trails, & Open Spaces, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations, Rivers, Lakes & Aquifers, Wildlife Habitats

Camp Bonneville is a 3,840-acre property located in the foothills of the Cascade Range about 7 miles north of the Columbia River in East County that was used as a military training camp for 85 years.  Currently, it is not open to the public, is largely undeveloped, and over half of it is forested. After […]