Soil School 2023

Saturday, April 15, 2023
8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Portland Community College Rock Creek Event Center
17705 NW Springville Rd, Portland, OR 97229

Registration is limited to 100 participants. Contact renee@wmswcd.org with questions.

Registration is open until noon on Thursday, April 13.

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Participant Information

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Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District

West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District

Agenda & Session Selections

Soil School Schedule

8:00 a.m. Breakfast & Registration
8:45 a.m. Opening Session: “It’s ALL about SOIL!” with James Cassidy, Oregon State University. Get ready to learn what soil actually IS and how it actually WORKS and what that means for civilization (and your garden) going forward!
9:50 a.m. Breakout Session 1
10:55 a.m. Breakout Session 2
11:55 a.m. Lunch
12:50 p.m. Breakout Session 3
2:00 p.m. Afternoon Session, Outdoor Session only
3:00 p.m. Close

Session Selections - Please note, session selections are not binding. You are free to attend any of the sessions. These selections help with event planning and room set-up.

Breakout Session 1 (9:50 - 10:50 a.m.)*

Please select one session below:

Four Principles of Soil Health
Presented by: Theresa Brehm, Soil Conservationist, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

This session will apply the principles of soil health to backyard gardening. We will explore how different gardening practices can increase soil function by exploring minimizing disturbance and maximizing diversity, soil cover, and continuous live roots.

Preparing your Garden for Winter
Presented by: Scott Gall, Farms & Soil Conservationist, West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District

Learn tips and suggestions for how to protect your soil during the winter and start your garden off one step ahead in the spring.

Breakout Session 2 (10:55 - 11:55 a.m.)*

Please select one session below:

Insects in your Garden: Friends, Foes, and Food for Wildlife
Presented by: Zee Searles-Mazacano, Owner/Principal Scientist, CASM Environmental, LLC

Our yards, gardens, and farms are home to a huge variety of insects, many of which are critical to habitat health. But with so much diversity, it can be hard to know which ones help and which ones hinder us in our gardening. This session provides an overview of beneficial insects, such as pollinators and natural enemies of pests, and describes some of the major pests in our area and how to control them without harming beneficial insects and other backyard wildlife.

Meadowscaping How-To
Presented by: Laura Taylor, Forest Conservationist, West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District

Learn how urban landscapes can pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while building healthy resilient soils and supporting plant and wildlife biodiversity and habitat connectivity. If a significant number of people converted their lawns to native grass and wildflower meadows, it could have a quantifiable and significant impact on the ecosystem by providing habitat and stormwater benefits, using less water, and requiring no fertilizer or mowing. In addition, deep-rooted meadow plants have shown the ability to enhance soil structure and infiltration rates. Learn more about how to “meadowscape” or landscape with native meadow wildflowers and grasses at home.

Breakout Session 3 (12:50 - 1:50 p.m.)*

Please select one session below:

Home Composting and Worm Bins
Presented by: Dean Moberg, Director at Large, Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District

Dean Moberg's first experience making compost was in 1976 at a University of California organic gardening co-op. He has since worked with composting at farms, gardens, and urban apartments. Hear about the benefits of compost, the science behind the process, alternative methods (including composting with worms), problems and solutions, and how to apply compost to the garden or landscape. This talk is appropriate for gardeners, small farms, and anyone who wants to reduce the impact of waste on the environment.

The Nutrient Cycle and Carbon Cycle
Presented by: Paulette Bierzychudek, Senior Professor of Natural Sciences, Lewis & Clark College

Learn the biology (and chemistry) you need to know to understand what nutrients plants need, how they get those nutrients, how inorganic and organic fertilizers compare from a plant's perspective, what compost achieves (and doesn't), and the roles played by soil fungi.

Afternoon Session

Please select one session below:

Outdoor Session (2:00 - 3:00 p.m.)

This session is a hands-on soil class in the Washington County Master Gardener Association Education Garden, located across from the Event Center. Attendees will learn how to test soil and how to assess soil texture and soil moisture. Attendees will also receive a tour of the Education Garden, guided by Washington County Master Gardeners. Please wear appropriate footwear and outerwear for possibly cold and wet weather.

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To request financial aid, email Kristina Peterson at Kristina.Peterson@tualatinswcd.org.

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Registration is open until noon on Thursday, April 13.

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Agenda & Session Selections

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