Soil & Water Stewards are King County residents of varied backgrounds and ages who share a passion about the local environment, food systems and the health of our communities.
The Soil and Water Stewardship program offers a comprehensive, nine-month training in sustainable food production and environmental stewardship for King County residents. Apply what you learn through hands-on projects like building garden beds and compost systems, installing rainwater catchment and creating habitat for wildlife and pollinators.
Soil and Water Stewards meet one weekend per month. In 2024, this includes both virtual training through Zoom and outdoor, hands-on volunteer projects. These projects will take place at Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands in Seattle, McAuliffe Park in Kirkland and many other community sites in King County.
Training and community resources are made possible by funding from: Cascade Water Alliance; the South King County Fund Environmental Grants Program from the Port of Seattle; and the WaterWorks Grant Program funded by King County Wastewater Treatment Division.
Learn How To…
- Improve soil health and build compost systems
- Reduce toxic runoff that threatens Puget Sound using green infrastructure
- Address food equity and environmental justice issues that affect communities in King County
- Build garden beds and grow food using organic gardening techniques
- Implement permaculture concepts and design regenerative landscapes
- Install rain barrels, drip irrigation systems and implement water conservation practices
- Apply Traditional Ecological Knowledge to restoration projects
Training Schedule
Participants will meet one weekend each month, March–November. Saturday mornings will consist of interactive classes held over Zoom with Tilth Alliance educators and expert guest instructors. On Sundays, we will apply what we’ve learned through outdoor, hands-on projects.
Activities will take place on the following Saturdays (9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) and Sundays (9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.):
March 23 and 24; April 27 and 28; May 18 and 19; June 22 and 23; July 27 and 28; August 24 and 25; September 28 and 29; October 26 and 27; November 23 and 24.
Qualifications
- Interest in environmental and food systems issues, enthusiasm for collaborating with community members and partner organizations.
- Willingness to commit to the entire program, meeting one weekend per month, March – November. This includes both the Saturday Zoom session and the Sunday hands-on volunteer project. Programming on both days is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Reside in King County (Seattle residents may also consider the Master Composter/Sustainability Stewards training program).
- Commitment to community service and engagement as a means to promote positive change.
Please note:
- Participants contribute a materials fee to the program, which will go towards community projects. This is on a pay-what-you-can sliding scale from $0-$300.
- A limited number of stipends ($50/month) are available to help offset barriers to participation, such as the cost of transportation, arranging childcare, etc.
Apply
We typically receive more applications than we have space for participants. In reviewing applications, our priorities include: people living or working in areas related to our funding sources, which includes Bellevue, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kirkland, Normandy Park, Redmond, Issaquah, SeaTac, Tukwila, and neighborhoods in South Seattle; people with a commitment to community engagement; and applicants who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color (BIPOC).
We are not currently accepting applications.
Questions?
For more information, contact Anita Waghani or Alex Soleil.