In early April 2026, the Artemis II mission captivated me and millions of people watching from across the world. The crew’s courage, skill and infectious wonder served as tangible proof of human persistence and technological achievement, all against the mysterious backdrop of space.
People back on Earth got to witness the mission through remarkable photos of space captured by astronauts. Images created and shared by astronauts underscore how photography builds a powerful, authentic connection that goes beyond what technology alone can capture.
As a photographer and the director of the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences, I am especially drawn to how these photographs have been at the center of the public’s collective experience of this mission.
In an era when image authenticity is often questioned and with the capabilities of autonomous, AI-driven imaging, NASA’s choice to train astronauts in photography has placed meaning over convenience and prioritized their human perspectives and creativity.
Capturing space from the crew’s perspective
Photography was not originally placed as a high priority in NASA’s Apollo era. The astronauts only took photographs if they had the chance and all their other tasks were complete.
‘The Blue Marble’ view of the Earth as seen by the Apollo 17 crew in 1972. NASA
This excitement could be explained by the novelty of photos from space, but these images also distinguish themselves as products of astronauts experiencing these sights and interpreting them through their photographs. These differences require an important distinction around where technology ends and humanity begins.
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman watches the Moon from one of the Orion spacecraft’s windows. NASA
Human perspective versus AI tools
Photography has long integrated AI-powered software and data-driven tools in a variety of ways: to process raw images, fill in missing color information, drive precise focus and guide image editing, among others. These modern technological assists help human photographers realize their vision.
And AI can generate convincing, realistic images and videos from nothing more than a text prompt, using readily available tools.
Researchers train AI to mimic patterns informed by millions of sample images, and the algorithm can then either take or create a photograph based on what it predicts would be the most likely version of a successful, believable image.
Human-created photos are rooted in direct observation, intent and lived experience, while AI images – or choices made by AI-driven tools – are not. While both can produce compelling and believable visuals, the human photographs carry emotional power because the photographer is drawing from their experiences and perspective in that moment to tell an authentic story.
Artemis II photographs resonate, not only because they are historic, but because they reflect the deliberate choices and intent of a human being in that specific moment and context. The exposure, camera setting, lens choice and composition are all dictated by the astronaut’s vision, skill, perspective and experience. Each image is unique in comparison with the others. These choices give the images narrative power, anchoring them in human perspective.
NASA’s ‘Earthset’ photo captured by the Artemis II crew. NASA
Images to tell a story
Photographers choose what to include in the final version of their image to tell a story. In the Artemis II images, this human perspective comes out. In the “Earthset” photo, you see a striking juxtaposition of the Moon’s monochromatic, textured surface in the foreground against a slivered, bright Earth.
The choice to include both in the frame contrasts these objects literally and figuratively, inviting comparison. It creates a narrative where Earth is contrasted against the Moon – life is contrasted against the absence of it.
Another photo shows the nightside of the whole Earth, featuring the Sun’s halo, auroras and city lights. The choice to include the subtle framing of the window of the capsule in the lower left corner reminds the viewer where and how this image was captured: by a human, inside a capsule, hurtling through space. That detail grounds the photograph in the human perspective.
Both photos are reminiscent of Earthrise and the Blue Marble. These past images hold a place in the global collective consciousness, shaped by a shared historical moment.
The Artemis II photographs are anchored in this collective moment of lived human experience, yet also shaped by each astronaut’s viewpoint. The crew’s unique perspectives exemplify photography’s transformative power by inviting viewers to engage emotionally and intellectually with their journey. These photographs share the astronauts’ awe and wonder and affirm the value of human creativity and its ability to connect us in a captured moment.
I am going to repeat a sentence towards the end of the article: “These past images hold a place in the global collective consciousness, shaped by a shared historical moment.”
Amazingly, Jean and I were being run recently in to somewhere local and Trevor, our driver, was listening to a talk by David Eagleman. I was captivated.
In that talk David Eagleman spoke about Roger Penrose and his research into consciousness. Here’s an AI summary:
Roger Penrose proposes that human consciousness is non-computational and originates from quantum processes within brain neurons, rather than just neural connections. Together with anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff, he developed the “Orchestrated Objective Reduction” (Orch OR) theory, which suggests consciousness arises from quantum computations in microtubules.
Roger Penrose is the author of The Emperers New Mind.
Thus, beyond the eighty-six billion neurons that make up the brain, there are also the microtubals. These are very small and the diameter of several thousand of them are less than the diameter of the human hair. See WikiPedia.
“The brain has deep purpose” was one of the sayings Eagleman spoke of. “Why do we have experience” was another.
There was much more that I did not really understand. But it was still fascinating.
Then we discovered that what Trevor was listening to was also a video. The video is Inner Cosmos. It runs for 75 wonderful minutes.
Here is that video.
To say that this has absolutely updated my mind to a newer level is an understatement; big time!
Jean and I were taken to our regular humanist meeting last Saturday morning. The topic was Christian Nationalism.
Today, I want to explain what these commitments are. Then on Sunday I will post some images.
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Ten Commitments
Guiding Principles for Teaching Values in America’s Public Schools
Altruism
Altruism is the unselfish concern for the welfare of others without expectation of reward, recognition, or return. Opportunities for acts of altruism are everywhere in the family, the classroom, the school, and the wider community. Think of examples of altruistic acts in your experience. What person-to-person and group projects, classroom and school-wide activities, and community service projects might you and your students undertake?
Caring for the World Around Us
Everyone can and ought to play a role in caring for the Earth and its inhabitants. We can directly experience the living things in our homes and neighborhoods like trees, flowers, birds, insects, and pets. Gradually we expand our neighborhood. We learn about deserts and oceans, rivers and forests, the wildlife around us and the wildlife elsewhere. We learn that we are dependent on each other, on the natural world, and all that lives in it for food and shelter, space and beauty.
Critical Thinking
We gain reliable knowledge because we are able to observe, report, experiment, and analyze what goes on around us. We also learn to raise questions that are clear and precise, to gather information, and to reason about the information we receive in a way that tests it for truthfulness, accuracy, and utility. From our earliest years we learn how to think and to share and challenge our ideas and the ideas of others, and consider their consequences. Practice asking “what next?” and “why?” and “how do I/you/we know that?”
Empathy
We human beings are capable of empathy, the ability to understand and enter imaginatively into another living being’s feelings, the sad ones and the happy ones as well. Many of the personal relationships we have (in the family, among friends, between diverse individuals, and amid other living things) are made positive through empathy. With discussion and role-playing, we can learn how other people feel when they are sad or hurt or ignored, as well as when they experience great joys. We can use stories, anecdotes, and classroom events to help us nurture sensitivity to how our actions impact others.
Ethical Development
Questions of fairness, cooperation, and sharing are among the first moral issues we encounter in our ethical development as human beings. Ethical education is ongoing implicitly and explicitly in what is called the “hidden curriculum” that we experience through the media, the family, and the community. Ethics can be taught through discussion, role-playing, storytelling, and other activities that improve analysis and decision-making regarding what’s good and bad, right and wrong.
Global Awareness
We live in a world that is rich in cultural, social, and individual diversity, a world where interdependence is increasing rapidly so that events anywhere are more likely to have consequences everywhere. Much can be done to prepare the next generation for accepting the responsibility of global citizenship. Understanding can be gained regarding the many communities in which we live through history, anthropology, and biology. A linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity are present in the classroom and provide lessons of diversity and commonality. We help others reach understanding about the interconnectedness of the welfare of all humanity.
Humility
We must always remember that there’s a lot we don’t know about the universe. There’s still so very much to learn. Science will help us. But sometimes scientists discover surprising things that tell us how some of our old beliefs are false. So we need to be willing to change when our knowledge changes. A good humanist doesn’t try to be sure of things that science can’t show are true.
Peace and Social Justice
A curriculum that values and fosters peace education would promote the human rights of all people and understanding among all nations, cultural and religious groups. Students should have opportunities to learn about the United Nations’ role in preventing conflict as well as efforts to achieve social justice in the United States. They should learn about problems of injustice including what can be done to prevent and respond to these problems with meaningful actions that promote peace and social justice and that protect the inherent human rights of everyone both at home and abroad.
Responsibility
Our behavior is morally responsible when we tell the truth, help someone in trouble, and live up to promises we’ve made. Our behavior is legally responsible when we obey a just law and meet the requirements of membership or citizenship. But we also have a larger responsibility to be a caring member of our family, our community, and our world. Stories and role-playing can help students understand responsibility and its absence or failure. We learn from answering such questions as: What happens when we live in accordance with fair and just rules? What happens when we don’t? What happens when the rules are unjust?
Service and Participation
Life’s fulfillment can emerge from an individual’s participation in the service of humane ideals. School-based service-learning combines community service objectives and learning objectives with the intent that the activities change both the recipient and the provider. It provides students with the ability to identify important issues in real-life situations. Through these efforts we learn that each of us can help meet the needs of others and of ourselves. Through our lifetime, we learn over and over again of our mutual dependence.
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My mother was an atheist and, consequently, I have been an atheist all my life. With the above values, as they are taught in schools, there is no need for a God.
Winter is more than just a season in the western U.S. – it is a savings account to get farms and homes through the long, dry summer ahead. As the snowpack that accumulates in the mountains through winter slowly melts in late spring and summer, it feeds into rivers and reservoirs that keep communities and ecosystems functioning.
The April 1 snowpack measurement has long been the single most important number in western water management, considered a strong proxy for how much water the mountains are holding in reserve.
Across the western United States, temperatures from November through February were among the warmest on record, with many areas 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (2.8 to 5.5 degrees Celsius) above the 20th-century average. March continued to break heat records. At lower elevations, the higher temperatures meant a significant part of the winter’s precipitation fell as rain rather than snow. In some places, snowfall accumulated but melted quickly during warm periods.
The total area of the western U.S. with snow cover was exceptionally low compared with the rest of the 21st century. National Snow and Ice Data Center
As a result, even regions that received near- or above-normal precipitation for the season failed to build substantial snowpack. In the northern Rockies and the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, any above-average snow accumulation was largely confined to the highest elevations, while middle and lower elevations had relatively little snowpack.
This situation is a hallmark of warming winters. As global temperatures rise, the freezing line where precipitation changes from rain to snow moves up the mountains, shrinking the area capable of sustaining a seasonal snowpack.
At the vast majority of the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service’s snow measurement stations across the West, the snowpack’s snow-water equivalent on March 30, 2026, was less than 50% of the 1991-2020 median. Natural Resources Conservation Service
The exceptionally warm winter of 2025–26 across much of the western U.S. delivered a powerful preview of what the regional water cycle in a warmer climate may increasingly look like: less snow and a fundamental reshaping of the hydrograph – the chart of how much water flows through streams across the year.
A flattening hydrologic pulse
The consequences of this shift for water supplies are already visible in streamflows.
In multiple river basins in the West, streamflows were above average in winter and early spring, and some locations were approaching record-high levels. Historically, that water would have remained frozen in the snowpack until late spring. Instead, precipitation arriving as rain – along with intermittent midwinter melting events – increased the runoff.
Scientists who study natural water flows, as I do, pay attention to the hydrographs of streamflows in river basins to see when the water flow in mountain streams is strongest and how long that flow is likely to continue into summer.
This hydrograph showing two years of water flows in the St. Mary River near Babb, Mont., reflects the difference between a typical late-spring peak, as 2025 saw, and several midwinter peaks from warm temperatures and rain, as 2026 is seeing. U.S. Geological Survey
In recent years, rising temperatures have led to a redistribution of streamflows throughout the winter and early spring in ways that are fundamentally reshaping the hydrographs of snowmelt-dominated rivers. Rather than a single dominant peak during late spring or early summer, smaller peaks emerge in winter and early spring. At the same time, the traditional snowmelt pulse, relied on to fill reservoirs in late spring, weakens.
In effect, the hydrograph is flattening. The winter of 2025–26 illustrates this phenomenon: Higher early-season streamflows suggest the West will see less runoff later in the year when communities, farms and wildlife need it.
The Colorado River: A system on the edge
Nowhere does the convergence of record warmth, depleted snowpack and altered hydrology carry higher stakes than in the Colorado River Basin. More than 40 million people in seven states plus Mexico and 5.5 million acres of farmland depend on the river’s water, but the river’s flow is no longer meeting demand.
The April-through-July 2026 runoff into Lake Powell – the reservoir behind Glen Canyon Dam and the primary index of the Upper Colorado River Basin’s annual water budget – is currently forecast to rank among the lowest in recent decades. It has been tracking close to the grim years of 2002 and 2021, considered benchmarks of western drought.
Unless spring brings substantial late-season snowfall to the high mountains, 2026 could join those years as a marker of how thin the margin between water supply and demand has become in a river system already under sustained stress from two decades of drought and water overuse.
The low reservoir levels in the basin in 2026 and the low snowpack are adding fears of water shortages just as the seven states that rely on the Colorado River are struggling to reach a new water use agreement.
The changing rhythm of water in the West
The winter of 2025–26 highlights two emerging realities.
First, temperature is increasingly dominating precipitation in determining western water supplies. Even above-normal precipitation cannot compensate for persistent warmth when it falls as rain rather than snow and accelerates snowmelt in the mountains.
Second, the nature of the West’s streamflows is shifting in ways that complicate water management.
Rain-on-snow events can produce flooding in winter, as the Seattle area saw in late December 2025. A low snowpack also means less runoff in summer, which can exacerbate water shortages and raise the wildfire risk as landscapes dry out. Even if a year has normal precipitation, if it falls as rain or there is earlier snowmelt, then evaporation through summer, in a warmer climate, will leave less water in the system.
Snowpack declines, earlier runoff, elevated winter flows and flattened hydrographs are all consistent with long-standing projections for the western United States as global temperatures rise.
What makes the winter of 2025-26 notable is how clearly these signals appeared, even in a year without widespread precipitation deficits.
This shift highlights the need for adaptive reservoir operations – the ability to adjust water storage and release decisions in real time to capture earlier runoff and preserve water for longer dry seasons, while still maintaining space in reservoirs for flood control during wetter winters. For communities across the West, it also reinforces the growing reality that the familiar seasonal rhythm of mountain water is changing.
A pet‑friendly homeless shelter pilot reduced the rate of homelessness among the people it helped in California.
This was an article published on the 16th March by The Conversation. It shows how the homeless shelters benefit from being pet-friendly. It’s sort of obvious but then again not common-sense.
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A pet‑friendly homeless shelter pilot reduced the rate of homelessness among the people it helped in California
A homeless woman in Los Angeles holds her dog after a free veterinary visit in 2024. Mario Tama/Getty Images
California’s Department of Housing and Community Development established this pilot program in 2019. Its goals were straightforward: to make homeless shelters more accommodating to people with pets – mostly dogs – so that people living on the streets don’t have to choose between staying in shelters or abandoning their pets.
The program disbursed US$15.75 million between 2020 and 2024 to 37 organizations across the state. The funding allowed shelters to build kennels or other pet-friendly spaces, provide pet food and supplies, and offer basic veterinary care. It also covered the costs of staffing and maintaining insurance required to operate pet-friendly shelters.
We found that the program helped 4,407 people experiencing homelessness keep their pets while getting support. Many were able to enter shelters, and their animals received needed veterinary care. A total of 886 people ultimately moved into permanent housing with their pets – a higher success rate than the statewide average for homeless people in California.
Theoretically, this funding should have reduced the number of pet owners living on the streets. Yet since 2019, the year the program began, the number of homeless people in Los Angeles with dogs and other pets has increased.
Since 2017, I’ve led the USC research team that produces the annual homeless count estimates for Los Angeles. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires this exercise for any city seeking federal funding for homelessness services.
Before the pandemic, we generally found that roughly 1 in 8 people did. We also found that nearly half of homeless pet owners had been turned away from a homeless shelter because it couldn’t accommodate their animal.
Despite programs like California’s Pet Assistance and Support program, my research team has found that the share of people living on the streets of Los Angeles who say they have a pet increased to roughly 1 in 5 by 2025.
Share of homeless people in LA with pets is rising
The percentage of homeless people in Los Angeles with pets rose from 12% in 2017 to 20% in 2024 and 2025, according to an annual census.
Bar chart showing that the percentage of homeless people in Los Angeles with pets has grown since 2017.
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Need for more pet-friendly programs
We still don’t know why the share of homeless people with pets has gotten so much larger.
The Weingart Tower, where some of Los Angeles’ formerly homeless people reside and receive social services, has a small dog park. Grace Hie Yoon/Anadolu via Getty Images
The number of homeless people in Los Angeles has fallen by more than 4% since 2023 to just over 72,000 people in 2025. But based on my research findings, I would expect the number of people living on the city’s streets – with and without pets – to rise over time unless more affordable housing becomes available.
And growth in the homeless population may be hard to avoid without more efforts like California’s Pet Assistance and Support Program – on a larger scale than the pilot we studied.
This past Christmas, I helped my parents choose a water filter. The latest “smart” models all came with a smartphone app that promised to monitor filter life, track water quality and automatically request service. Yet my father, age 75, and mother, 67, were quick to reject them in favor of a nondigital model.
“Every time it updates or I forget how to use it, we’ll have to call you,” my dad said.
As an only child living 8,000 miles (12,875 kilometers) away, I didn’t need convincing. My parents are aging in place and don’t need traditional caregiving – they cook, drive and manage their home just fine. Instead, I provide what I call technology caregiving: helping them with their digital activities of daily living, from online banking to booking theater tickets.
But as the tech industry shifts toward artificial intelligence agents and generative user interfaces – promising to make devices smarter than ever – I am bracing for this invisible workload to become heavier, not lighter. In addition to being a technology caregiver, I’m a computer scientist who studies human-computer interaction.
Technology caregiving
Technology caregiving is the act of helping someone use digital tools. While this isn’t entirely new – people have long helped grandparents program VCRs and connect parents’ desktop computers to the internet – the stakes have changed.
Today, digitization is ubiquitous. Helping with these tools is no longer just occasional unpaid tech support – it is a form of continuous caregiving essential for maintaining independence. For example, even the simple act of clipping coupons has gone digital – marginalizing older adults who are unable to navigate store apps to access these discounts.
People often view older adults as resistant to technology, but recent years – particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic – have shattered that myth. While gaps in internet access and device ownership remain, they are no longer major barriers to technology access.
Today’s seniors are not tech-averse, but constant updates and interface changes make using technology more difficult for them. Jose Luis Raota/Moment via Getty Images
The emerging crisis is not about access, but effective use. Many older adults are now online and willing to use these tools, but they require frequent help from family, friends or communities.
The innovation tax
The problem isn’t just that devices and apps are getting complex; it’s that they are constantly changing. Frequent software updates and shifting interfaces can be frustrating for all users, but they turn familiar tools into foreign concepts for older adults.
This unpredictability is about to accelerate. Take generative user interfaces, which designers can use to dynamically generate an interface in minutes. Pair them with AI agents, and the system can assume the designer’s role, taking independent actions based on how it perceives a user’s intent or need.
If the “Pay Bill” button is in a different place every third time you open a particular app because an AI decided to optimize the interface, you might feel perpetually incompetent if you can’t quickly locate it. While the industry calls this personalization, for an older adult it is a moving target.
This relentless pace of change – even when intended to be helpful – is directly at odds with age-related cognitive changes. And this dynamic is continuing with the new generation of seniors. They may be more eager to adopt new tools than the last, but wanting to use technology is not the same as being able to use it when the rules are constantly changing.
To navigate a brand new or shifting interface, your brain relies on fluid intelligence: the ability to reason, solve novel problems and ignore distractions on the fly. Unlike the knowledge that people accumulate over time, fluid intelligence naturally declines with age.
When an app updates or an AI optimizes a layout, it forces the user to discard their hard-won mental models and start over. For an older adult, this isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it is a taxing job for their working memory.
As an older adult participant in a study my colleagues and I conducted put it:
“I had a computer on my desk in 1980, OK, when nobody else did. So this is not a foreign language, but the changes that are made with little to no explanation and then things that you knew how to do have either changed or disappeared completely, that is the stuff that absolutely drives me, and I will tell you, every other older adult in America nuts.”
Help the helper
I believe that the way forward is to stop treating tech support as an afterthought and start designing for the technology caregiver. Digital literacy training for seniors and encouraging designing technologies for all users are important but not enough; it’s important to build tools that share the burden.
Busy dog owners juggling moves, new jobs, breakups, new babies, or a new roommate often notice something unsettling: a dog who once seemed “fine” starts acting differently. These life changes affecting pets can quietly reshape household dynamics, disrupting routines that help dogs feel safe and understood. When a familiar schedule shifts, pet emotional well-being can wobble, and routine disruption may show up as clinginess, restlessness, accidents, barking, withdrawal, or other behavioral changes in pets. Knowing that these reactions are often signals, not “bad behavior”, gives dog owners a clearer, kinder way to respond.
Why Routine Keeps Dogs Feeling Secure
Dogs build comfort from repeated patterns like meal times, walks, and who comes and goes. When those patterns change, many dogs feel unsure, and their bodies switch into “alert mode.” That stress can look like pacing, panting, whining, hiding, barking, extra licking, stomach upset, or sudden accidents.
This matters because a disrupted routine can shake a dog’s emotional stability, even if nothing “bad” is happening. When you read these shifts as stress signals, you can respond with support instead of frustration. That protects trust and often prevents small issues from becoming long-term habits.
Think of a dog’s day like a familiar map. If the map suddenly changes, your dog may try different behaviors to find safety again, including sticking close or acting jumpy. With this lens, simple strategies can restore calm during moves, new family members, or schedule changes.
Use These 8 Transition Tactics to Keep Your Dog Calm
Big changes can make even a confident dog feel wobbly, because the predictable patterns they rely on suddenly shift. These tactics keep the message consistent: “You’re safe, and I’ve got you,” even when everything else looks different.
Protect the “non‐negotiables” schedule: Pick 2–3 anchors that stay steady no matter what, usually breakfast, one walk, and bedtime. Cornell’s Riney Canine Health Center recommends you schedule your dog’s meals and other daily needs so your dog can predict what’s coming. If your life is chaotic during a move or a new baby, keep those anchors consistent and let the “flex” stuff (like extra play) vary.
Pack and unpack in “scent-safe” zones: During moving week, choose one room as your dog’s calm base camp. Set up a bed, water, and a worn T‐shirt that smells like you, and keep that room off-limits to loud packing whenever possible. On arrival, unpack your dog’s things first so the new space immediately includes familiar smells and routines.
Teach a comfort cue before you need it: Pick one simple cue such as “mat” or “settle,” then practice for 1–2 minutes a few times a day when things are calm. Reward your dog for lying on a blanket or bed while you sit nearby, then gradually add tiny distractions (standing up, opening a drawer). When life changes, you’ll have a practiced “go relax here” skill instead of trying to invent calm in the moment.
Introduce new people with sideways bodies and short wins: For visitors, roommates, or a new partner, ask the person to ignore your dog at first, no reaching, no hovering, no face-to-face staring. Have them toss treats past your dog so your dog can approach and retreat without pressure. Keep the first few meetings to 5–10 minutes, then take a break before your dog gets overwhelmed.
Run “baby practice” or “new family member” rehearsals: If a baby or new pet is coming, rehearse the sounds and movements now. Play baby noises softly during meals, walk around holding a doll or bundled blanket, and reward calm behavior. This kind of prep matters because how much they must learn during major transitions is easy for humans to underestimate.
Buffer work-schedule changes with a mini routine: If you’re leaving earlier or coming home later, shift by 10–15 minutes every couple of days rather than all at once when you can. Add a predictable “departure ritual” (quick potty, 2 minutes of gentle play, food puzzle) and a predictable “reunion ritual” (calm greeting, then outside). This prevents your comings and goings from feeling random, one of the biggest routine disruptors.
Use environmental enrichment to drain stress, not hype it up: Stress often looks like restlessness, pacing, or clinginess, so give your dog a job that uses their brain and nose. Try scatter-feeding in a snuffle spot, a simple cardboard “find it” game, or a frozen food toy during the loudest parts of the day. Choose calming enrichment over high-arousal games when your dog is already on edge.
Aim for “slightly easier than your dog can handle today”: When your dog is anxious, progress is tiny and steady: one step closer to the new stroller, one extra minute in the new yard, one calmer greeting. If your dog freezes, hides, or won’t take treats, the challenge is too big, back up and make it simpler. That gentle pacing helps your dog rebuild trust in their environment, which makes it much easier to keep a steady week of routines going.
Habits That Build Security During Big Life Shifts
When change is unavoidable, consistency becomes communication. These practices help you read your dog’s behavior with more empathy, reinforce trust through predictable patterns, and build emotional resilience a little at a time.
Three-Pillar Daily Check
● What it is: Do a 60-second scan of physical wellness, cognitive wellness, and nervous system wellness.
● How often: Daily
● Why it helps: You catch stress early and meet needs before behavior escalates.Predictable Decompression Walk
● What it is: Take a low-key sniff walk with no training goals and lots of choice.
● How often: Daily
● Why it helps: Sniffing releases tension and helps your dog feel oriented.Two-Minute Connection Rep
● What it is: Do two minutes of gentle play, grooming, or hand-feeding with full attention.
● How often: Daily
● Why it helps: Micro-bonding reduces clinginess and builds confidence in you.One New Thing, Then Easy
● What it is: Add one small novelty, then follow with a familiar, simple activity.
● How often: 3 times weekly
● Why it helps: Your dog learns change predicts safety, not overwhelm.Adjustment Notes Log
● What it is: Track sleep, appetite, and triggers during the adjustment period.
● How often: Weekly
● Why it helps: Patterns guide smarter tweaks to your routine and environment.Common Questions About Dogs and Big Life ChangesQ: How can moving to a new home affect my dog’s emotional well-being and daily routine? A: A move can unsettle your dog’s sense of safety, so you may see whining, pacing, or accidents while they learn the new map of home. Many dogs may adjust within a few weeks, especially with familiar feeding, potty, and walk times. Next steps: track what seems to trigger stress and tighten the routine around those moments.Q: What are effective strategies to help my dog adjust when our household dynamics change, such as welcoming a new baby? A: Your dog may become clingy or reactive because attention, sounds, and scents suddenly change. Keep key rituals steady, add a calm “safe zone,” and reward relaxed behavior near baby related items at a distance your dog can handle. Track triggers like crying or visitors, then adjust the daily plan in tiny, repeatable steps.Q: In what ways do changes in my work schedule impact my dog’s stress levels and behavior?
A: Shifts in your hours can raise uncertainty, which often shows up as barking, restlessness, or door watching. Set predictable alone time practice, use a consistent pre departure cue, and increase enrichment that does not rely on you being home. If problems cluster at certain times, log them and reorganize exercise, potty breaks, and quiet time around that pattern.
Q: What signs indicate that my dog is struggling with transitions, and how can I support them?
A: Look for appetite changes, sleep disruption, increased startle, hiding, sudden accidents, or new shadowing behavior. Support starts with ruling out pain or illness, then simplifying the environment and rewarding calm choices. Your best two moves are to track triggers for a week and revise the routine plan based on what your notes reveal.
Q: If I feel overwhelmed balancing pet care with pursuing a new healthcare career path, what resources can help me manage both effectively?
A: Feeling stretched is common, especially when you are building a new identity and schedule. Create a short, written care checklist for mornings and evenings, then ask a trusted friend, family member, or qualified pet professional to cover specific tasks during peak stress weeks. For your own transition, consider flexible, structured learning options like this resource and time blocking so your dog’s essentials stay steady while you grow.
Make One Gentle Routine Shift to Help Your Dog Adjust
Big life changes can leave dogs confused, clingy, or out of sorts, even when everything looks “fine” on the surface. The steadier path is empathetic pet care: notice what your dog is communicating, keep support predictable, and focus on proactive pet well-being rather than waiting for stress to spiral. Over time, supporting pets through change this way often means fewer meltdowns, faster settling, and a calmer home for everyone. When life shifts, your dog needs clarity and kindness more than perfection. Choose one strategy to start this week, and stick with it long enough to see your dog’s body and behavior soften. That steady care strengthens the human-animal bond and builds resilience for whatever comes next.
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This is a guest post from Penny Martin. It is very comprehensive, especially for dog owners who are very busy people
For many years I lived in South Devon, England. I never thought twice about hedgerows because they were so common.
Then today I read an article in The Economist about Brexit and the one thing that was favourable was this “Brexit delivers a win for British wildlife.“
Here’s a small extract from the magazine:
No other country matches the rich heritage of hedgerows that weave across the damp (ideal for hedges) British Isles. Since the Bronze Age, Britons have reared sheep and cattle and have used hedges to mark the boundaries of fields and keep livestock in place. Some of these ancient bushes still stand. In West Penwith, one such prehistoric hedge, a gurgoe, might be over 4,000 years old. Most, though, were planted in the 18th century, when landowners enclosed the commons, an event that turned the country into a chequerboard of small, irregular fields. America, by contrast, passed a law prohibiting private landowners from enclosing public land in 1885, protecting its open ranges.
Here in Oregon hedges are not so common. But I did some research as to the cause and came upon this article by Oregon State University.
I trust it may be shared with you.
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A Guide to Hedgerows: Plantings That Enhance Biodiversity, Sustainability and Functionality
We see them at the edges of farm fields or along roads: long rows of trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses known as hedgerows. They are living fences with the ability to grow food, shelter wildlife, save water, manage weeds and look beautiful all year round.
Hedgerows are sometimes called shelter belts, windbreaks or conservation buffers. These layers of plant life enhance the beauty, productivity and biodiversity of a landscape.
Hedgerows originated in medieval Europe and are enjoying a modern resurgence. People in England planted hawthorn cuttings and allowed them to grow about 6 feet. They were bent and trained to fill gaps in the trees, yielding a living fence. They called these fences “hagas” or hedges, form the word “hawthorn.” As the birds settled in the hawthorns and dropped seeds. more plants sprung up. Today, many farms in England are surrounded by ancient hedgerows that shelter beneficial organisms and conserve soil and water.
Hedgerow plantings were uncommon in the early United States. In the 1930s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Shelterbelt Program briefly supported planting trees for windbreaks to prevent soil erosion in the Midwest. Today, as interest surges in sustainable farming methods, more people are turning to this age-old practice.
Hedgerows can serve several ecological functions. Among their many benefits, hedgerows:
Enhance ecological biodiversity.
Offer food for livestock, humans and wildlife.
Provide habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators.
Facilitate water conservation.
Provide windbreaks.
Help manage invasive weeds.
Provide erosion control and improve soil health.
Support the health of aquatic habitats.
Enhance carbon sequestration.
Create borders and privacy screens.
Reduce noise, dust, chemical drift and other types of pollution.
Diversify farm income.
Generate year-round beauty.
Let’s look at these benefits in detail.
Benefits of hedgerows
Enhance ecological biodiversity
Biodiversity describes the variety of life forms within a specific ecosystem and the relationship of these organisms to one another and the broader environment. Hedgerows can be designed to attract a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and plants, many of which offer beneficial relationships to each other. They also create more edges, or “ecotones,” between different habitats, which increases species diversity. Trees and shrubs provide shelter for larger mammals, and nesting sites and perches for raptors, which are important predators of rodents. Dense or thorny shrub thickets can offer songbirds a refuge to escape predators as well as a place to nest. The diverse composition and structure of a hedgerow creates a functional habitat where species experience vital interconnections with one another and the environment.
Offer food for livestock, humans and wildlife
Hedgerows provide undisturbed refuge for species of all kinds, creating wildlife corridors, travel lanes or habitat islands. Hedgerows help protect wildlife from predators and provide sheltered access to riparian zones or other water sources. These corridors are especially important in fragmented landscapes, such as fields where only a single crop is grown. Hedgerows provide shade to reduce heat stress and help to block wind currents. These measures support a healthier wildlife population. Berry-producing plants encourage insectivores, such as birds, that also prey upon common crop pests. The hedgerow habitat creates cover for wildlife so they can feed, nest and care for their young.
Provide habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators
Planting a variety of flowering trees, shrubs, forbs and perennial plants provides insect habitat, and nectar and pollen sources throughout the year for beneficial insects and pollinators. Plants in the family Umbelliferae attract parasitic wasps; predator flies such as hover flies, lacewings and ladybeetles; and true bugs, like ambush or minute pirate bugs. Flowering plants in this family include coriander, dill, fennel, parsnip, parsley and carrots. These plants are useful in the kitchen and are also very attractive to pollinators. Over 75% of successful production of food requires pollination. Increasing plant habitat for pollinator species improves fruit set, size and quality, as well as general biodiversity. Pollinator habitat also attracts beneficial insects, which prey on many crop pests. Increasing the numbers of beneficial insects can help farmers manage crop pests and cut down on insecticide use.
Facilitate water conservation
Hedgerows retain water and reduce evaporation by reducing wind speed and providing cover over the ground surface. Plants also catch and store water in their root systems, leaves and branches, slowing the rate of excess rainwater entering waterways and reducing the risk of flooding. Decaying matter from the roots, stems and branches of hedgerow plants increase the organic matter in the soil over time. This increases the soil’s ability to absorb and retain water. Planting hedgerows on hillsides helps conserve water and soil by reducing erosion. If planting near adjacent cropland, periodic root pruning can reduce competition for nutrients and water.
Provide windbreaks
Properly designed hedgerows can reduce wind speed by as much as 75% and improve crop performance. This is especially effective when plantings reach a density of 40%–50% and are planted perpendicular to the prevailing wind. Wind-resistant trees usually have flexible, wide-spreading, strong branches and low centers of gravity. Wind-tolerant shrubs often have small, thick or waxy leaves or very narrow leaves or needles, to help control moisture loss. Wind can disturb pollination and damage fruit and flowers when plant parts thrash against each other. During times when soil is exposed, a windbreak can protect topsoil from erosion. Crops under wind stress also put energy into growing stronger roots and stems, resulting in smaller yields and delayed maturity. Strong winds also cause lodging of grain and grass crops, bending the stems and making harvest more difficult. Winds dry out crops on the field edges, increasing pests such as two-spotted spider mites.
Help manage invasive weeds
Hedgerows planted along roads or between crop fields may prevent weed seeds from blowing into the field. The weed seed pods collect on hedgerow plants, where a farmer could remove and burn them. Hedges can prevent millions of weed seeds from entering the crop field. As hedgerows mature, these plantings displace invasive weeds. If well maintained, this weed management lasts the lifetime of the hedgerow.
Provide erosion control and improve soil health
Rain, irrigation, clean cultivation and vacant field borders can all increase erosion potential in an agricultural system.
Hedgerow plantings can significantly reduce the amount of soil erosion on a landscape. They can also provide a barrier to filter out pollutants, such as pesticides, and slow down sediments and organic material that can flow from farm fields into waterways. This is accomplished by increasing the surface water infiltration rate and improving soil structure around the root zone. This, in turn, decreases fertilizer runoff from farm fields. The biomass that plants shed acts as a soil conditioner and can enhance plant growth. In urban or suburban environments, hedges similarly reduce pollutants from neighboring sites.
Support aquatic habitat
Hedgerows can provide shade to riparian areas. Shade reduces water temperatures, prevents water evaporation and improves watershed quality. Though many factors influence watershed temperatures, studies have proven that lowland streams bordered by trees and tall shrubs exhibit cooler temperatures. The hedgerow’s latitude, stream aspect, leaf density and the height of its vegetation from the water surface all affect water temperature.
Enhance carbon sequestration
During photosynthesis, trees, shrubs and grasses absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, allowing the carbon to become part of the plant’s tissue. As plants die or shed tissue — either through natural processes or pruning — the carbon that was stored in the plant breaks down and enters the soil. Plants store relatively large amounts of carbon in their biomass, helping to offset some of the effects of climate change. A tree can absorb as much as 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year and can sequester, or store, 1 ton of carbon dioxide by the time it reaches 40 years old.
Create borders and privacy screens along roads and between properties
Hedgerows are attractive borders and can block undesirable views. Evergreens offer year-round screening. When selecting plants, consider the height at maturity for optimum screening. Evergreens can be pruned to control height and density. Plant a diverse mix of species to help protect against damage from a single pest or disease.
Reduce noise, dust, chemical drift and other types of pollution
As hedgerows mature and become dense, they can create barriers to reduce noise, dust, chemical drift and other pollutants. Open canopy trees are effective barriers to dust and pesticides; air and particles slowly filter through them instead of depositing clouds of pollutants on the other side of the hedge.
Plant hedges as close as possible to any areas where pollutants are a concern. This can help alleviate neighborhood conflicts where agriculture intersects with urban areas.
Hedgerows can act to contain contaminants from urban or suburban environments and keep them from entering agricultural areas.
Diversify farm income
Trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants in a hedgerow can also serve as sources of income. Potential products include nuts, fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, seeds, bark and medicinal herbs. You can grow plants to be propagated as seeds, rootstock, cuttings and transplants. Other potential crops are nursery stock and floral materials, including ferns, broadleaf evergreens, flowers and willows grown for craft material and furniture. You can grow fruits, berries and nuts for food. Hedgerows can shelter bees and encourage a higher pollination rate. Consider planting trees for secondary wood products such as lumber, veneer, firewood, chips for bedding and mulch. Game birds such as quail, pheasant and sage grouse are attracted to hedgerows. Managed hunting can provide a potential source of food and off-season revenue for landowners.
Generate year-round beauty
Hedgerows in the landscape add continuous beauty. You can design a hedge for year-round interest, considering the color and texture of leaves and bark, bloom color and timing, and the general growth habit or form of plants.
Hedgerow design Graphic: Kerry Wixted with graphics from Tracey Saxby, IAN Image Library, courtesy of the Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Whether in rural or urban settings, the principles of planning a hedgerow are the same: Evaluate the site, determine what you would like to accomplish with the plantings, match the right plant with the right place, and properly prepare the site.
Design
There are many essential components to consider when designing a multifunctional hedgerow. The first step is to observe the site where the hedge is to be planted and take into consideration the ecological and environmental conditions listed below. These elements influence the design, plant selection, location and the size of the area to be planted. Although a single line of trees will provide some benefits, four or more rows of plants are optimal for windbreaks, water and soil conservation, wildlife habitat and general biodiversity. When it works for the situation, place plants tallest at maturity in the center row, with shorter ones inter-planted between and along the edges. A diverse selection of plant sizes and characteristics is most beneficial. When possible, orient rows perpendicular to prevailing winds.
Hedgerows following land contours create meandering lines on the landscape, producing a natural appearance and larger buffer for wildlife habitat. If the goal is to attract pollinator species, reserve approximately one half-acre for every 40 acres planted in crops.
Plant selection
Plant a wide variety of multi-tiered plants for maximum habitat. Avoid varieties that are susceptible to common pests and diseases and choose plants that are non-invasive. Some perennial species such as blackberry can provide excellent wildlife habitat and food crops but are highly invasive and require frequent maintenance. See the plant lists on page 7 for plantings suited to the Pacific Northwest.
When selecting plants, consider the conditions plants need to survive in specific habitats:
Range: place of origin (indigenous, native/non-native).
Hardiness zones: frost dates.
Light requirements: sun or shade.
Size of plants at maturity, growth.
Soil type (pH, fertility, erosion concerns).
Drainage.
Water movement and moisture needs.
Planting time.
Bloom time: seasonal interest.
Day length.
Productivity.
Tolerance to heat, cold, salt, drought, pollution, wind and wild or domestic animals.
Evergreen or deciduous.
Plant structure: form or shape, texture, leaf and bark type.
Edible or poisonous: what parts.
Insect and disease resistance.
Plant size, costs and availability.
Maintenance needed.
Allellopathy: a chemical inhibitor of one plant to another which can impact germination or plant growth.
Ultimately, place plants together that have similar soil, water, sun and drainage needs.
General planting recommendations:
Plant trees and shrubs about 6 to 8 feet apart in rows 8 to 10 feet apart.
Plant one or two rows of tall trees flanked by a row or two of shrubs. A 20-foot wide hedgerow can have two rows of shrubs flanking a row of trees.
Hedgerows work best for wildlife when they are wider than 20 feet.
Depending on the site’s prevailing winds, a winter windbreak could have at least two rows of evergreen trees and a row of deciduous trees or shrubs. A summer windbreak could have at least one row of tall deciduous trees and a row of deciduous shrubs.
Make sure the planting holes are deep and wide enough to accept and cover the roots of each plant. Be sure to water in each new planting.
In a small area, place a 3-inch layer of straw mulch or cardboard around each tree and shrub after planting to discourage weeds and encourage plant survival.
Soil preparation
Soil preparation is one of the keys to plant survival. On a smaller site, an easy way to establish planting areas in existing grass or pasture is to apply a thin layer of compost or manure, followed by several layers of cardboard, and mulch such as straw or leaves. Worms are attracted to the manure and will work over the winter to decompose grasses and fertilize the soil. However, this method may not be practical on a large scale. In this instance, prepare the area for planting by tilling the ground in spring and planting an early cover crop such as crimson clover, followed by buckwheat. In late summer, till or disc in the cover crop and replant an overwintering cover crop such as crimson clover, field peas or vetch. Cover crops improve soil fertility, reduce weeds, stabilize the soil and attract beneficial insects. Till again the following spring and install the first set of plantings for the hedgerow.
Another option for sites with high weed pressure is solarization. Closely mow the ground and put down UV-stabilized anti-condensation greenhouse plastic in midsummer for several weeks to kill the weeds. After solarization, remove the plastic and follow with a fall planting.
Planting time
In more temperate environments, fall planting allows roots to become established before foliage emerges and gives plants the benefit of winter rains. In extreme cold climates, early spring may be the ideal time for planting. At the time of planting, apply amendments such as compost or manure as a top dressing.
Irrigation
To increase the success rate of your hedgerow planting, provide supplemental water for the first two or three years. Irrigate once a week during the heat of the summer during the first year. For the second year, water every two weeks. In the third year, irrigate once a month. Irrigation needs depend on the location and the plants selected. Be sure to water deeply to encourage deep root growth. Most hedgerow plantings may not survive if they do not get supplemental water in the first few years. Water can be supplied by swales, furrows, flood, drip irrigation or hand watering. If the hedgerow is next to cropland, overhead irrigation from the crop can be extended to water the hedge.
Keeping out weedy plants and destructive wildlife
One of the biggest challenges in establishing a hedgerow is keeping unwanted plants from taking over the new plantings. There are a variety of techniques to inhibit these weedy plants. The simplest method is to leave alleys between plant rows for mowing, cultivation or mulching until plants are well established. Ideally, an area 6 to 8 feet wide around the hedgerow should be mowed, flailed or tilled for weed management, fire protection and rodent control. It is also important to mulch heavily with a minimum of 3 inches of leaves, straw, sawdust or cardboard around each plant. As plants mature, they will eventually shade out most annual weeds. This is the ideal time to infill with low-growing, shade-tolerant plants.
If needed, protect plants from beaver and nutria with hardware cloth, and use partially buried plastic-coated cardboard or tubing around tree trunks to protect from voles and mice. If applying pesticides, follow the label in order to protect riparian zones along rivers, creeks and ponds from contamination.
Managing a hedgerow in the first few years is similar to managing a crop. Good weed management during establishment results in less labor to control weeds in seasons to come.
Cost of establishment
Planting hedgerows does not have to be expensive. Seedling plants are available at low cost, and you can propagate new plants from existing plantings. The larger the plant, the sooner it will reach maturity, which is especially important in creating a fast-growing privacy screen. This can be achieved by purchasing dormant bareroot plants and 1-gallon potted plants or larger. Remember, these larger plants will most likely require summer irrigation. Government programs are available to assist landowners with hedgerow development. Many counties have tax exemption programs for riparian lands, along with wildlife habitat conservation and management programs. See “Incentive programs to help with hedgerow establishment” and Estimated Costs To Establish Pollinator Hedgerows, in “Resources,” pages 9–10.
Conclusion
A hedgerow is a long-term commitment. With proper planning and care, it will take approximately four to eight years to establish a hedgerow and 30 or more years for it to reach maturity. To encourage success, draft a plan with planting installments for each year, depending on your goals and budget.
Hedgerows in rural agricultural or urban settings provide many benefits that increase over time, including the opportunity for supplemental income. With benefits for wildlife, humans and the planet, hedgerows are a practice that has stood the test of time.
Hedgerow plants
Hedgerows can contain native and non-native plants, although plants should not be invasive. The following trees, shrubs, groundcovers and perennial plants are appropriate for hedgerows in the Pacific Northwest. Remember to consider proper site selection and plant requirements. Plants that tolerate wet soil are indicated by an asterisk (*).
Sun-tolerant plants under 25 feet
Arbutus unedo Strawberry tree
Aronia Chokeberry Schubert
Baccharis pilularis consanguinea Coyote brush
Ceanothus velutinus Tobacco brush
Cornus stolonifera Red twig dogwood
Diospyros kaki Japanese persimmon
Diospyros virginiana American persimmon
Elaeagnus multiflora Goumi
Elaeagnus umbellata Autumn olive
Ficus carica Fig
Fuchsia magellanica Hardy fuschia
Lonicera caerulea Blue honeyberry
Lonicera involucrata Twinberry
Malus fusca West Coast crabapple
Malus sp. Apple
Morus Mulberry
Myrica pensylvanica Bayberry
Oemleria cerasiformis Osoberry
Philadelphus lewisii Mock orange
Prunus avium Cherry
Prunus domestica Plum
Pyrus pyrifolia Asian pear
Ribes sanguineum Red-flowering currant
Ribes divaricatum Black gooseberry*
Ribes nigrum Black currant*
Rosa nutkana Nootka rose
Salix fluviatilis Columbia River willow*
Salix hookeriana Hooker’s willow*
Sambucus cerulea Blue elderberry*
Spiraea douglasii Western spiraea*
Vaccinium corymbosum Blueberry*
Vaccinium ovatum Evergreen huckleberry
Viburnum opulus Highbush cranberry
Sun-tolerant plants 25+ feet tall
Abies grandis Grand fir
Acer macrophyllum Bigleaf maple
Alnus rubra Red alder*
Arbutus menziesii Madrone
Asimina Pawpaw
Calocedrus decurrens Incense-cedar
Castanea Chestnut
Chrysolepis chrysophylla Golden chinkapin
Diospyros virginiana Persimmon
Fraxinus latifolia Oregon ash*
Juglans regia English walnut
Picea species Spruce
Pinus ponderosa Ponderosa pine
Populus trichocarpa Black cottonwood
Prunus subcordata Klamath plum*
Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas-fir
Quercus garryana Oregon white oak
Robinia pseudoacacia Black locust
Thuja plicata Western redcedar
Groundcovers
Fragaria chiloensis Strawberry
Gaultheria shallon Salal
Mahonia nervosa Oregon grape
Polystichum munitum Sword fern
Vaccinium vitis idaea Lingonberry
Vines
Lonicera Honeysuckle
Akebia Five-fingered akebia*
Plants for pond edges
Typha latifolia Cattail*
Ledum glandulosum Labrador tea
Plants that tolerate shade
Chrysolepis chrysophylla Golden chinkapin
Cornus nuttallii Western flowering dogwood*
Corylus cornuta Hazel*
Physocarpus capitatus Ninebark
Polystichum munitum Sword fern
Sambucus racemosa Red elderberry*
Prunus virginiana Chokecherry
Plants for partial shade to shade
Acer circinatum Vine maple *
Amelanchier alnifolia Serviceberry
Berberis aquifolium Oregon grape
Gaultheria shallon Salal
Cornus stolonifera Red-osier dogwood
Holodiscus discolor Oceanspray
Lonicera involucrata Twinberry
Oemleria cerasiformis Indian plum
Philadelphus lewisii Mock orange
Rhamnus purshiana Cascara sagrada
Taxus brevifolia Western yew*
Vaccinium ovatum Evergreen huckleberry
Edge plantings
Achillea millefolium Yarrow
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Kinnikinnick
Berberis nervosa Cascade Oregon grape
Calendula officinalis Calendula
Cichorium intybus Chicory
Foeniculum vulgare Fennel
Fragaria chiloensis Wild strawberry
Gaultheria shallon Salal
Lavandula angustifolia English lavender
Medicago sativa Alfalfa
Nuts
Carya illinoinensis Northern pecans
Carya ovata Shagbark hickory
Castanea Chestnuts
Ginkgo biloba Gingko
Juglans ailantifolia Heartnut
Juglans regia English Walnut
Xanthoceras sorbifolium Yellowhorn
Plants for arid environments
Plantings around vineyards
Some flowering plants attract specific kinds of beneficials, for example, carnivorous flies (Oregon sunshine), predatory bugs (stinging nettle) and Anagrus wasps (sagebrush). Research shows trends of reduced pest abundance and increased beneficial insect diversity and abundance in vineyards with a diversity of native flowering plants compared to vineyards lacking native plants.
Incentive programs to help with hedgerow establishment
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
In exchange for removing environmentally sensitive land from production and establishing permanent resource-conserving plant species, farmers and ranchers are paid an annual rental rate along with other federal and state incentives. This program is administered through the USDA Farm Service Agency and local Soil and Water Conservation districts.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
This program provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers in order to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation or improved or created wildlife habitat. The program is administered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service via local field offices.
Guard, J.B. Wetland Plants of Oregon and Washington. 2010. Lone Pine Publishing.
Imhoff, D. and R. Carra. Farming With The Wild: Enhancing Biodiversity on Farms and Ranches. 2011. Sierra Club Books.
Kruckenberg, A. Gardening With Natives of the Pacific Northwest. 1982. University of Washington Press.
Lee-Mäder, E., J. Hopwood, M. Vaughan, S. Hoffman Black and L. Morandin. Farming with Native Beneficial Insects: Ecological Pest Control Solutions. 2014. Storey Publishing.
Link, R. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. 1999. University of Washington Press,
Mader, E., M. Shepherd, M. Vaughan, S. Black, G. LeBuhn, Attracting Native Pollinators. 2011. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Martin, A., H.S. Zim, A.L. Nelson. American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide To Wildlife Food Habits. 1951. Dover Publications.
Pendergrass, K., M. Vaughan and J. Williams. Plants for Pollinators in Oregon.2007. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation,
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