Conservation Starters

About Conservation Starters

Conservation Starters is a podcast created by the Thurston Conservation District. This series is dedicated to empowering Thurston County residents to steward our shared natural resources. Through thoughtful conversations with TCD staff, community partners, and community members we explore a program or issue related to the work of the Conservation District and how our community can engage with us and our staff.

Publisher

Thurston Conservation District

Category

education · science · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Dec 2021

Latest episode

1 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

3 of 42 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   1 Jul 2026

   Local Roots, Statewide Impact: Leadership & Innovation Across Washington’s Conservation Districts

   Across Washington State, conservation looks different in every community, but the mission is shared. From wildfire-prone rangelands and forests in Okanogan and Cascadia to the fertile soils of the Palouse, from shellfish-rich shorelines in Mason County to rapidly growing urban landscapes in Clark, conservation districts are tackling some of the most pressing challenges of our time, climate change, clean water, agricultural viability, and community resilience. In this episode of Co...

2. 

   5 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Strengthening Local Food Systems in Thurston County – A New USDA Meat Processing Facility

   On this month's episode of Conservation Starters, guest host Sarah Moorehead, sits down with Thurston County Commissioner Carolina Mejia, Thurston County Commissioner Wayne Fournier, Aslan Meade from Thurston Economic Development Council, and Jennifer Colvin from Colvin Ranch to discuss new pathways to strengthening our local food infrastructure. In Thurston County, our farms and ranches are more than just part of the landscape, they are part of who we are. They feed our families, steward our...

3. 

   31 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT

   An Inside Look at Thurston Conservation District

   This week, we’re joined by TCD’s Executive Director, Sarah Moorehead, for an inside look at what’s new at TCD. We dive into our exciting new strategic plan and the behind-the-scenes work that brought it to life. We also share important updates on our 2026 budget, including rates and charges renewal, and tackle some common misconceptions about Conservation Districts. Plus, don’t miss a few updates about the podcast itself. Tune in to stay connected! Resources: Check out our 2026 - 2030 Strateg...

Inside a recent episode

Strengthening Local Food Systems in Thurston County – A New USDA Meat Processing Facility

Published 5 May 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] You know, I will say Pierce County and Lewis County, you know, they were, I know Lewis County, you know, was wrote us a letter of support to make sure that when we were submitting our federal request, it was actual regional, you know, and so did Pierce County as well. And so just giving them a huge shout out for their support. Yeah, the partnerships in this collaboration have been phenomenal. I've also seen throughout this whole process, it be a convener and it help reconnect community to farmers and ranchers into the food system. And especially, you know, our urban residents are starting to sort of play a pivotal role in learning about where their food is produced, connecting with those producers, and then supporting initiatives like agricultural infrastructure and processing facilities. […]

Who has been a guest on Conservation Starters

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kim Adelson
• Elyssa Kerr
• TJ Johnson
• Betsie De Wreede
• Doug Rushton

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

25,913

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

15 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

14

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

77

Questions about Conservation Starters