Cedar Creek Corrections Center (CCCC)

ProgramProgram Partners December 2024 highlights
Beekeeping: CCCCOlympia Beekeeping Association, Washington State Beekeepers Association 1 hive on site as of 2024; education program continues to support the McNeil Beekeeping program: in 2024, graduated new Beginner and Apprentice level beekeepers; 73 certified beekeepers overall so far!
Beekeeping: McNeil IslandCorrectional Industries, Department of Natural Resources, community beekeepersTeam started program in May 2018; in 2024, CCCC beekeepers visit island program 2x month; program thriving
Western pond turtle careWashington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Woodland Park Zoo, and PAWSAround 100 turtles cared for and released since 2013
Woodpecker nest predation studyUS Forest ServiceThis project successfully concluded in August 2020
Vegetable gardensLittlerock Elementary School~10,000 ft2 of gardens yielded ~4,500 lbs. of produce in 2023. Program also grew pumpkins for prison family events
Flower gardensFlower gardens are maintained and cared for by SPP gardeners.
Waste sorting & recyclingPrimary focus has been recycling cans from the kitchen and pulling enough cardboard and paper to continue composting program
Large-scale composting~150 tons of organic matter diverted to composting
Training dogs for veteransBrigadoon Service DogsProgram currently has 5 trainers, 5 secondary trainers, and 5 dogs. 3 dogs graduated in 2020.
Construction: tiny homes Centralia CollegeBuilt 6 tiny homes for people experiencing homelessness in the community and 2 chassis for larger “tiny cottages”
Water use reduction and catchmentCatchment capacity: 45,000 gallons; replaced concrete and gravel around the wood shop with grass to reduce water run off.
Waste water treatmentDepartment of Ecology (DOE)DOE-recognized with Outstanding Performance Award; testament to work of facility staff plus incarcerated individuals who work at the treatment plant and gain valuable skills for post-release; recently installed a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) that improves quality of effluent
ForestryDNROff-site crews are trained in and practice re-forestation, woodcutting, land clearing, and forest firefighting and fire prevention. Crews were dispatched to numerous fire projects and local wildfires, receiving recognition and appreciation from community members for their efforts.
Community workIncarcerated individuals performed community work, providing a total of 16,200 hours of work for local, county, nonprofit and state agencies. Services included development of parks and recreational areas, litter clean-up, restoration at Mima Mounds, and removal of invasive/noxious weeds.

Articles about CCCC

2019

Why Aquaponics in Prison?

Aquaponic knowledge, from one program to another

The Magic of Caring for Turtles

Growth!

Turtle Release Day for Cedar Creek

Fine Tuning Aquaponics at Cedar Creek

Letter from a graduate: Centralia College Horticulture Program at Cedar Creek Corrections Center

Turtles Arrive at Cedar Creek

2018

Aquaponics training at Cedar Creek

McNeil Island’s Newest Residents

Astrobiology for the Incarcerated – Washington

Technicians from Cedar Creek participate in turtle release

Turtle Season is Here!

Biological Science Technician at Cedar Creek speaks about his time with SPP

Turtles plus woodpeckers plus…

2017

New Biological Science Technician Position, and One of the Newest is Feeling Thankful

New Woodpecker Nest Monitoring Project at Cedar Creek

Happenings at Cedar Creek Corrections

Cedar Creek Turtle Release 2017

New Turtles and New Technicians!

2016

Going Above and Beyond for Sustainability

A Tribute to Tammy

Turtle 4176’s Release

A Successful Turtle Release

In Service to the Earth

A Technician’s Experience in a Room Full of Frog Scientists

New Turtles Arrived!

New Program Offered by SPP: Bee Certification

2015

Frog Release 2015: Celebrating the Program that Paved the Way!

Buzzing With Success: Bees Help Inmates Learn Marketable Skills, Build Self-Esteem

Cedar Creek Gardens

Working with the Oregon Spotted Frog

A Big Thank You for the Amazing New Turtle Shed!

2014

First Beekeeping Certification in-prison for SPP-WA

Graduations and Transitions

Freedom of the Frogs!

New to the Frog and Turtle Program!

Cedar Creek Prairie Conservation Crew 2014

Western Pond Turtle Release

A Convicts Redemption

2013

Cedar Creek’s Roots of Success Graduation

Worm Farm Wisdom

The Wonders of In-Vessel Composting at Cedar Creek Corrections Center

Interview with Officer Glenn Epling, New Beekeeping Project Lead at Cedar Creek Corrections Center

A New Composting Facility for Cedar Creek Corrections Center

The Smell of Hope

Collaboration at Shotwell’s Landing Nursery

Internship with SPP

Planète Grenouille

Gardening with Sophie Hart at Cedar Creek Corrections Center (2013)

Kittens at Shotwell’s

New Prairie Restoration Community Crew

2012

Composting and the Prison Experience

246 Oregon spotted frogs released on September 24th!

Perspectives from an Inmate Service Dog Trainer at Cedar Creek Corrections Center

Inmate perspective on a prison garden project

SPP Oregon Spotted Frog Program Transitions

59 Frogs released at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in March! )

Inmates Participate in Egg Mass Surveying at West Rocky Prairie

New Frog Rearing Practices at Cedar Creek

Inmate Frog Technicians Experiment with Cricket Rearing

2011

Inmate Technicians Attend Annual Species Recovery Conferences

French Film Crew Visits SPP!

DOC Enables Former Frog Technician to Join in the Annual OSF Release Event

Annual Oregon spotted frog release!

Sustainable Prisons Project Involved in Cutting Edge Research

Frog Predator Response Experiment at CCCC

Arboriculture Workshop at Cedar Creek Correction Center

Oregon Spotted Frog Egg Masses Discovered Near Release Site!

Frog Project Initiates New Research

2010

Outreach at the South Sound Science Symposium

Farewell Frogs!

Offenders Prepare for Frog Release

Cedar Creek’s Captive Crickets

Offenders take college credit at Evergreen

New Frogs Have Arrived!

Frog Project Receives Grant from Oregon Zoo Foundation

2009

Beekeeping: More than honey

Saving frogs takes teamwork

The trouble with crickets