Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW)
| Program | Program Partners | Highlights as of December 2024 |
| Prairie Conservation Nursery | CNLM, JBLM, WA DNR, WDFW, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Zoo, Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship, Whidbey-Camano Land Trust, Friends of Puget Prairies, and Wolf Haven International | In past year, the crew cultivated ~65,000 prairie plants for habitat restoration, increased seed nursery to produce Viola adunca seed for federally endangered Silverspot butterfly on the Oregon coast; 30 workshops on restoration ecology |
| Gardens and greenhouses | Tacoma Community College, WSU Extension, Pierce County | Horticulture has been working with 3 Pierce County Master Gardener (PCMG) volunteers mentoring students in the gardens. These volunteers are also members of the Horticulture Advisory Board. We have partnered with Cedar Creek and Tacoma Tagro as board members. Received a $1,500 grant from PCMG for hydroponic system in the greenhouse. |
| Pollinator plantings | Hanging baskets, perennial and annual pollinator-friendly flowers throughout facility; horticulture group planted additional ~4,000 flowering plants throughout the grounds | |
| Beekeeping | Mother Earth Farm, Little Eoarthe Farm, Tacoma Community College, Washington Master Beekeepers | Beekeeping has been relocated inside the fence near recreation to improve access |
| Community College Horticulture | Tacoma Community College, WSU Extension, Pierce County (Master Gardeners) | 17 students enrolled in Horticulture will earn 55 credits through Tacoma Community College including 3 support classes (English 101, Business Math, and leadership) for full certifications. Horticulture students seeded, grew, harvested and delivered 8300 lbs. of vegetables for prison kitchen. Floral was unable to provide decoration services for the Governor or special events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| Mother Earth Farm, offsite farm crew | Mother Earth Farm, Emergency Food Network, Tacoma Community College | Temporarily suspended due to COVID-19; previous year offsite crew of 9 organic farm students grew vegetables for donation to 16 food pantries (quantities not available for 2019); formal education on 17 topics earns 9 credits from TCC |
| Prison Pet Partnership | This is the first in-prison pet program in the country! In the past year, 32 dogs were trained, 11 companion animals were adopted, 7 service dogs were placed, and 18 incarcerated individuals were employed. | |
| Sisters of Charity: quilts, fabric crafts, wildlife rescue | Community members donate supplies; LIHI and multiple non-profits/charities receive donations | 14,978 items were created and donated: 1,853 Tyvek gowns, 12,523 masks, 527 release bags, 66 quilts, and 9 sets of curtains for tiny houses. |
| Waste sorting & recycling | Diverted 86+ tons of materials from waste stream to recycling. Program temporarily suspended for construction, restarted for two months, and then suspended again for COVID-19. In the two months of operation, 25+ tons of material recycled. | |
| Large-scale composting | Last year, composted 158+ tons of food waste. Program temporarily suspended for construction, operating for two months before being suspended again due to COVID-19. 14+ tons of compost yielded in two months. | |
| Electric vehicles | Maintain 2 electric vehicles | |
| Lighting upgrades | Continued replacement of fluorescent T8 lamps with LED lamps facility-wide as lamps burn out. Close to 75% replaced as of December 2020. |
Articles about WCCW
2020
Bringing honeybees back to WCCW
2019
Persistence pays off: beekeeping in Massachusetts jails
Rethinking the Landscape of Incarceration
2018
Wolves: More like Humans Than You Would Think!
A Beautiful Spring and Explosive Summer at WCCW
2017
Prairie technicians visit the prairie
Building the pool of environmental instructors for the women’s prisons
A day for pollinators in prisons
What do the students get from SPP lectures? Part Three
Lecture Series Coordinators 1, 2, 3
Summit for Beekeeping in Prisons
What do the students get from SPP lectures? Part One
2016
2015
WCCW Graduates first Roots class – photo gallery
Live Falcon and Certification Ceremony makes Lecture Soar
2014
First Prison to be Certified as Wildlife Habitat!
2013
And Then There Were Three: Third Hoop House Complete at Washington Corrections Center for Women
Take Your Child to Work Day at WCCW
WCCW’s Science & Sustainability Lecture Series: An Inmate’s Perspective
Washington Corrections Center for Women Celebrates its SPP programs
Conservation Nursery Crew Begins Work at WCCW
2012
Washington Corrections Center for Women Horticulture & Floral Design Programs
Bountiful gardens at Washington Corrections Center for Women
Guest Blogger: Babel goes to prison
Stormwater presentation at WCCW: Inmate blog
2011
The Women’s Village: A Source of Change for Incarcerated Women
WCCW Winter Lecture Series a Success
2010
Dick Meyer Brings Fair Trade to Prisons
Lectures Captivate Offenders at the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW)