Tag Archives: prison

Interview with Gerry Glenn, SPP Sagebrush Nursery Manager and Washington State Penitentiary (WSP) Contractor of the Year 

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in Conservation Programs Ecological Restoration

Could you tell us a little bit about your background and what brought you to SPP? 

I’ve been living in Walla Walla since 2007. My husband, who is from Seattle and is retired from the military, got a job at WSP, and we ended up moving to Walla Walla. I have my bachelor’s degree in animal welfare and science, but with my experience with dementia through my grandfather, I ended up working in a dementia care home. That experience made me consider nursing. I went through all the steps and was just about to apply and decided that no, I wanted to work with animals. 

So, I opened my own small business working with animals and was doing a lot of farm work. Ultimately, the farm work got me involved with the vice president of the Washington State Sheep Association. We became friends and he said, “Gerry, they’re opening a sheep project at the prison, would you be interested?” I’d learnt to sheep shear through going round all these farms and shearing, so I said “Yeah, I’m interested.” 

In 2017 they began the sheep program here at WSP, where participants could get 5 credits from Evergreen State College for completing the class. The incarcerated technicians were taking care of all the husbandry, and I oversaw them. I did that for four years and it was amazing. 

I wanted to keep the land going when the program ended and got approval to do so, but I decided not to because it was going to be a lot of responsibility by myself. Then I heard from Kelli Bush (SPP Co-director) that they were going to be doing a sagebrush program at WSP, and I was offered a temporary position until they found a teacher.  

Technician Marje McKenzie receives his certificate from Gerry Glenn at a Sagebrush program graduation ceremony. Photo by Emily Passarelli.

 What has your experience with the Sagebrush program been so far? 

With the sheep program I had been working with camp workers, which is minimum security outside of the prison on 40 acres of land with a guard. With the sagebrush program, it was a little daunting to work with medium security guys within the prison. I was nervous at first, but I settled down and immersed myself in the program.  

The animal welfare side of it is to help with conservation of the sage grouse, because we are planting the sagebrush that they require as habitat. So, if someone said to me, “How do you save the sage grouse?” This is what I would say. 

Kelli told me that there would be modules on education for the program. I remember asking Kelli if I could take the classes as well, and she said “no, you’re going to be teaching those classes.” I started doing my own research and everything. The first group was in 2023, and it was phenomenal. It was so great working with these guys and being with them 40 hours a week. You build up a different relationship than if you just come and go. You get to know more about them and the type of people they are.  

The first class was successful. We sent out 16,000 plants that year. Then Carl Elliot (SPP Conservation Nursery Manager) asked if I would be interested in assisting with the Foundations in Gardening class, which I did. At this point I had been offered and accepted the permanent sagebrush teaching position; I was very happy. We did the next sagebrush class in 2024 followed by an advanced sagebrush class last, and now I’m doing my third class.  

I’m much more confident now, and I know what I’m doing. We’ve got bigger expectations, we’ve got more space, we’ve got new hoop houses and it’s just fantastic what we’re doing. We have got 65,000 sagebrush plants growing right now. Before, I relied on the Sustainable Practices Lab staff to help me. Now they’re whittling down, and I have a lot more responsibility, and it’s great.  

I love being positive around the guys, and I encourage them to get credits from The Evergreen State College. There’s a lot of pride in what we’re doing. There are some guys who were maybe a little bit lazier at the beginning, and bam, all of a sudden, they’re experts at talking about the sagebrush. Just to see that progression for me is fantastic.

I opened an animal business because I love animals, and it was the best job ever for me. Having my own business is amazing. To have a second job which is equally as amazing… I feel very blessed right now work wise.  

Of course, you’ve got the SPP people, which is the other side. When I come over there and meet everybody, it’s fantastic. It’s so relaxed, but we all do our jobs and get it done, and it’s such a great atmosphere. I know I could call anyone on the team if I had an issue and it would be OK.  So, you don’t often get these great opportunities. I know how lucky I am. Every day I come in and I think this is great, I think it’s rubbing off. People see how I love what I’m doing, and I can’t help it, I’m not even pretending! 

Sagebrush plants at WSP. Photo by SPP staff.

 

SPP staff members at Millersylvania State Park for a picnic. Left to right: Anneke Wilder, Nat Kelly, Gerry Glenn, and Sarah Larson. Photo by Emily Passarelli.

 

That’s great, and that’s why you got contractor of the year! Because everyone can see how much you enjoy your job, and that inspires people, I think. 

I hope so! I hope that’s how I come across and not, oh, God, here she comes again, bubbling and yapping on about wonderful things.  

I still know these are incarcerated individuals. When I talk to my friends on the outside and I say, “Look, I’ve got this great job, I still know that they’ve done the things that they’ve done to get here. But I don’t know what they’ve done, I don’t check their records. It’s not my business. It’s how they treat me and what they give me regarding work, you know, their skills. So that makes a difference. You’re not there to punish them. Imprisonment is punishment enough.”

We all work as a crew and so for me, contractor of the year means that I’ve got a great relationship with my crew. I’ve got a brilliant relationship with the staff who are working with me and that’s what makes me successful. If they didn’t care, then the project wouldn’t be successful. I won the award because I’m the face of the project, the teacher, but it wouldn’t work if I didn’t have everyone’s support around me. 

Eson Herr thinning sagebrush cones down to one plant. Photo by SPP Staff.

 
Can you tell me a little bit more about your day-to-day? What are some of the goals of the program as it relates to ecological goals specifically? Why is the sagebrush habitat so special? 
 
Number one goal, restoration of the sagebrush steppe. We’ve got an issue now where the sagebrush steppe has become so fragmented due to wildfires, invasive plant species, anthropogenic development, livestock grazing to name a few reasons, that species of fauna that require this habitat to survive, are disappearing.  

An example is the sage grouse, who are not officially classed as endangered, but should be. They are 100% sagebrush obligate, meaning they need it to survive. What we’re doing is replenishing the sagebrush. 

We grow the sagebrush from seed in April and then when ready in October, we take it up to a Spokane reservation where Airway Heights, another prison facility in the Spokane area, have a crew that goes out with DNR to replant the sagebrush.  
 
And yes, that’s great for the sagebrush and ecological goals of the program, but to me a big part of it is that the guys are taking responsibility for something and learning. There are so many issues facing restoration of the habitat, and they learn about that in class. We talk about other creatures that are becoming endangered – it’s not just big animals. It’s also reptiles and bugs and birds and other creatures that need this habitat. The insects and pollinators that come in, they feed on the sagebrush. They use it for protection. You know, they live in it.  

And that’s the side that I really love. The education. I’m also learning different things myself, and we’re all learning together.  

Photo of the endangered Sage Grouse on the sagebrush steppe. Photo by Bureau of Land Management Oregon.

 

Incarcerated technicians thinning the sagebrush down to one plant per cone and removing any cones that are empty (luckily not many!). Photo by SPP Staff.

Building sustainable Food Systems: Garden to Kitchen Workshop at Stafford Creek Correctional Center

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in collaboration Gardens Partners

By Laureen Dulo

You may not expect it, but Washington State prisons are full of a variety of gardens. Garden types vary depending on the facility’s climate, partnerships, goals, and programs. Most facilities feature a variety of gardens which may include educational gardens to accompany SPP’s Foundations in Gardening classes, produce gardens for donation or on-site use, herb and medicinal gardens, culture gardens for cultural groups, flower gardens, pollinator friendly gardens, small orchards, rental plot gardens, and drought tolerant native plant gardens. These gardens not only enrich the prison environment but also have positive effects on incarcerated individuals, correctional staff, and visitors.

By cultivating gardens and actively using or donating their produce, incarcerated individuals have the opportunity to gain valuable gardening skills, knowledge about healthy eating, and contribute positively to the local communities. Since 2020, almost 200 students have taken SPP’s 4-credit Foundations in Gardening course. In 2024, prisons reported donating 110,399 lbs. of produce to local food banks and using 131,482 lbs. of produce grown on site within the facilities. However, challenges persist, mainly related to incarcerated individuals having access to the fresh produce grown at facilities.

Some plants and flowers from the gardens at Stafford Creek Correctional Center. Photos by Emily Passarelli.

To address these challenges, SPP, with support from former Secretary Strange and other Department of Corrections (DOC) leadership, launched the ‘Garden to Kitchen Project’ (G2K Project) in the Fall of 2021. The goal of this initiative was to create a stronger link between kitchen managers, plant managers, incarcerated gardeners, and various stakeholders to tackle existing barriers and improve access to fresh produce in prisons.

The Garden to Kitchen Project began by collecting information on the challenges and successes associated with utilizing prison-grown produce in facility kitchens. To gain a comprehensive understanding, SPP reached out to plant and kitchen managers across twelve prisons to discuss the limitations and obstacles related to growing, cleaning, and preparing produce. Additionally, the G2K team conducted several in-person listening sessions with incarcerated gardeners to further identify challenges regarding produce access. These gardeners expressed frustration over the waste of facility-grown produce and the lack of formal education on cleaning and preparing it. They also highlighted issues such as staffing shortages, movement closures, small crew sizes, and quarantines. Concerns were raised about the lack of compost and fertilizers, the absence of a formal planting plan, unfair pricing of produce, and the inability to have produce in living unit.

Building on the insights gathered, the Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) took the lead in piloting the Garden to Kitchen  initiative, with support from SPP. To address the challenges identified, SPP provided resources including composting tumblers, seeds, materials for garden beds, books, and garden tools. These contributions were designed to enhance the facility’s capacity to grow and effectively utilize produce, fostering a more sustainable connection between the garden and the kitchen. Through these efforts, the initiative aimed to overcome the previously identified obstacles and improve the overall efficiency and sustainability of produce use within the facility.

To address more barriers, SPP is actively leading sustainability workshops focused on addressing the challenges identified by gardeners, kitchen managers, and plant managers, like delivering dirty produce to the kitchens.

On April 2, 2025, Stafford Creek Correctional Center hosted an inspiring and thought-provoking workshop featuring Kristen McIvor, Director of Harvest Pierce County. Founded in 2010, Harvest Pierce County aims to bridge the gap between food, community, and the environment by engaging residents in creating a just and nutritious food system. With over 15 years of experience in cultivating sustainable food systems in Tacoma, WA, McIvor brought a wealth of knowledge and passion to the conversation, emphasizing the critical role of community engagement in creating a more just and healthy food system. During her presentation, she discussed the importance of building sustainable systems that promote transforming garden produce into healthy meals

Kristen Mclvor introducing herself to students from Stafford Creek Correctional Center. Photo by Emily Passarelli.

McIvor outlined key programs that were relevant to challenges identified by the facility. Essential practices like basic garden planning, recognizing planting schedules, and understanding food safety were highlighted, with emphasis on understanding your kitchen’s needs, barriers, and limitations

McIvor also shared practical tips that included harvesting techniques specific to various crops, with an emphasis on timing and handling to ensure food safety and quality. Participants were encouraged to engage with the kitchen staff to explore how to prepare their produce, understand any logistical barriers they may face and food safety practices like worker hygiene and proper harvesting methods to mitigate contamination risks.

Kristen Mclvor discusses the work they do at Harvest Pierce County with students from Stafford Creek Correctional Center Photo by Emily Passarelli.

The workshop sparked meaningful dialogue about the unique challenges of connecting prison-grown produce to institutional kitchens. Issues such as food safety regulations, kitchen infrastructure, and access barriers remain significant. Yet, with open communication and a commitment to collaborative problem-solving, progress is possible. Programs like those led by Harvest Pierce County, along with the efforts of the Sustainability in Prisons Project, continue to demonstrate how innovation, partnership, and equity can transform systems from within.

Kristen Mclvor discusses the various programs under Harvest Pierce County with students from Stafford Creek Correctional Center. Photo by Emily Passarelli.

The workshop was a remarkable gathering, attended by incarcerated students, SCCC staff, SPP staff, and Sally Brown, one of SPP’s long-term partners and a UW research professor. As the workshop concluded, students engaged with both Kristen and Sally, asking insightful questions that sparked meaningful discussions. Following this, Kristen and Sally enjoyed a visit to the beautiful gardens at SCCC, witnessing firsthand the incredible progress being made, an inspiring wrap-up to a productive day. To learn more about Kristen and her impactful work at Harvest Pierce County, please visit their website:https://piercecd.org/190/Urban-Agriculture

As we prepare for the next phase of the Gardens to Kitchens Project, we encourage stakeholders, community members, and partner organizations to stay engaged. Together, we can cultivate not only gardens but also thriving ecosystems that support health, dignity, and sustainability both inside and outside of prison walls.

Sally Brown (left) and Kristen Mclvor (right) answering students’ questions at the end of the workshop. Photos by Emily Passarelli. 

WASBA’s Annual Beekeeping Facility of the Year Winner 2024: Washington Correctional Center for Women 

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in Community Organizations Incarcerated Voices Partners

“Keeping bees is like honey for your soul” – Incarcerated beekeeper at WASBA’s Beekeeping Facility of Year award ceremony 

Written by Anneke Wilder

At the end of March, the Washington Correctional Center for Women (WCCW) celebrated an exciting achievement. The women’s facility won the Washington State Beekeepers Association’s (WASBA) second annual Beekeeping Facility of the Year award for 2024. In a gym beautifully decorated by the WCCW incarcerated beekeepers, attendees celebrated the partnerships and dedicated individuals that made it all possible. Attendees included DOC Secretary Tim Lang, WCCW leadership and staff, WASBA Vice President Ellen Miller, WASBA’s Education lead Sandy Fanara, Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) staff, and other volunteers and contributors.  

Educational tables set up by incarcerated beekeepers. Photos by Emily Passarelli. 

The beekeepers set up educational tables for attendees to learn about all aspects of beekeeping, complete with opportunities to view, touch, and ask questions about the tools and materials necessary to keep bees and extract honey. Varroa mites, the scourge of every beekeeper’s hive, were a significant topic of conversation. Incarcerated beekeepers hoped to raise awareness of the issue through their educational table as well as in speeches during the ceremony.   

SPP Coordinators Mikala Waldrup (left) and Anneke Wilder (right) found Varroa mites under their seats during a speech from an incarcerated beekeeper. The beekeeper hoped to raise awareness of the destructive pest. Photo by Emily Passarelli. 

Beekeepers also spoke about the benefits of honey and the importance of bees to both our global community and their community behind bars. Several incarcerated beekeepers emphasized the transformational power of caring for the bees, making connections between beekeeping and their own lives. One woman noted how the bee’s sense of community and dedication to their queen has helped her understand the importance of community in her own life. Another beekeeper warned that if humans don’t cultivate this sense of care for the natural world and each other, it could push our species to extinction.  

Incarcerated beekeeper Michelle Gabel shows off the Facility of the Year plaque. Photo by Emily Passarelli. 

The ceremony wrapped up with the award presentation, a honey tasting, and a gift from the incarcerated individuals to volunteer Sandy Fanara and WASBA: beautiful handmade quilts made by some of the beekeepers themselves.  

WCCW Liaison Lara Kempton (left) presents WASBA volunteer Sandy Fanara (right) with quilts handmade by incarcerated beekeepers. Photo by Emily Passarelli. 

Partnerships, like the one between WASBA, WCCW staff and beekeepers, volunteers, and SPP, strengthen our communities. The resulting patchwork of diverse, dedicated, and inspiring individuals helps to grow the practice of beekeeping within the state of Washington and ensure that our pollinators continue to be respected, protected, and cared for in the generations to come. 

WASBA vice president Ellen Miller (right) presents WCCW liaison Lara Kempton (left) with the 2024 Facility of the Year Award. Photo by Emily Passarelli. 

Incarcerated Individuals at Washington Corrections Center Connect to their Ancestral Traditions with the Tribal Sons Medicine Garden

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in Environmental Justice Gardens Incarcerated Voices

Nourished by the compost processed on site and tended to by caring hands, the gardens at the Washington Corrections Center (WCC) are impressive bursts of color against the green Pacific Northwest landscape. In the summer the beds are filled with marigolds, cosmos, sunflowers, poppies and more, and they are a source of pride for the incarcerated gardeners.

Flower beds at WCC. Photos by Emily Passarelli.

One garden in particular offers not only an opportunity to learn gardening skills, but a way for indigenous gardeners to connect to their community and culture. The Tribal Sons Medicine Garden is home to medicinal and culturally significant plants such as sage, lavender, and cedar trees. Creation of the garden was spearheaded by indigenous community members, and it now provides a place of solace, growth, and connection.

A sign created by incarcerated individuals for the Tribal Sons Medicine Garden. Photo by Emily Passarelli.

Some of the herbs grown in the garden are used for ceremonies performed by tribal members in the facility. Since Native Americans are incarcerated at roughly 3.6x the rate of white people1, it is crucial to provide opportunities like the Tribal Sons Medicine Garden that allow them to continue stewarding their ancestral lands.

An incarcerated contributor to the garden was recently quoted in a King 5 article regarding his experience of the healing powers of the medicine garden: “This is harmony, this is peace, this is serenity,” he said. “This is healing, this is restoration, this is rehabilitation.”

Medicinal herbs recently planted in the Tribal Sons Medicine Garden. Photo by Emily Passarelli.

During a recent Foundations in Composting class meeting, students performed a soil test in the medicine garden with the help of composting expert Sally Brown. Halfway through the test, the chunk of test soil dropped suddenly back to the ground. “They wanted it back,” one of the indigenous gardeners joked, “the ancestors wanted the soil back.” 

 

1 Vera Institute of Justice. ​ (2019). Incarceration Trends in Washington. ​ Retrieved from http://www.vera.org/state-incarceration-trends. ​

 

 

In the Field with the Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly Program  

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in Conservation Programs Ecological Restoration Partners

By Marisa Pushee and Courtney Murphy 

An adult Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly rests on a flower. Photo by Keegan Curry. 

On a drizzly morning in early June, SPP program partners gathered at Scatter Creek Wildlife Area to connect and share experiences working with the federally endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly (Euphydrayas editha taylori). Incarcerated butterfly technicians and Department of Corrections (DOC) professionals from Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women (MCCCW) gathered with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) biologists and The Evergreen State College (TESC) staff. 

SPP Butterfly Coordinator, Courtney Murphy, and WDFW lead the team as they delve into plant identification. Photo by Kelli Bush. 

With binoculars and plant ID guides in hand, the team was excited by the rich biodiversity and felt inspired to see checkerspot habitat up close. WDFW works diligently on restoration at Scatter Creek—planting native species that are critical for the Taylor’s checkerspot to use as host plants, for food, and for basking. The opportunity to see the butterflies’ prairie habitat first-hand proved an eye-opening experience for colleagues across the program. The butterfly program technicians at MCCCW work year-round to successfully rear and breed the endangered butterfly in captivity. Through their work with SPP, butterfly technicians learn extensively about prairie ecosystems. For many, this was their first opportunity to see essential native plants like paintbrush and lupine.  

Butterfly technicians touch native flowers that make up the habitat of Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies. Photo by Kelli Bush. 

Many of the program technicians expressed interest in careers in restoration and environmental studies, and the field visit offered an opportunity to further grow their professional network and gain more information about working in the sciences. WDFW biologists, Andrew Dechaine and Melinda Vickers, shared with the team the diversity of careers paths that can lead to work with wildlife and provided information on upcoming job openings.  

SPP Butterfly Technician shows her lupine tattoo next to lupine growing at the restoration site. Photo by Kelli Bush. 
The MCCCW SPP team from left to right (top row: Shelly Lagroone, Vickie Phillips, Karmen Moen, Dalynn Martinez, Jennifer Teitzel, Alivia Garcia, Courtney Robbins, Theresa Boyer ; bottom row: Trista Egli, Radalyn King, Kennie Calvert). Photo by Courtney Murphy. 

DOC Corrections professionals were also able to connect with the SPP team and learn more about the endangered butterfly that their dedicated work helps support, taking that knowledge with them to strengthen the program and support the technicians in their work. The Scatter Creek site visit provided an exciting opportunity for colleagues to build connections with one another and with the prairie habitat that the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly calls home! 

Turtle Release 2024!

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in Biology Conservation Programs Partners

By Mikala Waldrup, SPP Ecological Program Coordinator 

On Tuesday, April 2nd, the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) team along with the turtle technicians from Cedar Creek Correction Center (CCCC), The Department of Corrections (DOC) Staff, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff (WDFW) visited the Pierce County Recovery Site to release western pond turtles (WPT) back to their native ponds after treatment from a shell disease. During this field trip, we released 11 turtles that received follow up care from incarcerated turtle technicians at CCCC after receiving acute veterinary treatment. These turtles, a Washington state listed endangered species, were found to have a shell disease that, left untreated, can be fatal. This shell disease is caused by a keratin eating fungus that infects the WPTs and creates lesions and pitting on their shells. These lesions make their normally hard shells soft. Turtles that show symptoms of shell disease are brought to PAWS Wildlife and Rehabilitation Center (PAWS) or The Oregon Zoo for treatment.  

Once treated, the turtles move to CCCC for longer term care. The turtle technicians prepared and fed the turtles a varied diet of smelt, mealworms, night crawlers, turtle pellets, mixed greens, and reptile gel. They also provided daily water changes and weekly tank cleanings to prevent possible infections in the turtles’ post-treatment wounds. With daily behavior observations, the technicians quickly learned the personality each turtle had—some were shy and preferred to hide while others were bold and sassy, preferring to bask all day.  

During the 2023-2024 season, SPP and the turtle technicians cared for 23 turtles both before and after the turtles received veterinary care. When reflecting on this season, turtle technician Robert Asagai wrote, “Although this was a program/job provided by SPP and DOC, I really enjoyed it and felt that it wasn’t. I looked forward to coming in everyday and doing something that was outside of everyday prison stuff. It felt like a safe place or a place of peace.” 

A WPT swimming away upon release.

Below: A WPT being swabbed to see if the shell disease is present post treatment prior to release.

Due to the pandemic, this was the first time the technicians and DOC staff have been able to attend a release since 2019, which added a special element to the day. Prior to releasing the turtles back into their ponds, the technicians and wildlife biologist swabbed each turtle to further study shell disease treatment. The technicians work so hard throughout the season caring for the turtles and ensuring they are recovering from their treatments, and it was so great to have them attend the release. It was also neat to see a lot of the concepts that we were learning about together, such as wetland ecology, in person at the recovery site.

During our visit to the Pierce County Recovery Site, the WDFW wildlife biologist took the team on a tour of the recovery area, and we were able to check on several nest sites that had teeny tiny turtle hatchlings. This was a highlight for everyone to see the next generation of a species we are all working to conserve and protect. Upon release, the turtles swam away and rejoined their population just in time for the summer and the WPT mating season. SPP and the Cedar Creek crew are very happy to see the successful release of the WPTs but will be missing the turtles until the next batch are trapped for treatment next season. 

Teeny tiny turtle hatchlings seen at the release site, each no bigger than a half dollar. Photos by SPP staff.

Foundations in Gardening at LCC

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Written by Jennifer Bass, Environmental Education Coordinator

This year, Larch Corrections Center introduced the Foundations in Gardening curriculum to High School+ (HS+) students in partnership with the Sustainability in Prisons Project and Clark College. This is the first time SPP’s education materials are being used for HS+ students! HS+ is a flexible alternative to the GED for students where students can use life experience and prior learning to earn their high school diploma. LCC’s class is led by Clark College Instructor Lauren Zavrel and 2 peer-facilitators. 

LCC students taking notes for their gardening class. Photo by Emily Passarelli.

The gardening class includes both a hands-on component in the garden as well as regular classroom seminars and assignments. In the late fall, the gardeners at LCC developed a planting plan and sowed leek, Brussel sprouts, red clover, and onion seeds.  

LCC’s garden area has been sowed with tons of vegetables. Photo by Emily Passarelli.

Combined, the LCC gardeners will spend more than one hundred hours studying course material, working in the garden, completing assignments, and participating in seminars! The class and work wouldn’t be possible without the peer-facilitators, facility liaison, and partners at Clark College.  

Gardeners work at LCC to prepare the beds for planting. Photo by Lauren Zavrel.

To help the SPP continue providing education in Washington prisons, click here.

 

 

 

 

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SPP Bees Preparing for Winter

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in Education Nature inside

As the cold and rainy months appear, the SPP beekeepers are preparing to tuck the bees in for the winter.  

After a long season of sunshine and collecting pollen, the bees are starting to return to the hives for the colder months. While bees do not necessarily hibernate in the winter, they do retreat to their hives and stick closely together when the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit to stay warm. Winter can be a difficult time for bees and their beekeepers. An article written by NPR, stated that in 2019, about 40% of hives did not survive the winter. The SPP beekeepers at various facilities are hard at work to protect the bees from mites, harsh temperatures, and heavy rain.  

Stafford Creek Corrections Center

Beekeepers at Stafford Creek Corrections Center are testing an insulated hive this winter. The bee club introduced the hive in September, carefully transferring bees from a wooden hive frame to a plastic insulated hive.  

The new insulated hive at SCCC by the old wooden hive. Photo by Shohei Morita.

While transferring the hive, the bee club was surprised to find that one hive was missing a Queen! The bee club conducted a detailed search of every panel and used the situation to teach new beekeepers about the signs of a missing queen and overall bee health.   

SCCC Bee Club members comb through the wooden frames looking for a Queen. Photo by Shohei Morita.

After combining two hives in the insulated hive, SCCC bee club and bees are prepared for the winter! The bees adjusted well to the new hive and are beginning to return, store honey, and cluster together for the winter.  

Cedar Creek Corrections Center

The Cedar Creek beekeepers are also busy preparing the bees for winter. The bees at McNeil Island are still bringing some colorful pollen into the hive as well as propolis from tree resins to fill any cracks in the hive before winter. 

Bees at the small entrance that Cedar Creek beekeepers will modify before winter. The bees have propolized the edge of the wood to completely seal the hive.  Photo by Laurie Pyne at McNeil Island.  

The Cedar Creek beekeepers provided additional feed and are providing ample amounts of liquid syrup to help prepare for the cooler months. As the temperature begins to get colder, the beekeepers are prepared to add a sugar brick for emergencies and to apply quilt boxes with more shavings.  

Washington Corrections Center for Women

Beekeepers at Washington Corrections Center for Women are preparing for winter by building quilt boxes and making sugar cakes. The WCCW beekeepers have four healthy hives heading into the cooler months and are currently going through twenty cups of sugar a week! 

Beehive at WCCW. Photo by SPP Staff.

 The beekeepers use cedar ships to fill the quilt boxes and are actively monitoring to prevent hornet invasion. In the coming months, the beekeepers are excited to host educational group classes while the bees cluster for the winter.  

While the bees are heading in for the winter, SPP beekeepers are headed to the hives to prepare dry, warm, and cozy environments for the coming months.  

Welcoming Emily Passarelli to the SPP Team

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in Outreach SPP Network

Text by Emily Passarelli, SPP Program and Outreach Manager

Emily Passarelli, SPP Program and Outreach Manager. Photo by Aarudra Moudgalya.

Emily Passarelli is a native of Rantoul, a small rural village in East Central Illinois. Growing up in Rantoul, Emily was very active in her local community. She joined just about every community group or school club she could, but her main passion was acting in theatre. Emily participated in every one of her high school’s plays and musicals, and even arranged for an additional play to get an extra opportunity on stage her senior year. 

After high school, Emily went on to pursue her interest in theatre at Knox College in Galesburg, IL, but life had other plans for her. To earn a required science credit, Emily took Environmental Studies 101 and quickly realized she was exactly where she needed to be. This led her to become interested in how environmental issues disproportionately and consistently affect underrepresented populations. Emily then decided to double major in both Theatre and Environmental Studies.

After graduating from Knox in 2015, Emily began to pursue her Master of Environmental Studies (MES) degree at The Evergreen State College. Before arriving in Olympia, Washington, Emily accepted a position as the Green Track Coordinator at The Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP). In this position, she coordinated the Roots of Success program and was the first coordinator to work on the Beekeeping program. One of her favorite moments was helping plan the first Beekeeping Summit at the Washington Corrections Center for Women in 2017. She also appreciated the opportunity to visit 11 of 12 Washington State prisons, as well as McNeil Island, and experience the distinctly different cultures of each facility. SPP helped Emily find her passion for developing and maintain partnerships with some of the most interesting and passionate people she’s ever met!

Emily Passarelli gazes at Oregon Spotted frogs before they are released back to the pond. Photo by SPP staff.

While in MES, Emily studied subjects such as Traditional Ecological Restoration and Environmental Education, and researched how a major earthquake in the Pacific Northwest would affect different populations. Her time at SPP also inspired her to focus her graduate thesis on the lasting effects of environmental education on formerly incarcerated individuals. The results of this research showed even more evidence to support the transformative effect of environmental education in prisons.

Emily Passarelli and fellow MES Cohort members, Melanie Graeff and Liliana Caughman (also former SPP coordinator), at their graduation ceremony in 2017. Photo by Allison Diamond.

Once Emily completed her time at MES and SPP, she felt compelled to continue her work in corrections education however she could. Emily then took on the role of Education Program Coordinator at The Washington Corrections Center (WCC) through Centralia College. After two years working inside WCC in this role, Emily was promoted to Program Manager. She has loved the opportunity to work closely with DOC staff, custody, and leadership, support and expand all types of education for students, plan graduation events to celebrate student success, and work with the wonderful Education Department team at WCC. 

Emily Passarelli GED Testing at the Washington Corrections Center in 2020. Photo by Aundrea Lund.

After 3 years at WCC, Emily has now returned to the SPP team as the new Program and Outreach Manager. She’s still pinching herself to make sure she’s not dreaming! Emily is so grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to see what the future holds. In her free time, Emily loves spending time with her husband and sweet, shivery chihuahua.

Emily and her chihuahua Penny. Photo by Aarudra Moudgalya.

Adapting During Challenging Times: a Check-In from SPP

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By Erica Benoit, SPP Special Projects Manager and Kelli Bush, SPP Co-Director

We at SPP are all deeply aware of how difficult this past year has been. It has been especially hard for the people living and working in prisons. We acknowledge the loss and suffering experienced by incarcerated people, their families, and corrections staff.  Our thoughts are with our fellow humans everywhere—may we all have better days ahead.

Like many organizations, SPP has also faced a slew of competing challenges. Over the past year we have shifted to working remotely, navigated major staffing changes resulting in a smaller team size, and supported multiple team members through health issues. We are continually processing the overall health and safety impacts of COVID-19 and loss of in-person interaction with students, partners, and our small team at Evergreen. Despite these challenges, we are hopeful for better horizons. We are reaching out to share how SPP is making the best use of these challenging times; we are simultaneously practicing patience and resilience every day.

Human health and safety are our top priority over program operation. As a result, the vast majority of SPP programs have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are still supporting operation of a few programs, but only where interactions with SPP staff can be masked, socially distant, primarily outside, and with access to proper resources for hand washing and cleaning high touch surfaces. Programs which have continued under these circumstances and in accordance with approved COVID plans include the prairie conservation nursery at Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW), the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly program at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women (MCCCW), and a few peer-led education programs at various facilities.

Keegan Curry from SPP safely helps out with the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly program at MCCCW. Photo by Marisa Pushee. 

Despite major program suspensions, SPP staff have still been hard at work on projects in three main focus areas: remote education, proposal development, and policy/guidance work. We hope that the behind-the-scenes work done in these areas will have lasting benefits when programs are able to safely restart. Brief details on some specific projects (most still in progress) are provided below.

Remote Education

Beekeeping

  • Curation and delivery of monthly educational packets to all facilities
  • Development of higher-level beekeeping certification (in progress)

Peer-led Gardening Curriculum

Ecology Curriculum

Prairie Conservation Nursery

  • Standardizing education materials and adapting for remote access (i.e. remote presentations, limited contact education, and/or peer-led components)

Peer-led Composting Curriculum

  • Identifying funding and planning for development of curriculum for statewide use

Solar Energy Education

  • New partnership with Olympia Community Solar that allows donors to sponsor solar energy education packets to be sent to prison facilities

Proposal Development

Funding

  • Provided budget for potential new education and training program in partnership with WA Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Developed and submitted a funding proposal to complete the next phases of gardening and composting course and to pilot in another state
  • Developed and submitted a funding proposal to expand Evergreen education in prisons

Planning and Organization Improvements

  • Improving processes and guidance related to development of education materials
  • Developed new SPP program planning templates to improve operations and clarity among partners
  • Identifying more reliable mechanisms for delivering remote education
  • Developed general partnership resource document for guiding all types of successful prison programs among multiple partners (in progress)

Policy/Guidance Work

  • Tracking and testifying in support of HB1044 Pathways to Post-Secondary Education in Prisons
  • Working with Washington Department of Corrections and education organizations to develop policy and guidelines for successful peer-led programs in prison (in progress)
  • Working with The Evergreen State College to draft new policy to that will support granting college credit to currently incarcerated program participants successfully completing SPP certificated internship programs
  • Research to address barriers limiting access to fresh produce in prison and considering development of food handling education to improve ability for prison kitchens to utilize fresh produce from facility gardens (longer-term project)

Lastly, we are actively drafting our latest Annual Report, which is expected to be published sometime in spring. Be on the lookout for this report for full updates regarding SPP programs and initiatives from July 2019 through December 2020.