SPP recently had the honor of collaborating with Evergreen Native American and Indigenous Studies Faculty Kendra Aguilar to offer the first of many cultural workshops at Washington Corrections Center. The workshop was hosted by the Tribal Sons, a group of Indigenous incarcerated individuals at WCC. Tribal Sons was created to “promote the wellness and rehabilitation of [Indigenous] people through healing with Indigenous ceremonies and traditions.” We were joined by cultural leader Carolyn Hartness, Evergreen Tribal Relations Liaison Lyn Dennis, and DOC Director for Person Centered Services Megan Pirie.
After introductions and a welcome led by Carolyn Hartness, Kendra Aguilar facilitated the plant teachings workshop. Students were able to touch and hold different native plant cuttings as Aguilar spoke about the social-emotional skills that can be learned from each plant. In recognizing the strengths that different plants possess and what they contribute to their environment, students were encouraged to apply those skills to their own lives as well. During a break, visitors got to hold some baby chicks from the Sustainable Practices Lab (SPL) too!
The workshop concluded with a song and a tour led by Tribal Sons. SPP looks forward to expanding opportunities for cultural workshops in the future!
Carolyn Hartness, Indigenous cultural leader and artist. Photo by Emily Passarelli. Cultural objects made by Tribal Sons members. Photo by Emily Passarelli. SPP Coordinator Anneke Wilder and DOC Director for Person Centered Services Megan Pirie look at lichen during the plant teaching workshop. Photo by Emily Passarelli. A workshop student holds a rosebud. Photo by Emily Passarelli. Lyn Dennis and Carolyn Hartness learn from a Douglas fir clipping. Photo by Emily Passarelli. Workshop leader Kendra Aguilar holds two baby chicks that are being raised in the Sustainable Practices Lab (SPL) at WCC. Photo by Emily Passarelli.Workshop student and SPL member Juan Hernandez shows SPL’s vermiculture system to Kendra Aguilar and Lyn Dennis. Photo by Emily Passarelli.
SPP Workshops are starting back up in facilities after a hiatus, and we couldn’t be more excited! Recently SPP kicked off this initiative by hosting its first workshop since pre-pandemic at Washington Corrections Center for Women.
The Introduction to Nature Drawing Workshop was a huge hit! Drawing from her background in scientific illustration, SPP Coordinator and artist Anneke Wilder led the workshop. Students learned about the history of nature drawing and illustration as well as some drawing tips and tricks. The second half of the workshop the students spent some time sketching from books or specimen that were brought in. Some SPP staff even joined in on the fun!
We’re looking forward to bringing in more experts and educators that offer unique learning experiences to incarcerated students.
Kelli Buggs Jones draws a few different specimen. Photo by Emily Passarelli.
A student sketches a cedar frond. Photo by Emily Passarelli.
Tatiana Baker shows off her drawing of a flower. Photo by Emily Passarelli.
SPP Coordinator and workshop host Anneke Wilder gives Michelle Gabel some tips on shading. Photo by Emily Passarelli.
Students got to choose from a variety of specimen for drawing subjects. Photo by Emily Passarelli.
Student Michelle Nichols and SPP Coordinator Laureen Dulo use images from books as references. Photo by Emily Passarelli.
A dedicated community of people is what powers the Sustainability in Prisons Project. We sat down with Sal Hernandez, one of our coordinators, to learn a little more about his background and role at SPP.
Can you give us a little bit about your background and what brought you to SPP?
I like working with plants and have been doing it for about a decade—mainly either identification, rehabilitation, or disease control. I managed and maintained a temperate woodland garden for a while. Recently I was an irrigation specialist, leading irrigation at an indoor nursery.
I also believe in second chances. I was on a razor edge for a long time, and I could have ended up in a facility myself if I wasn’t on my game 24/7 as a child. One reason I’m here is because people were nice to me, and I want to be that for someone.
Above: Sal Hernandez, Conservation Nursery Program Coordinator, teaching at WCCW. Below: Sal Hernandez with Michelle Nichols going over sowing logs. Photos by Emily Passarelli.
What do you do at SPP?
I teach students at Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) how to grow plants for prairie restoration and conservation around Washington. I teach how to maintain plants and look for disease, different germination practices, burning practices, and geology. I teach about the climate of Washington prairies and what a native prairie in Washington looks like, as well as how to preserve them.
Why type of plants do you work with at the WCCW conservation nursery?
We work with a variety of prairie plants. Several species of Lomatium and Quercus garryana (Garry oak) are two that we work with. Garry oaks are a longer-term plant that we’ll have for a couple of years. Those oaks pass hands because they will stay in the nursery for a long time, and many of the technicians will move on from the job or be released. So that care passes from team member to team member. We also grow strawberries, the native Fragaria virginiana, and Castilleja hispida (harsh Indian paintbrush). We grow those for the [Taylor’s checkerspot] butterflies. The paintbrush is also grown for seed collection since there are low numbers of that plant in the wild. We grow a variety of other stuff too—whatever we need that year.
Above: Garry Oaks (Quercus garryana) grown at the WCCW Conservation Nursery. Photo by SPP Staff. Bottom left: Harsh Indian paintbrush (Castilleja hispida). Photo by Rod Gilbert. Bottom right: Technicians plant seeds at the nursery. Photo by Emily Passarelli.
What has been the biggest reward of working at WCCW?
The biggest reward is seeing the technicians really latch on and get a lot from the program. They are always wanting to know more and learning and progressing. Seeing them grow as people as well as students is rewarding.
Students bring new ideas, or they try something new that works—they’re like “maybe this will make it easier.” Or they’re reading through books and they’re asking me questions like “How does this work?” and “What if we did that?”
They are also curious about what they could pursue in the field post release and ask me questions about that process. I’m a big proponent of work, I guess, and I like people learning stuff that they can apply immediately. Getting hands in the dirt is very important to me, and I want to teach them skills that they can use afterwards. They’re very appreciative, and I like to see that they’re already planning beyond incarceration. And just from the few students released, their excitement to be out in the field growing stuff, touching dirt, that’s what is most rewarding.
Above: Janee Medlock shows off two Garry Oaks (Quercus garryana). Below: Sal Hernandez working in the WCCW nursery. Photos by Emily Passarelli.
What do you think is coolest northwest native plant adaptation?
Oh definitely Castilleja hispida (harsh Indian paintbrush). It’s a hemiparasitic plant. It can grow on its own during the first few months of life, but it has to eat something so we intentionally plant sacrificial plants next to it that it will eventually kill. Typically, the sacrificial plant is yarrow because it’s a hardy plant. I just think it’s funny that we have to plant other plants so they can eat them. Initially the paintbrush is a smaller plant, but once it connects to the roots of the yarrow it starts blooming thicker, and it grows greener and healthier.
What do you do for fun outside of school and work?
My main thing that I do is historical fencing. I get in full outfit. I fence with a local group that is part of a worldwide organization, and the local group has been great. It’s definitely a found family sort of vibe—a lot of us are really close and we hang out every Wednesday night. We go to tournaments all over the West Coast. During the adventure season we go camping, and we hang out by the fire at night and fight throughout the day. There’s a lot of singing and dancing, it’s really fun.
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.
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!
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.
Incarcerated gardeners have been tending to their gardens since the season began this past spring. Despite delays in planting due to the unusually long and cool spring, the gardeners managed to planta variety of vegetables throughout the facility. Harvests occur each Monday morning with the bounty being donated to the Coastal Harvest food bank in Hoquiam. As of mid-September, they’ve grown and donated an amazing 6,000 lbs. of produce!
Gardens are placed throughout the facility wherever space is available. The incarcerated population has access to gardens in the main gardening hub and adjacent to individual living units. Photos by Sarah Larson.
The gardeners don’t just grow vegetables, they also incorporate wildflowers and perennials. While this helps beautify the grounds, it also does an incredibly important job of supporting the Stafford Creek honey bees. The bees forage for pollen and nectar, while also pollinating many of the vegetables.
A Stafford Creek honey bee visits a poppy flower in the pollinator garden.Photos by Sarah Larson.
Gardeners often experiment with new plant varieties, giving them the opportunity to learn more about the needs of different plants and how to solve issues with pests and diseases.Gardeners also collect and store seeds that are then sown the following year.
A wide variety of plants are grown in the hoop houses, which extend the growing season and protect plants from winter frosts. Maintenance crew gardeners, Robert Souza and Bob Covington, tend to the plants in one of the hoop houses (bottom left). Photos by Sarah Larson.
With sustainability in mind, the gardeners get very creative in repurposing old containers to grow plants in. Many items are repurposed, like recycling bins, water barrels, laundry tubs, as well as reusing black plastic nursery pots.
Clever and sustainable container solutions used throughout the gardens. Photos by Sarah Larson.A weekly garden harvest packaged in reusable crates and ready to be picked up by the food bank (bottom). Photo by Sarah Larson.
Written by Derek Thedell, Composting Education Coordinator
At SPP, we believe collaboration is key to successful, resilient programs. One collaboration we are excited to share about isthe Foundations inComposting education course, whichhas been in development since the summer of 2021. With the support of a generous donor, many partners, and Institute for Applied Ecology’s Sagebrush in Prisons Project the new course will be available in Washington prisons and offered atthe Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada!
Greenhouse and thermophilic composting bins at WCC in Shelton, photo by Emily Passarelli.
This curriculum is modeled from the Foundations in Gardening course written in 2020 and focuses on the science and impacts of composting from small to commercial scales. The curriculum will also introduce careers in sustainability and include cultural and historical components throughout the curriculum. Additionally, once completed, we will present it to The Evergreen State College for review for college credit.
Module or chapter development is currently in progress and includes input and voices from experts in our communities including incarcerated individuals, corrections staff, formerly incarcerated individuals, Evergreen Master of Environmental Studies graduates, local composting experts, Tilth Alliance, Centralia College staff, and professors at the University of Washington. You might recognize a few faces and voices, including Nick Hacheney and Juan Hernandez who were composting leaders at the massively successful composting program at Monroe Correctional Center.
Alongside expert composters, Foundations in Composting will feature information from significant written resources, such as Teaming with Microbes by Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis.
Last November, SPP had the privilege of hosting a course planning meeting at the Washington Corrections Center (WCC) in Shelton. Collaboration is a fundamental part of the SPP program development process. Bringing in the voices and input of the incarcerated composting educators and technicians, Department of Corrections staff, and community experts helps assure that our program is inclusive and well-rounded.
Active worm bin compost managed by the sustainability crew at WCC, photo by Jennifer Bass.
Currently, the sustainability crew at WCC, led by Corrections Specialist 3 Jeff Sanders, has several active composting projects including thermophilic piles (pictured), bokashi, vermicomposting using worms (pictured) and black soldier flies. SPP hopes to provide an educational opportunity to supplement these active projects in the future using this curriculum.
The compost at WCC is utilized in their many gardens, and the black soldier fly larva are even used to feed the chickens! Photos by Jennifer Bass.
Development of the curriculum is slated to be finished by spring, with the pilot program in Nevada getting started quickly after that. Until then, we will continue to write, edit, and edit some more for this exciting new program. One thing is for sure, the future of composting education in prisons is bright!
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.
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 CreekCorrections 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.
