Washington State Penitentiary (WSP)
WSP is home to the renowned Sustainable Practices Lab (SPL). The SPL hosts a variety of sustainability programs to reduce the amount of waste and support the nearby community by donating items like quilts, teddy bears, art, woodworking pieces, plants, and much more. The SPL also hosts SPP’s Sage Brush Steppe Conservation Nursery , Foundations in Gardening , and beekeeping . The SPL is also home to the podcast Concrete Mama. Outside of the SPL, WSP is full of a wide variety of gardens, including a large-scale farm that supports WSP’s kitchen and local food banks. See below for all programs reported by WSP.
Each shop in the SPL is overseen by an incarcerated lead, and they often provide tours for visitors to the lab. Photo by Ricky Osborne.
Facility Highlights
Sagebrush Steppe Ecological Conservation Program
Program Highlights:
Expanded nursery production to include forbs and shrubs. 26 technicians completed the program in 2025.
Area:
SPL
SPL: Foundations in Gardening
Program Highlights:
40 students have completed the class since it started being offered in 2024.
Area:
SPL
Aquaculture and Aquaponics
Program Highlights:
This system uses a closes system loop to grow house plants and plant starts that are used across the facility.
Area:
SPL
Art program
Program Highlights:
Various art pieces created by incarcerated artists are donated to auctions that support various charities.
Area:
SPL
Partners:
Various nonprofit partners
Beekeeping
Program Highlights:
4 healthy hives that help pollinate SPL’s Green Zone; 44 Beginner certified beekeepers so far; two classes are in session now – a Beginner course with 7 incarcerated students and 2 staff members and a Journeyman course with 7 incarcerated students! Tried a new mite treatment this Spring that has worked well for their bees.
Area:
SPL
Partners:
West Plain Beekeepers, WASBA, Washington State Beekeepers Association
Community Crews
Program Highlights:
Sustainability-related activities included landscaping, mowing, trimming, brush removal, cleaning out creeks, tree and shrub planting for fish and wildlife habitat, and pumpkin harvest.
Area:
WSP-MSU
Partners:
City/County of Walla Walla, Veterans Administration, Port of Walla Walla, Walla Walla Fairgrounds, Walla Walla Landfill, City of Waitsburg, City of Dayton, College Place, City of Prescott
Composting, Main
Program Highlights:
In previous years, 75.9925 tons of post-consumer food waste to compost; 85.605 tons of post-consumer food waste to in-ground composting to improve soil in wheat fields; saves ~$150,000 in disposal fees.
Area:
WSP
Concrete Mama Podcast
Program Highlights:
Second season coming in 2026. First season was very successful, even hitting No. 2 in Apple’s documentary charts.
Area:
SPL
Partners:
Unincarcerated Productions
Flower gardens
Program Highlights:
Pollinator-friendly flower gardens, boxes, and baskets; added several new planter boxes and a pollinator garden of clover.
Area:
WSP-MSU
Institutional Sustainability Garden
Program Highlights:
Grew almost 250,000 lbs. of produce that were either donated to local food banks, used in the facility kitchen, shared with other facilities, or donated to staff.
Area:
WSP
Partners:
Blue Mountain Action Council and Christian Aid Center
SPL: Green Zone
Program Highlights:
The SPL grows a variety of fresh produce, like tomatoes, peppers, and melons, that are donated to local food banks.
Area:
SPL
Partners:
Farm to school, Lettuce Grow, Master Gardening program, OSU
SPL: Green Zone composting
Program Highlights:
40+ tons kitchen food waste combined with waste paper results in 20+ tons of finished compost; compost spread in SPL: Green Zone.
Area:
WSP-SPL
SPL: Wood Shop & Carving
Area:
SPL
Partners:
WSP Employees Veterans Committee, Hard Headz, Habitat for Humanity, Blue Mountain Humane Society, Fallen Outdoors and Salmon for Soldiers
SPL: Worm Farm
Program Highlights:
Produced 8,000 lbs of worm castings within the past year and reduced institutional landfill impact by 8,000 lbs; worm products donated to nonprofits and used in institution gardens.
Area:
SPL
SPL:Crochet Program
Program Highlights:
A team of 4 SPL workers crochet various items for donation.
Area:
SPL
SPL:Sign Shop
Program Highlights:
The Sign Shop continues to produce signs to support.
Area:
SPL
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Once a year, SPP reports on all things sustainable happening in Washington State Prisons.