In 2025, Clark County’s Legacy Lands program celebrates its 40th anniversary. Since 1985, the program has protected, preserved and restored 5,500 acres of natural space. Protecting these valuable natural resources protects air, water and wildlife habitat, and provides recreational opportunities at some of the area’s most scenic locations.

Update, 10/23: This information has been updated to include the deadline for application. 

The Clark County Council is seeking applicants to fill up to five seats on a fifteen-person board that advises the county on matters related to the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad. 

Applicants with railroad or railroad-related experience, or business experience using freight-rail service, are desired. 

Board members serve three-year terms. Terms are anticipated to begin after Jan. 1, 2026. 

When Halloween celebrations are over, residents can compost their pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns to give them new life. 

Clark County and The Cowlitz Indian Tribe are working to restore habitat and provide nature-based recreational opportunities at the Gordy Jolma Family Natural Area in Battle Ground. The property, a former golf course, was purchased in 2022 by the county’s Legacy Lands program. Preliminary planning is underway to improve this public open space by restoring fish habitat in Salmon Creek and improving nature-based recreational opportunities like walking, birdwatching, fishing, picnicking and cultural and environmental education.

As water quality in our lakes, rivers and streams becomes an increasingly visible issue, the community is continuing to come together to collaborate on solutions to protect clean water. To this end, the Clark County Clean Water Commission is hosting the Nonpoint Source Pollution Symposium from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at the Clark County Event Center. 

Clark County Public Works, Clean Water, is launching a stormwater management action plan effort to improve water quality in the lower Salmon Creek watershed. The effort, called Salmon Creek Solutions, kicks off on Wednesday, Oct. 8, with a community open house. Residents are invited to help shape Clark County's plan to prevent pollution and enhance stormwater runoff management. From street sweeping and rain gardens to future development strategies, solutions will determine how the county supports a healthy and thriving Salmon Creek - for families, fish and wildlife.

As colorful leaves begin to fall from trees, Clark County and city of Vancouver encourage community members to properly dispose of leaves to keep them out of streets and the landfill. 

Leaves should not be raked or blown into streets. Fallen leaves can clog storm drains and create areas of standing water on roadways, making roads unsafe for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. Instead, residents can take advantage of local disposal options that use leaves to create compost.

Clark County’s Composter Recycler program is offering a series of free in-person workshops about composting and sustainable living strategies. The series will teach participants how to reduce their impact on the planet through composting, green cleaning, recycling, preventing food waste and reducing holiday waste. All workshops are 6-7:30 p.m. at Waste Connections of Washington, 9411 NE 94th Ave. in Vancouver. Families are welcome.

The workshops offered this fall are: 

In a first-of-its kind project for Clark County, Public Works brought together more than 50 volunteer artists, dozens of volunteers, and staff from many different divisions in Public Works to paint a mural celebrating healthy streams. The approximately 4,000-square-foot mural features stormwater pollution prevention messages and more than 60 fish, of species native to Salmon Creek, painted in the unique styles of the volunteer artists. 

Clark County Public Works is partnering with community members to paint a mural on the retaining wall on the north side of Northeast 117th Street, just west of Northeast Highway 99 and across from Klineline Pond/Salmon Creek Regional Park. The mural, which will feature salmon and a watershed pollution prevention theme, will be painted by more than 60 artists during the first two weekends of September (Saturday, Sept. 6; Sunday, Sept. 7; Saturday, Sept. 13 and Sunday, Sept. 14).