Peak News and Views

What’s great about green infrastructure? We hear a lot about infrastructure these days as our government debates economic stimulus spending. Green infrastructure is smart! It can entail green parking, green roofs, bioswales, rain gardens, rainwater harvesting, urban tree canopies, and permeable pavements. “Green infrastructure” is a catch-all term that refers to using plant-based infrastructure to…

Soil moisture monitoring: more important than you think Soil moisture monitoring improves agriculture, both ecologically and economically. Then, I’ll examine some of soil moisture monitoring’s less widely known—yet still extremely important—use cases. Finally, to aid you in your soil moisture monitoring goals, I’ll also investigate several different options for soil moisture monitoring. The California Almond…

The Pacific Northwest is baking in a record-breaking heat wave, with an all-time high of 108 degrees Fahrenheit reported Saturday in Portland, Oregon. The previous record was set in 1981 (107 degrees) and 1965. Seattle hit 102 degrees on June 27 and is expected to smash the record today. Along the West Coast, more than…

Hottest on record in the Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest is baking in a record-breaking heat wave, with an all-time high of 108 degrees Fahrenheit reported Saturday in Portland, Oregon. The previous record was set in 1981 (107 degrees) and 1965. Seattle hit 102 degrees on June 27 and is expected to smash the record…

Increasing Soil Health: Resilience to Drought and Extreme Rainfall No-till and cover crops can help stabilize yields, improve agricultural productivity, and build resiliency through increased soil organic carbon content and soil water storage.Extreme weather events, such as extended drought and heavy precipitation, are out of landowners’ and growers’ control; but through effective soil health management…

Climate Impacts on Agriculture According to the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, Washington crops and livestock will be affected by climate change through warming temperatures, rising atmospheric carbon dioxide, increasing water stress and declining availability of irrigation water. The Climate Impacts Group is widely recognized for scientific discovery, as an experienced creator of impartial & actionable…