The Foundation hosts membership events throughout the year. Currently, some programs are on Zoom and others are in-person. There is no cost for members to participate.
Anyone not currently a member who wishes to participate should Join the Foundation for $10/year. Joining does not confer WSU Master Gardener or Master Recycler Composter status.
2025 Meetings
Join our seed swap just in time for spring!
In-Person Membership Meeting and Seed Swap
Saturday, March 1 – 1 to 3pm
Panorama, Lacey
Questions? Email info@mgftc.org
Management of Trees in the Landscape
Thursday, April 17
6:30 pm – Membership Meeting
7:00 pm – Guest Speaker
Ken Bevis, Stewardship Biologist for the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Service Forestry Program, will give a one-hour presentation on management of trees in the landscape and backyard forest, wildlife habitat, and the benefit of dead wood.
McLane Black Lake Fire Department
Large Meeting Room
125 Delphi Rd NW
Olympia, WA 98502
Park in the back lot of the fire station. Carpooling is appreciated.
Tea and cookies will be available.
Bio: Ken is a Central Washington University Wildcat, with a Master’s of Science in Biology (1994), where he studied woodpeckers and dead trees in 3 forest types near Cle Elum. He also holds a BS in Forestry and Wildlife from Virginia Tech (1979). Ken is originally from Virginia, and has lived in Washington since 1986. He worked on spotted owls for the U. S. Forest Service and Yakama Indian Nation in the late 1980s and early 90s. Then he went to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (15 years) reviewing timber harvest permits, writing grants and then salmon recovery. His current role is the statewide fish and wildlife biologist helping small forest landowners learn how to manage their forest lands for forestry and wildlife. He frequently teaches workshops and classes for Washington State University Extension programs and others. He writes songs, scientific and newsletter articles, and the end page humor column for Northwest Woodlands magazine. Bevis is fascinated with dead trees and works to find humor in everything.
The Ecology and Restoration of South Sound Prairies
Wednesday, June 25
6:30 pm – Membership Meeting
7:00 pm – Guest Speaker
Gina Smith has worked for many years to help restore the prairies of the south Puget Sound, one of Washington’s rarest ecosystems. These prairies support a remarkable diversity of plants and animals and are home to many threatened and endangered species. In this talk she will discuss the cultural and ecological history of glacial outwash prairies in the south Sound and how land managers from a variety of agencies are working together to restore this exceptional landscape.
Location – Heritage Hall, Thurston County Fairgrounds
Bio: Gina Smith enjoys working to help preserve rare habitats in western Washington, and has worked in ecosystem restoration for the past eight years. She coordinates prairie restoration on Joint Base Lewis-McChord with Colorado State University’s Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands. She is a Master of Environmental Studies Graduate from The Evergreen State College, where she studied small mammal seed predation on south Sound prairies.
August 14 – Summer Picnic
Tumwater Historical Park
September 26-27 – State Master Gardener Conference – Online
Open to the public.
Details and registration online at https://mglearns.mastergardenerfoundation.org
The Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State hosts an annual Advanced Education Conference in partnership with the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program and the dedication of WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers, to further the training of volunteers and keep them abreast of cutting-edge horticultural science. This educational event is just one way we strive to ensure that when you reach out to your local Extension Master Gardeners, you are assured of getting innovative, unbiased, scientifically supported advice.
Reimagining Your Lawn
Thursday, October 16 – via Zoom
6:30 pm – Membership Meeting
7:00 pm – Guest Speaker – Mike Peronto
With changing climate and lifestyles the traditional lawn has outlived its usefulness. Is it time to reimagine its usefulness and repurpose it into something that is better for the environment and matches your lifestyle needs.
Bio: Mike Peronto has been a Master Gardener since 2017 and currently resides in Pierce County. He leads a state-wide group of Master Gardener volunteers who focus on the Climate Change priority within the Master Gardener Mission.
The group, Climate Action Teams (CATs) work on improving our content offering related to climate change so that this information can be used by Master Gardeners across the state. Mike’s first presentation, The Resilient Yard was the first presentation to be ‘Badged’ by WSU as certified to be given across the state. CATs currently have a total of 6 ‘Badged’ presentations. This presentation, Reimagining Your Lawn is a newly ‘Badged’ presentation.
December 13 – Annual Meeting
Time and Location – TBD