Sustainability in Prisons Project
Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

This year was the third successful season of SPP’s Taylor’s checkerspot bu erfly program at Mission Creek Correc ons Center for
Women. One bu erfly technician had been with the program from the start, and she has made huge contribu ons to establishingand improving the program. She released just a er the close of FY14, and is pursuing plans to a end college star ng fall 2015.
Photo by Benj Drummond and Sara Joy Steele.

Year in Review: photo highlights

2013 was a landmark year for SPP in two ways: ten years since the first pilot programs, and five years sinceformalizing the partnership between The Evergreen State College and Washington State Department of Correc‐
ons. In November 2013, SPP celebrated with tree plan ngs and celebra ons at Cedar Creek Correc ons Centerand the college campus. Photos by Danielle Winder (above) and Jaal Mann (below).

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual ReportThis year, SPP oﬀered more workshops and interac ve sessions to students of the Science andSustainability Lecture Series; oﬀenders showed enthusiasm and apprecia on for this approachand asked for more. Photo by Joslyn Rose Trive .

SPP standardized and formalized cer fica on for our educa on and conserva on programs; here
an inmate technician from Cedar Creek Correc ons Center conserva on crew receives acknowl‐
edgement of hours worked and demonstrated skills. Photo by Jaal Mann.
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual ReportFollowing a successful pilot of Roots of Success environmental literacy curriculum, SPP commi ed to ex‐
panding the program statewide. At the end of FY14, nearly 40 staﬀ and inmates were cer fied as instructors
for the curriculum. Photo by Joslyn Rose Trive .

SPP gained a western pond turtle program, caring for turtles recovering from a shell disease. Cedar Creek
Correc ons Center hosted a steady stream of turtles throughout the year, and provided excellent care un l
the animals were healthy enough to return to their wild habitat. Photo by Washington Department of Fish
and Wildlife biologist.
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual ReportIn FY14, SPP was instrumental in establishing a Prairie Conserva on Crew from Cedar Creek Correc‐
ons Center that works solely on restora on. The crew serves mul ple collabora ng agencies andhas provided greatly needed skilled labor at regional nurseries and prairie sites. Photo by Jaal Mann.

SPP’s Taylor’s checkerspot program had its third successful rearing and breeding season, andreleased 2,569 as caterpillars on local prairie sites. In this photo, Audrey Lamb of the Center
for Natural Lands Management works with SPP Graduate Research Assistant Lindsey Hamil‐
ton to place the caterpillars on host plants. Photo by Kelli Bush.
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual ReportAt Monroe Correc onal Complex’s TEDx, in March 2014, three speakers highlighted SPP programs.
SPP Co‐Director Dan Pacholke’s talk was selected for TED.com, and by November, 2014 had nearly
600,000 views. Photo by DOC staﬀ.

Dog programs received well‐deserved media coverage this year, and included some excellent photo
journalism and videos. This image was in SeaƩle Met’s story about Brigadoon Service Dogs whichplaces dogs with military veterans. Photo by Michael Kane.
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual ReportA er a year‐long hiatus, SPP’s Oregon spo ed frog rearing program returned for another successful
season. In this photo SPP Graduate Research Assistant Fiona Edwards prepares to release a frog to its
new habitat. Photo by Sadie Gilliom.

With each passing year, Evergreen and DOC become be er partners with be er integrated eﬀorts.
In FY14, SPP staﬀ from both sides of the partnership brought topic experts to Coyote Ridge Correc‐
ons Center for a two day working mee ng, and twenty‐two par cipants collaborated on an ac onplan for the prison’s sustainability programs. Photo by Kelly Frakes.
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

Sustainability in Prisons Project
Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report
Contents
1. Background Information - 3
Report Objectives
SPP Mission
SPP Vision
SPP Essential Components
SPP Staff and Organizational Chart
Partnerships
2. Budget - 4
Funding requests
3. Sustainability Job Programs - 6
4. Sustainable Operations - 7
Data and Tracking
Materials Management
Farm to Prison
Garden to Kitchen
5. Community Contribution Programs - 8
Dog and Cat Programs
6. Conservation Programs - 10
Oregon Spotted Frog Program
Western Pond Turtle Program
Conservation Nursery Program
Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterflies and Other Pollinators
7. Education Programs - 15
Lecture Series
Roots of Success
8. Evaluation - 20
9. SPP Network - 20
SPP – WASPP Network – National
Accomplishments
New Interest from Outside WA
10. Dissemination - 22
Presentations

SPP Products, Publications, and Internships
Media Coverage
Website and Social MediaAwardsAppendices
1. SPP Programs in Washington State Prisons - 29
2. SPP Partner Organizations- 33

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report2

1. Background Information
Report Objectives

This report provides information on SPP activities during Washington State fiscal year 2014 (FY14) which
includes the period from July 1st 2013 through June 30th 2014. Washington Department of Corrections(WDOC) considers all sustainability initiatives taking place in Washington prisons to be part of SPP. The
primary objective of this document is to update partners on statewide SPP activities. While this effort
does not include a summary report on every program in the state, we have developed a working list
(Appendix 1) of all SPP-WA programs in an attempt to acknowledge the full suite of programs offered.
We will continue to improve our reporting and tracking methods each year in order to provide anincreasingly comprehensive annual update of all programs within the SPP partnership.

SPP Mission

The Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) is a partnership founded by the Washington State Departmentof Corrections (WDOC) and The Evergreen State College (Evergreen). Our mission is to bring science andnature into prisons. We conduct ecological research and conserve biodiversity by forging collaborations
with scientists, inmates, prison staff, students, and community partners. Equally important, we help
reduce the environmental, economic, and human costs of prisons by inspiring and informing sustainable
practices.

SPP VisionThis union of ideas and activities – and people inside and outside prison walls – creates a collaborative,
intellectually stimulating environment in which incarcerated men and women play key roles inconservation and advancing scientific knowledge. We encourage teamwork, mutual respect and a
stewardship ethic among individuals who typically have little or no access to nature or opportunities inscience and sustainability. Our vision is not only to save tax dollars and natural resources, but also tohelp offenders rebuild their lives for the benefit of all.

SPP Essential Components

Although each endeavor and corrections institution is unique, our experiences point to five Essential
Components for every SPP program:
1. Partnerships and collaborations with multiple benefits
2. Bringing nature “inside”
3. Engagement and education
4. Safe and sustainable operations
5. Evaluation, dissemination, and tracking

SPP Staff and Organization Chart

The organization chart below in Figure 1 includes current staff as of October 2014. There are many
corrections, academic, conservation, and community organization staff contributing the success of SPP;
however this chart is limited to core staff at WDOC and Evergreen. SPP is co-directed by Dr. Carri LeRoy
from Evergreen and Mr. Dan Pacholke from WDOC. The organization currently includes two Senior
Advisors, four staff, and nine program coordinators.
Program Coordinator positions are staffed by Evergreen students working 19 hours per week. Studentstaff typically work for two year terms graduate program. Therefore, each summer several students
complete their work with us and new students begin. Several individuals not named on the chart below
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report3

worked in various coordinator positions for SPP during FY14:Jaal Mann, Drissia Ras, Amory Ballantine,
Andrea Martin, Dennis Aubrey, Brittany Gallaher, and Rachel Stendahl.

Figure 1. SPP Organizational Chart
Partnerships

Partnerships and collaboration are an essential component of SPP work and nearly every SPP program.
We continually work to identify new potential partners and mutually beneficial programs. A working listof SPP partnerships is included in Appendix 3. During FY14 at least 53 different organizations
contributed to SPP programs in WA.

2. Budget
Nearly all of the funds allotted to SPP were fully utilized as outlined in the grants and contracts awarded.
Unfortunately, staff weren’t able to complete a few key expenditures by the end of the fiscal year,
leaving approximately $900 of the WDOC contract unspent. FY14, SPP had just over $404,000 in funds
from 12 different sources. Other sources consist of state and federal contracts, foundation donations,private donations, and a federal grant.
Regular budget reports were sent to Co-Directors and SPP managers throughout the fiscal year. Reports
include current funding source start and end dates, program areas supported, starting balance, current
balance, notes on the status of the funding source, and payment details. A subsection of the report
includes status information for pending grants, contracts, and awards.
Funds provided by the Herb Alpert Foundation (HAF) were very helpful in advancing the goals of thefledgling SPP Network and on-going evaluation work over the past year. A significant portion of SPP’s
funds are dedicated to specific programs such as native plant production or butterfly rearing andtherefore are not available to support expansion of the SPP model. HAF funds were fully expended
within the award timeframe.
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report4Funding Requests

In addition to the funds expended from various grant and contract sources, staff continuously work to
steward existing resources, close out grants and contracts, and secure new funding. Table 1 provides asummary of all funding requests submitted in FY14. Funding from some of the sources listed crosses
FY14 deadlines, but all items listed represent staff effort expended in FY14. Funds were provided bysources highlighted in green. Our FY15 goal is to secure funding that will fill identified gaps in operationof the SPP Network, program evaluation, and education/training opportunities for incarcerated adults.
Table 1. SPP FY1 4 Grant and Contract Funding Requests
SourceAmountProgram Area
Funded?

Timeline

AZA$22,393.00

frog researchno10/1/14- 9/30/15

DOC FY 15$185,341.06

SPP generalyes

7/1/14- 6/30/15

DOC FY 16
Government
Innovations$196,927.47

SPP generalyes

7/1/15-6/30/16$100,000.00

SPP generalpending

JBLM$50,000.00

DOC/CI$25,000.00

JBLM FY14$105,000.00

JBLM FY14$21,150.00

JBLM Gopher$36,902.00

NSF
Supplement
CNLM (ACUB
and other
grant sources)
Patagonia
NSF- Human
NaturalSystems

yes
yes
no
yes

9/1/14-8/30/15
8/1/14-6/30/15
9/1/13-8/31/14
unfunded
5/1/13-4/30/14

Network

no$62,152.00

conservation
nurseryyes$11,807.00

turtles, SPP booknounfunded$500,000.00

Networkno,conceptual
stage

unfunded$10,000.00

HAF 2014$10,000.00

JBLM

yes

unknown$50,000.00

HAF 2013

SeattleFoundation
SeattleFoundationconservation
nursery
Rootsconservation
nursery
research assistantcrew
conservation
nursery

Network, eval.,
SPP general
Network, eval.,
SPP general

unfunded

12/1/13-11/30/14

yes
yes

$15,000.00

SPP generalyes$10,000.00

SPP generalyes$111,000.00

conservation
nurseryyes*proposals highlighted in green were successfully funded

11/30/12-11/30/13
10/25/13-10/25/14
unrestrictedunrestricted9-1-14-8-30-15

3. Sustainability Job Programs
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

5

SPP jobs provide inmates opportunities to contribute to communities and ecosystems while gaining job
training, education, and sustainable living skills. The list included in Table 2 provides a snap shot of SPP
jobs after the end of FY14 in October 2014. This list was developed by a small team of partners
representing the WDOC and Evergreen sides of the SPP partnership. All positions have been evaluatedfor linkages to SPP’s Five Essential Components (see Background Information above). New positions will
likely be added for consideration in future reports.
Depending on their respective positions, participants in sustainability jobs received different levels of
training and education and exposure to community collaboration, work with living things, andopportunities to contribute. Dog and cat program positions are also classified as sustainability jobs, but
due to the scope and nature of these domestic animal programs, these positions are reported in a
separate section of this report. In total nearly 3,000 of the approximately 16,800 men and women
incarcerated in Washington are involved in sustainability jobs.
Table 2. Sustainability Jobs Snap Shot: October, 2014
Inmate Position Title
AQUACULTURE WORKERSASBESTOS ABATEMENT WORKER
BICYCLE REPAIR
BIKE & WHEELCHAIR REPAIR
BIO WASTE CUSTODIANBOOK REPAIR
BUTTERFLY REARING TECHCOMMUNITY CREW CLERKCOMMUNITY WORK CREWSCOMPOST WORKER SUSTAINABLE
CRAFT SUSTAINABLE CLRKEYEGLASS RECYCLING TECHNICIANFISHERIES WORKER I
FOOD SRVCS WASTE RECYCLER
FORESTRY I WORKER
FORESTRY II WORKER
FROG REARINGGROUNDSKEEPER IGROUNDSKEEPER IIHORTICULTURE I WORKER
HORTICULTURE WORKER IIHORTICULTURE-THERAPEUTIC COM
INSIDE GROUNDSKEEPERMECHANIC WHEEL CHAIR REPAIR
PRAIRIE PLANT CONSERVATION

Number
Employed
2
10
22
6
4
1
3
12
824
14
1
8
21
217
565
19
5
349
44
75
34
13
17
1
19

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

6

RECYCLING WORKER
RE-USE FABRIC-SUSTAINABLE
WASTE TREATMENT OPERATOR II
WASTE TRT 1 OPERATOR
WORM FARM WORKER
total

245
60
7
17
16
2631

4. Sustainable Operations
Data and Tracking

Sustainable operations data is tracked by calendar year by the SPP Sustainable Operations Manager at
WDOC. Table 3 provides the most current numbers available for the 2013 calendar year. Additionalsustainable operations information will be included in the WDOC Sustainability Report in calendar year
2015. Further information is available upon request.
Leadership at WDOC sees the value of excellent data management as a means to further improve
program operations and performance management. Previous data collection efforts were challenged bylack of reporting mechanisms, not by a lack of commitment. Over the last fiscal year, significant time andresources have been dedicated to upgrading data tracking systems. A new sustainability database will
“go live” December 2014. This web-based system should significantly improve data collection forsustainability programs statewide.
Table 3. SPP Sustainable Operations: % Change Comparison for Calendar Years 2005 & 2013
Energy15% reduction*
Potable Water
14% reduction
Transportation Fuels
30% reduction
Landfill waste
50% reduction
Total waste
41% reduction*Percent change derived from consumption/generation data for calendar years 2005 and 2013 based on
offender per year calculation. Total waste includes hazardous, universal, composted, landfilled,incinerated, and recycled categories.

Materials Management

Offenders are engaged in materials management at each facility. Their efforts are instrumental to land
fill waste reduction. All twelve WA prisons divert organic waste to compost. Ten of the twelve facilities
compost food waste on site. Every WA prison engages offenders in waste management to recycle,
reuse, or repurpose materials. Waste management includes upstream waste diversion programs,
downstream sorting, or a combination of both.
In calendar year 2005 the number of pounds of landfill waste per inmate was 973.38 pounds/individual.
With programs in place to reduce, reuse, recycle and reclaim items, the number of pounds per inmate
has been reduced to 485.85 pounds per inmate in 2013. This represents approximately 50% reduction in
waste being sent to the landfill. We are continuously working to reduce waste even further.

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report7We are working to increase educational opportunities for staff and offenders at all facilities. SPP
currently offers sustainable operations education through on-the-job training, program design,
educational signage, environmental literacy education, and lectures and workshops for staff andoffenders. Lecture and workshop topics include composting, vermiculture, and recycling. Educational
programs have partially contributed to the significant reduction of waste sent to the landfill. Further
waste reductions are planned and will be supported by new infrastructure and education and training
programs.

Farm to Prison

Inspired by the WDOC’s goal to reduce the carbon footprint associated with produce purchases, The
Farm to Prison project began as a pilot in 2011. Other program objectives included: generating market
opportunities for small local farms; encouraging sustainable farm practices; developing new community
partnerships; and creating meaningful opportunities for offenders. In FY 14 the Farm to Prison Project
spent 180,000 dollars at local farms and orchards from the Olympic peninsula to Walla Walla, WA.

Garden to Kitchen

The Garden to Kitchen project is an effort to formalize how facility gardens supply produce to facility
food services. Over the past couple of years, facility space dedicated to crops and garden yields have
expanded exponentially. In 2014 DOC prison facilities grew approximately 400,000 pounds of fresh
produce. SPP has been instrumental in supporting, guiding, and supplying resources to these efforts
Local Food Banks have also benefitted from these gardens. Roughly half of the facility-grown produce
has been donated to a variety of food banks and community projects.

5. Community Contribution Programs
Community contribution programs are characterized as partnerships between corrections centers andcommunity organizations. Creating partnerships with correctional facilities allows community
organizations to increase capacity and provides offenders with more options to contribute to the world
outside the secure perimeter. Many of these programs are well-established and predate SPP. Our
objective is to acknowledge and support these productive partnerships, and to provide a comprehensive
overview report of activities taking place statewide.
Dog and cat programs are the most common example of community contribution programs. Other
examples of successful community contribution programs include:
•
•

•
•
•
•
•

Salvaging fabrics from worn clothing and sheets and sewing them into quilts for donation tocommunity shelters
Assisting WA State Parks with prescribed tree thinning for forest health, processing the downed
tree material for firewood, and delivering the wood to low-income families in the community forhome heating
Starting seeds and growing plants for a local non-profit
Restoring bicycles for community donation
Salvaging used shoes either for shipping to those in need of shoes or for recycling (ground up for
new materials)
Creating coloring books for children and inmate families
Growing crops for local food banks, schools, and community events

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report8

Dog and Cat ProgramsDog and cat programs are common in prisons across Washington. These programs are considered part
SPP because of the characteristics they have in common with conservation programs and their strong
connection to SPP’s five Essential Components. Nearly all of WA’s prisons have formed one or morepartnerships with local non–profit groups to create programs in which offenders train dogs and cats forgeneral or service animal adoption. Inmates receive support from partner organizations to provide
excellent animal care and obedience training. As detailed in Table 4, there were 307 incarcerated men
and women participating in dog or cat programs in prisons across the state in October 2014. A complete
list of FY14 dog and cat programs and partners is included below.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Cedar Creek Corrections Center – Brigadoon Service Dogs
Monroe Correctional Complex – Summit Assistance Dogs
Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women – Prison Pet Partnership
Washington Corrections Center – Law Enforcement Training
Washington Corrections Center for Women – Prison Pet Partnership
Airway Heights Corrections Center – Pawsitive Dogs in partnership with Spokanimal
Clallam Bay Corrections Center – Welfare Animal Guild•

Coyote Ridge Corrections Center – Ridge Dogs in partnership with Benton Franklin
Humane Society, Adams County Pet Rescue and Forgotten Dogs Rescue
Olympic Corrections Center – Olympic Peninsula Humane Society

•
•
•
•
•

Stafford Creek Corrections Center – Freedom Tails in partnership with Harbor
Association of Volunteers for Animals (HAVA)
Washington State Penitentiary – Blue Mountain Humane Society
Larch Corrections Center – Larch Cat Adoption Program (LCAP) in partnership with
West Columbia Gorge Humane Society and Humane Society for SW Washington
Monroe Correctional Complex – Kitten Connections in partnership with Purrfect
Pals No–kill Shelter

Table 4. Inmates Employed in Dog and Cat Programs in October 2014
Dog and Cat Care Positions
DOG OBEDIENCE HANDLER
DOG SERVICE HANDLER
DOG SRVCS/OBED SECONDARY
DOG WALKER
KENNEL WORKER ABKA
CAT HANDLER

Number
Employed
201
15
55
16
9
11
total
307

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report96. Conservation Programs
SPP conservation programs represent ambitious collaboration among a variety of partners. Each
program receives crucial support from a variety of contributors including inmates, corrections staff, SPP
student coordinators and staff, agency scientists, and community partners. Program success isdependent on each participant contributing their expertise and time. Programs are designed tomaximize benefits for each collaborator by sharing workload and leveraging resources.

Oregon Spotted Frog Program

The Oregon spotted frog (OSF; Rana pretiosa) is a state-listed endangered species and a candidate forfederal listing; this warm water marsh species has vanished from an estimated 70% of its historic range.
Since 2009, SPP has partnered with the OSF recovery group: scientists and conservation leaders fromthe Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and three zoos. With
support of the recovery group, SPP has participated in a program to head start OSF in captivity andrelease them to wetlands in Pierce County.
Inmates, staff, and students have worked together to successfully raise more than 600 OSF since 2009 at
Cedar Creek Corrections Center (CCCC). Results of the captive rearing program are included in Table 5
listed below .Inmate technicians are excellent at captive rearing work. They routinely achieve high rates
of survival and raise large frogs closer to reproductive maturity at the time of release. Since 2009, 11
inmate technicians have received herpetological training, 6 different graduate students havecoordinated the program, and 4 corrections staff have served as WDOC staff liaison for the frog andturtle programs. Since fall 2013, 3 inmate technicians have been awarded certifications for their
participation in the frog and turtle program.
In 2013, the OSF captive rearing program was temporarily put on hold during recovery plan updates.
Captive rearing resumed in 2014 in CCCC’s new herpetological area which was designed to house both
the Oregon Spotted Frog and Western Pond Turtle programs. In March 2014, 100 eggs were delivered to
CCCC and cared for by 2 inmate technicians until the frogs’ release in September.
Table 5. Oregon Spotted Frog Rearing at CCCC March 2009 - June 2014
Year

Eggs
Number Overall Overwintering Overwintering Overall Total
Received Released Survival Received
Released
Survival Released

2009

80

62

84%

5

5

100%

67

2010

99

82

83%

29

26

90%

108

2011

256 (202
viable)

163

81%

67

59

88%

222

2012

368

247

67%

11

4

36%

251

2014

100 -

TOTAL

903

554

69%

112

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

94

84%

648

10

Western Pond Turtle Program

The western pond turtle (Emys marmorata) is a state-listed endangered species and federal species ofconcern. The turtles once ranged from the Puget Sound lowlands through western Oregon andCalifornia to Baja, California. Recovery in Washington will require long-term efforts because the turtles
mature slowly, requiring up to 10 years to produce their first offspring. Led by Washington Departmentof Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), partners have been working toward the recovery of western pond turtles
since the late 1990s. At the start of recovery efforts, only about 150 turtles remained in the wild in two
locations. Today, more than 2000 turtles have been released at 6 locations. In 2013, SPP joined partners
to assist in on-going recovery efforts. The results of SPP’s contributions are listed in Table 6 below.
In recent years, some western pond turtles have been afflicted by an infection of the shell (“shelldisease”). In some individual turtles the disease requires an initial period of intensive care provided byveterinarians at PAWS. After completing intensive care treatments, some turtles are moved to Cedar
Creek Corrections Center (CCCC) to receive extended care provided by two trained inmate technicians.
The technicians provide daily maintenance care while the turtle’s shells complete the healing process.
An existing building at CCCC was modified to provide an appropriate environment for turtle
rehabilitation. As each individual turtle is healed, animals can be released back into the wild. After theirrelease, WDFW is monitoring the turtles to see if they remain healthy and are able to reproduce
normally in the wild.
Table 6. Western Pond Turtle Rehabilitation at CCCC 2013 - July 2014
Turtles
TurtlesYear
Received
Released2013
8
82014 (as of
17
16
July)
Total
25
24

Conservation Nursery Program

SPP has become a major contributor to South Puget lowlands prairie restoration. SPP receives funding
support for the Conservation Nursery Program from the Center for Natural Lands Management (CNLM)
and Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM). Plants produced by SPP’s conservation nursery are used by stateand federal agencies and conservation organizations including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, JBLM,
WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, WA Dept. of Natural Resources, and CNLM. Since 2010, the Conservation
Nursery Program has trained nearly 80 inmate technicians, 10 different graduate students haveprovided program coordination, and 3 corrections staff have served as WDOC staff liaisons.
During FY14 the conservation nursery operated at three sites: Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC),
Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW), and Shotwell’s Landing Nursery. Shotwell’s
Landing nursery is supported by a Prairie Conservation Crew from Cedar Creek Corrections Center, a
newly-established crew of 10 offender technicians who work solely on prairie restoration throughout
Thurston County. The crew also serves multiple collaborating agencies and has provided greatly needed
skilled labor at the CNLM seed farm and regional prairie sites. In FY14, SPP was instrumental inestablishing, educating, and supervising the crew.

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

11The fall 2013 plant delivery represented a significant milestone for the conservation nursery: we
attained 1,000,000 plants delivered to our conservation collaborators since 2009 (Table 7). The 3
nursery sites now have an annual sowing capacity of 700,000 cells producing 418,000 plants, and thus
we are likely to reach our second million plants within only a few more years. In 2014, SPP staff worked
with partners from JBLM and CNLM to increase our prairie seed production as well. We built new seed
beds at WCCW, and results from that effort will help inform expansion at WCCW and a new seed bed
program at WCC in 2015.
Table 7. Conservation Nursery Regional Plug Summary FY14
2009*
Plantssp.
#

2010*
Plants
sp.
#

0

0

0

189,000

9

189,000

9Sown
WinterSown
Summer
Total
Sown
Total
Sown
Capacity

2011*
Plantssp.
#

2012
Plantssp.
#

2013
Plantssp.
#

2014**
Plantssp.
#

Total
Plants0127,200

5

272,85024

452,36831

478,60038

1,331,018

338,485

15

163,600

9

218,400

12

227,16420

319,375

34

1,267,024

338,48515

290,800

14

491,25036

679,53251

797,97572

2,598,042

4

1,106,786

72

1,977,460

200,000

320,000

320,000

470,000

650,000

700,000

Percent
Capacity

95%

106%

91%

105%

105%

114%

Total
Deliver

98,000% SownDeliver52%

Total
Request100,000

9

173,3361551%
9415,500

209,057

14

72%
17

320,600

336,341

38

68%
19

421,260

375,242

42

55%
42

402,000

12,810n/a

65418,100

sp. = Species*2009, 2010, 2011 SCCC only, 2011 re-location of SCCC nursery site**2014 Sown Winter and Total Delivered as reported on May 15, 2014; season complete Oct. 2014; Total
Sown Summer based on projection

In FY14 SPP staff implemented the following three strategies to improve the conservation nursery
program: consistent staff presence, increased educational offerings, and professionalizing technician
certification. We will continue to identify areas for improvement in the coming year. At the same time
we recognize that program participation and completion are impacted by a number of factors beyond
our control including infraction, release, and job change. A numerical summary of Conservation Nurserysite educational offerings and site visits is provided in Table 8.
1. Increased Presence
SPP increased presence at facilities to better exemplify dedication and work ethic for inmate
technicians. SPP students and staff worked alongside offenders and WDOC staff on 183 site
visits. SPP student coordinators also were able to support other sustainability initiatives such as
participating in sustainability committees at SCCC and WCCW.
2. Education and Training

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report12

Education and training for offender technicians is the centerpiece of SPP efforts; we strive to
inform and inspire our technicians to invest in their work. SPP trained 32 technicians from CCCC,
9 at WCCW and 10 at SCCC. In FY14, SPP added lectures to emphasize regional collaboration inprairie conservation. We delivered 25 lectures on a variety of topics including: fire ecology,
Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly recovery, prairie plant botany, sustainable practices, and nursery
cultivation. We offered cultivation workshops weekly—80 total for the 3 sites—for hands-on
training. We revised and expanded our workshop curriculum to include 14 topics in horticultural
production. These workshops were well-received and technicians were clearly engaged in thesubject matter.
SPP produced the fourth edition of our nursery manual in January of 2014 and distributed copies
to all offender technicians as reference and resource. This edition was significantly revised andenhanced from earlier versions. The manual covers conservation nursery protocols for seedstratification, sowing, insect and disease management, plant identification, irrigation
technology, and equipment safety. It also includes comprehensive prairie plant profiles for thetarget species.
3. Technician Certification
In FY14, we improved our certification process to include a formal description of skills
represented by a certificate. SPP presented certificates to 25 technicians completing either 400
hours or 800 hours of work and training (Table 9).
Table 8. Conservation Nursery Educational Offerings and Visits FY14Type of Visit and
Location
Presenter
Presentations Participants
SPP
3 Nursery
SPP
Total
Nursery Coordinators Collaborator
Manager
Lecture
SCCC
2
4
1
WCCW
2
4
1
CCCC - Shotwell's Landing 3
5
3
Total 7
13
5
Workshop
SCCC
2
26
0
WCCW
2
24
1
CCCC - Shotwell's Landing 6
13
6
Total 1063
7
Meetings, Nursery Maintenance, Oversight, and Planning
SCCC
2
27
0
WCCW
16
30
1
CCCC - Shotwell's Landing 18
99
N/A
Total 36
146
1
Visit Totals
SCCC
6
57
1
WCCW
20
58
3
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

7
7
11
25

27
10
33
70

28
27
25
80

27
10
33
70

29
47
117
183
64
81
13

CCCC - Shotwell's Landing 27
Total 53

117
222

Table 9. Conservation Nursery Certificates FY14
800
400
Locationhours hours Total
SCCC
3
6
9
WCCW
3
0
3
CCCC - Shotwell's
Landing
4
9
13
Total
10
15
25

9
13

153
288

Total
Participants % Certified
26
35%
9
33%
32
67

41%
37%

Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly Program and Other Pollinator Programs

SPP has engaged the patience and diligence of inmate technicians to achieve great success with
pollinating insects. Several prisons cultivate honey bees, bolstering struggling populations of this crucial
crop pollinator. Various rare and endangered butterflies are the subject for developing SPP rearing
programs, and our prairie plant programs grow numerous species that provide food and habitat forthese ephemeral beauties.
Our flagship pollinator program is with the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly (Euphydras editha taylori), a
Federally-endangered species that once flourished from southern British Columbia to central Oregon.
Currently there are only a few small, isolated populations of the butterfly remaining. The SPP captive
rearing facility at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women (MCCCW) adds to the scope andresilience of recovery efforts and bolsters the original rearing program at the Oregon Zoo. The first
Taylor’s checkerspot caterpillars were delivered to MCCCW February 2012. The end of FY14 marks thecompletion of the program’s third successful breeding season. Two cohorts of these animals have beencared for by inmate technicians at MCCCW throughout their complete life cycle.
Since June 2014, inmate technicians, students, corrections staff, and partners have reared andreleased more than 6,000 caterpillars and adult butterflies for release onto South Sound prairies. Morethan 18 inmate technicians have received animal husbandry training, 2 graduate students havecoordinated the program, and 3 WDOC staff have served as liaisons for the program. Since fall 2013, SPP
has issued 6 certificates for inmate technicians completing training in the program.
In July 2013, a total of 2,891 caterpillars went into diapause (sleep) at MCCCW for the winter. This was
the first time that diapausing larvae were housed at the corrections facility in the new shed built for thispurpose. The shed provided adequate conditions and 2,883 caterpillars survived diapause, resulting inan over-wintering survival rate of 99.7%. At the time of “wake up,” 11 second diapause caterpillars andthree caterpillars from wild lineages were transferred to the Oregon Zoo. Only three post-diapause
individuals died before release. In March 2014, we released a total of 2,569 caterpillars at two sites
including a newly established site at JBLM. The 300 captive-bred caterpillars that were retained, as wellas wild females that were collected in the field contributed to the 2014 breeding season. Spring 2014,
4,196 eggs were collected from wild and captive bred females. Rearing outcomes for this reporting
period are summarized in Table 10.

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report14

Table 10. Taylor’s Checkerspot Captive Rearing and Adult Butterfly Breeding at MCCCW July 2013 - June
2014
Retained
Eggs
Egg Layingfor
Into
Produced
FemalesReleased
Breeding
Diapause
May/June
April/May
February 2014
March
July 2013
2014
2014
2014
1021 (3transferred to OR
22 (copulated
Wild
1,327
Zoo)
300
at MCCCW)
2,308

1,458

1,453

0

24 (females
captured infield)11

0 (11 transferredto Oregon Zoo)

0

N/A

N/A

Unidentifiable
Caterpillars

11

11

0

N/A

N/A

Unique Lineage
received from
Oregon Zoo
Totals

84
2,891

84
2,569

0
300

N/A

N/A
4,196

Captive-bredSecondDiapause
Caterpillars

1,888

7. Education Programs
Lecture Series

SPP’s Science and Sustainability Lecture Series was in top form this year. This was largely thanks to theenthusiasm of program coordinator, Tiffany Webb, and program liaisons Paula Andrew at Washington
Corrections Center (WCCW) for Women and Chris Idso at Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC). At
SCCC, we also attribute increased lecture series interest to the Roots of Success program. Since Roots
began at SCCC (~June 2013), there was an obvious increase in students of the Lecture Series: up 40%
over the previous year.
In FY14, we were able to offer an extra lecture at WCCW, and two extra lectures at other prisons. We
recorded approximately 1,094 inmate-attendees at all facilities (due to repeat attendance, many
inmates are counted more than once). See Tables 11-13 for summary details.

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report15

Table 11. Summary of Lecture Series at Stafford Creek Corrections Center FY14
Date
7/18/2013
8/22/2013
9/19/201310/17/2013
11/21/2013
1/23/2014
2/20/2014
4/17/2014
5/22/2014
6/26/2014

Presenter
Tipping Point documentary
film
Cindy Irwin, Pamela Cabanas,
and Skie Bender, Wolf Haven
Laurie P. and Renzy, Olympia
Beekeepers Association
Cierra Hunziker, National
Wildlife Federation
David and Claudia Supensky
Tiffany Webb and Lindsey
Hamilton
Candace Vanderhoff
Carolyn Driedger, USGS
Cascades Volcano
Observatory
Rosa Vissers, Yoga Behind
Bars
Jeff Antonelis-Lapp,
Evergreen

Topic

Attendance

SPP Host

Alberta tar sands/oil

58

Brittany Gallagher

Wolves of Western
Washington

63

Beekeeping

57

NWF: Wildlife Habitat
Certification
For Heaven's Sake Wildlife
Rescue and Rehabilitation
SPP Virtual Tour and TCB
Program
Greywater Reclamation

Brittany Gallagher
Tiffany Webb
Tiffany Webb
Carl Elliott

71

Tiffany Webb78

Tiffany Webb87

Tiffany Webb64

Tiffany Webb

Volcanoes andEarthquakes in the PNW

51

Tiffany Webb

YBB, yoga, meditation, andself-sustainability

78

Tiffany Webb

Natural History of Mt.
Rainier57

Tiffany Webb

Total

664

Table 12. Summary of Lecture Series at Washington Corrections Center for Women FY14
7/2/2013

Jessica Levine, Middle school
science teacher

8/27/2013

Erin Ellis, Evergreen

9/10/2014

Wolf Haven

10/1/2013

Paul Pickett, Evergreen
Rachel Stendahl (SPP) andKwasi Addae, Evergreen MES
Cierra Hunziker, National
Wildlife Federation
Tiffany Webb and Lindsey
Hamilton, SPP
Rosa Vissers
Candace Vanderhoff
Anna Thurston, Advanced
Botanical Resources, Inc.
Thomas Pierson, USGS
Cascades Volcano Observ.

11/5/201312/3/2013
1/14/2014
2/4/2014
2/19/2014
3/4/2014
4/1/2014
5/6/2014
6/3/2014

Cheryl Fimbel, CNLM
Aimee Christy, Pacific
Shellfish Institute

Universal Laws
Ocean Acidification andClimate Change
Endangered wolf species
ecology & conservation
Climate Change
Marine Conservation andNaval Sonar
NWF: Wildlife Habitat
Certification
Virtual Tour of SPP and
Butterfly Conservation
Yoga Behind Bars
Greywater Reclamation
Gardening with native andinvasive plants
Volcanoes and Earthquakes
in the PNWPollinators
Mussel harvest & compost,
bioremediation

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

10
21

Jaal Mann
Andrea Martin
Brittany Gallagher
Tiffany Webb

~25*

Tiffany Webb

25

Tiffany Webb

45

Tiffany Webb

27

Tiffany Webb

38

Tiffany Webb

18
31

Tiffany Webb
Tiffany Webb

27

Tiffany Webb

49

Tiffany Webb

42

Tiffany Webb

22

Tiffany Webb

16

Total* Call out sheet not available for this event; attendance estimated.

380

Table 13. Summary of Lecture Series at Other Prisons FY14
4/28/14

Cedar Creek

Renzy Davenport,
Olympia Beekeepers
Association

Beekeeping~22*

Tiffany Webb

4/4/14

Mission Creek

Tiffany Webb andLindsey Hamilton, SPP

SPP Virtual Tour &TCB Program~28*

Tiffany Webb

*Call out sheet not available for this event; attendance estimated.

Since the lecture series began in 2009, we have recorded 4,000 inmate-attendees at the two main
facilities, 2,420 at SCCC and 1,580 at WCCW. Counting individual students who have attended thelecture (removing repeat attendance), we have recorded 1,575 inmate-students, 851 from SCCC and 724
from WCCW. Adding 233 inmate-students from McNeil Island in 2009 and 10 brings the total to 1,808;
adding lectures and workshops at CCCC and MCCCW, we estimate at least ~2000 inmate-students forthe lecture series. In the future, we hope to add WSP’s science and sustainability lecture series to ourreporting.

Figure 2. Participant responses sent to Paula Andrew after the sustainability workshop presented by
Scott Morgan from Evergreen.
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report17

We have received very positive feedback on the lectures from inmate students (see Figure 2 forexample). Anecdotally, workshops and lectures with an interactive component appear to generate thehighest levels of student engagement.
This year, SPP received welcome direction from DOC staff on how to improve our certification programs.
In response, we formalized our certification protocol: we standardized criteria for certification awards,
clarified communications and document flow, and created a certification packet describing the program
delivered to all recipients. We have also improved our record keeping to allow better tracking ofcertification candidacy and awards. We awarded certificates to recognize participation and skill
development in our lecture series and conservation programs; lecture series awards are detailed inTable 16 and those for the conservation nursery are in Table 9. Roots of Success provided graduation
certificates to all inmates who completed that program (see the previous section for more details).
Table 16. Summary of Lecture Series Certification
Facility
Certificate
Level 1 – 5 or more
SCCC
25
lectures
Level 2 – 10 or more
14
lectures
Level 3 – 20 of more
2
lectures
Level 1 – 5 or more
WCCW
19
lectures
Level 2 – 10 or more
3
lectures
Level 3 – 20 of more
1
lectures
Total
64

Roots of Success

Roots of Success is an environmental literacy curriculum developed by Dr. Raquel Pinderhughes,
Professor of Urban Studies & Planning at San Francisco State University (more at rootsofsuccess.org).
Pilots of the program at three WA prisons were well received, and graduated 160 inmate students in thereporting period. An additional 58 students did not graduate, but completed at least the Fundamentals
module of the curriculum. See Table 14 for summary details. Washington State Penitentiary (WSP) andStafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) had particularly productive Roots programs. Both institutions
relied on an offender-instructed approach with a minimum of staff supervision. At WSP, they integrated
the program into activities in the Sustainable Practice Lab; morning classes were followed by hands-on
practicum in the lab, and following graduation about 70% of the students were hired to work in the lab.
Table 14. Summary of Roots of Success Graduates FY14
Graduation
Facility
date
Graduates
Instructors
SCCC
8/19/1318 Robert Aleksinski (staff), David
SCCC
11/22/13
19 Duhaime, Cyril Delanto Walrond, &SCCC
5/7/1421 Grady Allan Mitchell
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report18

SCCC total

58
Robert Branscum (staff), John Oyen,
Anthony Williams, Joseph McClain,
Michael Oakes, Dwayne Sanders,
Mike Hoover, Kieth Parkins, &Anthony Powers

WSP SPL
WSP SPL
WSP minimum
WSP minimum
WSP SPL

7/12/13
9/20/13
11/4/13
11/18/13
2/7/14

18
18
7
14
17

WSP SPL
WSP total

3/21/14

18
92

CCCC

11/4/1410 Marcus White, Stephen Percer, Rita
Reynoldson (staff), Lucienne Banning
10 (staff)

CCCC total

Total for all
three facilities
160
Note: all Roots graduates receive a graduation certificate from Roots of Success.
In response to the pilot program success, CI and SPP organized two days of instructor trainings, resulting
in 38 additional certified Roots instructors from 6 prisons plus staff from SPP and CI—see Table 15 formore details. At the close of the reporting period, plans were in motion to provide Roots at 9 of the 12
prisons in WA, and add an abbreviated version of the curriculum, Expanded Fundamentals, to be offered
to all CI offenders within 18 months of release.
Table 15. Summary of Roots of Success Instructor Trainings
Roots Instructors Certified
Staff
16
Inmates
21
Total
38
Roots Instructors Certified by Facility
Monroe CC
4
Mission Creek
4
Clallam Bay
6
Coyote Ridge
8
WCC
3Airway
4
SPP
2
CI
7
Total
38
Note: all Roots instructors are certified by Roots of Success.

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report198. Evaluation
Program Updates, Surveys, and Records Request

During the reporting period, we continued evaluation of the lecture series program by participants(inmate students). For this evaluation program, we planned and began instituting improvements to thesurveys and to data entry and analysis; this was in preparation for data analyses in the summer of 2014.
SPP staff developed two new survey programs, thereby synthesizing years’ worth of partial efforts inthese areas.
1. Adding to lecture series evaluations, we created surveys to assess guest lecturers’ experienceand attitudes. At the time of report writing, this program has received Human Subjects Review(HSR) approval from Evergreen and is ready to implement.
2. For the conservation programs, we created surveys that will allow inmate technicians toevaluate the program as-is and provide ideas for improvements and other sustainability
programs in-prison. We modeled the surveys after those used in the lecture series program, andworked closely with DOC’s Research Manager to ensure that the surveys and methodology did
not require HSR. Again, at the time of report writing, we have received approval and are readyto implement the program in September, 2014.
SPP worked with multiple DOC Information Technology staff and SPP’s Sustainable Operations Manager
on a records request. At the same time that we defined the parameters for the ask, defined terms, andcompiled comprehensive sustainability program and participant lists, we investigated two options thatwould enable SPP staff to satisfy records requests rather than relying on DOC research staff. This effort
is still in progress, and nearing completion.
Finally, SPP responded to partners interested in evaluating aspects of SPP. We worked with graduate
students from Claremont College and the Associate Director for Western Positive Psychology Association
to develop an application for HSR. The focus would be to assess the impact of SPP conservation programon all stakeholders using a strengths-driven, qualitative analysis. In a separate effort, we consulted with
Roots of Success staff on evaluating program impacts on inmate-students’ environmental attitudes.
Also, we discussed options for evaluating a nature imagery program with partners at the University ofUtah.

9. SPP Network
SPP-WA

Over the past year, SPP staff significantly increased contact with prisons across Washington state.
Contact included increased visits to facilities and more email and phone correspondence regarding
specific programs. These initial efforts seem to be effective in shifting perspectives and further
developing cohesive statewide SPP programming. In fiscal year 15, SPP is continuing these efforts andplanning for a statewide gathering of representatives from corrections, conservation, and community
organizations.

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

20

SPP Network-International
In FY14, SPP-WA became the primary point of contact for the SPP Network. SPP-WA continues to berecognized by other countries, states, and counties for leadership in prison-based sustainability andscience programming. SPP’s managers were able to provide significant support and offerings to Network
participants largely by leveraging activities, programs, and outreach that also benefit SPP-WA. During
FY14 a new SPP staff position was created to support evaluation, education, outreach, and SPP Network
activities. Approximately 1/6 of the newly established position is dedicated to responding to Network
inquiries, updating and maintaining a database of Network contacts, and supporting and coordinating
Peer to Peer Mentoring efforts. Work focused on the SPP Network has been funded by the National
Science Foundation and the Herb Alpert Foundation. SPP-WA has benefitted from Network
development as contact with new ideas and resources has contributed to expanding and improving WA
operations and aspirations.
In FY14, the SPP Network included the following correctional agencies: OR, CA, MD, UT, OH, and WA
states; Multnomah, Los Angeles, and Santa Clara Counties. These 9 teams were primary collaborators at
the national level. All participated in both conferences funded by the National Science Foundation and,with the exception of California, all continue to share updates and resources with the SPP Network.

Accomplishments
•

•
•
•
•
•
•

Organized and facilitated Peer to Peer event for WA state: two day meeting, tour and action planning
at Plan for Coyote Ridge Corrections Center (alsosee http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/blog/2014/07/21/reaching-higher-at-coyote-ridge-correctionscenter/)Peer to peer event participation: hosting Santa Clara County (2 days)
Hosted New Mexico team for three days; tour of SCCC, WSP, and meeting at Evergreen(September, 2013)
Hosted OR team for three days; tour of WCCW, MCCCW, and meetings at Evergreen(November, 2013)
Hosted University of Central Missouri graduate student for two days; tour of CCCC andmeeting at Evergreen (April, 2014)
Participated in SPP Summit hosted by Multnomah County
Identified and contracted a web designer for updating the online professional networking
site; work to be complete in FY 15.

New Interest from Outside WA

In FY14, we continued to field inquiries from potential new Network participants from multiple states
and countries. A summary of national interest is provided in Figure 3. International contacts in FY14
included the United Kingdom, Fiji, the Seychelles, and Australia. Further details on extended contacts
during the reporting year are provided below.
•
•
•
•
•

Dr. Raquel Pinderhughes, Chad Flores, and Shamar Theus, Roots of Success, Berkeley, CA
Meg Rao, Associate Director & Co-Founder, Western Positive Psychology Association (WPPA)
Eric Erickson, Operations Manager of the New Mexico Office of Recidivism Reduction Division,
Santa Fe, NM
Hannah S. Rogers, Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Central Missouri
Kim Yarbray '05, Project and Communication Manager, The Center for Principled Problem
Solving, Guilford College, Greensboro, NC

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report21•Hannah Graham and Rob White, Criminology & Sociology Program, University of Tasmania,
Tasmania, Australia

Figure 3. National interest and participation in SPP-style programs as tracked by SPP-WA.

10. Dissemination
Presentations and EventsIn FY14, SPP staff presented on various programs and the Project as a whole in a variety of venues. In
addition, we attended numerous events at which we made informal or brief presentation representing
the organization; examples include tabling at Prairie Appreciation Day, three Roots of Successgraduation celebrations, and DOC’s Annual Agency Awards selection committee and award ceremony.
During FY14, SPP held an event to celebrate 10 years since the start of SPP pilot activities and 5 years offormal operations. A summary of presentations is given in Table 17.

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report22

Table 17. SPP Presentations FY14Date
6 times
9/1306/14
11/13

Presenter
Drissia Ras

Title
SPP Overview
SPP 5 Anniversary

http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/st
ories/spp-5th-anniversary/

Overview of SPP
SPP Network
SPP Virtual tour

MES program
MES program
10 Year celebration, Evergreen

WA programs

11/8/13
1/14/14
1/27/14

WDOC
Communicati
ons office
Carri LeRoy
Carri LeRoy
Joslyn Trivett& Kelli Bush
Carri LeRoy
Tiffany Webb
Joslyn Trivett

Focus areas
Conservation programs;
SPP-WA as model for
Network
Partnership between
Evergreen and WDOC

SPP Ten Year Celebration
SPP Virtual tourSPP Overview Slideshow

2/7/14

Tiffany Webb

2/19/14

Carri J. LeRoy

3/15/14Dan Pacholke

Reaching Beyond Campus
Silos:
Connecting higher education& sustainable practices inprisons
Sustainability in Prisons
Project
Department of Corrections

10 Year celebration, Evergreen
WCCW
http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/st
ories/project-overview/
WAHESC Conference

3/15/14

Carri LeRoy

Transforming Prisons With
Nature

3/15/14

Nick H.

The Power of Sustainability

11/13/14
and 4/14

Carl Elliott

Come! Invest in our plant
programs!

4-24-14

Kelli Bush andCarl Elliott
Jaal Mann

Opportunities with SPP

11/5/13
11/7/13
11/8/13

5/29/14th

6/12/14

Kelli Bush andCarri LeRoy

Prairie fire as a selective
agent: Second-generation
responses and plantcommunity shifts
SPP- The Evergreen State
College Board of Directors

6/16/14
6/25/14

Joslyn Trivett
Kelli BushSPP Virtual TourSPP Network and SPP WA

Venue
WDOC staff and offenders

University of Tennessee, Knoxville,
TN
TEDx Monroe Correctional Complex:
Turning KeysTEDx Monroe Correctional Complex:
Turning KeysTEDx Monroe Correctional Complex:
Turning Keys
Potential collaborators fromconservation orgs (e.g BLM,
USF&W, City of Eugene, Portland
Metro, City of Portland)
MES program
MES thesis presentations

Veterans’ Core (with CNLM)
SPP-OR Mini Summit

Evergreen

WA programs
Overview of philosophy
and program areas
Graduate student
experience in SPP
program
Overview & Science
Education
The future of WDOC
Conservation programs
transforming
participants
Sustainability replacing
throw away mentality
WA and OR
conservation programs
Thesis and employment
options

Current programs,
student involvement,
expansion
WA programs
SPP Network and SPPWA

SPP Products, Publications, and Internships
Educational Signage
To recognize SPP as a ten year partnership between Evergreen and DOC (2003-2013), as well as SPP’s
contributions to prairie restoration in Puget lowlands, SPP designed and funded two 24”x36”interpretive signs. These were installed next to the Oregon white oaks planted at Evergreen and Cedar
Creek Corrections Center.
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

23

SPP Publications
SPP self-published products included:• SPP Conservation Manual, 4th Edition, prepared by Carl Elliott, Evan Hayduk, Jaal Mann, Brianna
Morningred, and Drissia Ras; a full-color, 161 p. text detailing propagation and nursery practices
for SPP technicians.
• Issue 4 of the SPP Newsletter, Winter 2013-14.
• Developed, updated, or maintained more than 65 protocols commonly used for SPP-WA.
• New posters for the frog and turtle conservation programs and conservation nurseries.
Formal Publications
SPP developed numerous journal articles and case studies in FY14. Several are still in review (see below),
but we made substantial progress toward completion during the reporting period.
• Kaye, T.N., K.B. Bush, C. Naugle, and C.J. LeRoy. Conservation projects in prison: The case forengaging incarcerated populations in conservation and science. Natural Areas Journal (Inreview).
• Weber, S., M. Hayes, T. Webb, and C.J. LeRoy. Environmental education in prison: A comparisonof teaching methods and their influence on inmate attitudes and knowledge of environmental
topics. Interdisciplinary Environmental Review (In review).
• Aubrey, D., M. Linders, C. Landa, L. Mullen, and C.J. LeRoy. Oviposition preference ofendangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies (Euphydryas editha taylori) among both native andnon-native larval hosts. Northwest Science (In review).
• Trivett, J.R., K. Bush, C. Elliott, J. Mann, R. Pond, E. Tharp, J. Vanneste, D.J. Pacholke, and C.J.
LeRoy. Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) horticulture programs. In: Sowing Seeds in the City:
Volume II – Human Dimensions. Springer. (In review).
• LeRoy, C.J., J.R. Trivett, K. Bush, J. Vanneste, D. Pacholke. 2013. The Sustainability in Prisons
Project Handbook: Protocols for the SPP Network, 1st Edition. Gorham Publishing, Olympia, WA.
(ISBN: 978-0988641518).
• Young, C.Y., D. Pacholke, D. Schrum, and P. Young. 2014 Keeping Prisons Safe: Transforming theCorrections Workplace. Gorham Publishing, Olympia, WA. (ISBN: 978-0-9886415-2-5).
• Trivett, J.R., K. Bush, J. Vanneste, D.J. Pacholke, and C.J. LeRoy. Sustainability in Prisons Project,
United States. In: Innovative Justice. University of Tasmania. (In press).
Internships
In FY14, SPP staff supervised three academic internships that also benefitted SPP programs:• Summer quarter 2013 – Field supervision of a Rehabilitation and Social Justice major from
Western Washington University (undergraduate senior student) supporting garden programs,
Roots of Success and other re-entry initiatives.
• Spring quarter 2014 – Field supervision of Evergreen MES internship on “Mesocosm
Development: Exploring Practices and Water Quality”• Summer quarter 2014 – Field supervision of under-graduate internship on establishing bestpractices and certification for beekeeping at Cedar Creek Corrections Center.

Media Coverage

In FY14, SPP-WA was featured in over 40 different pieces from local, regional, and international media
outlets. The table below includes all of the pieces staff tracked during FY14. Links for each of the pieces
are available on SPP’s website at http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report24

Table 18. SPP Media FY14
Date
Paper/Source

AuthorTitle

7/1/2013

The Scientist

Dan Cossins

Science on Lockdown

8/1/2013

BioCycle

Katrina Mendry

Correctional Facility Composting inWashington State

Northwest Public
Radio

Amelia Templeton

Frog Reared by Inmates Proposed forEndangered Species Protection

8/29/2013
July/Aug.
2013

Inside DOC

Chris Idso Award

July/Aug.
2013

Correctional News

Summer2013

Ensia: Environmental
Solutions in Action

9/4/2013

Meglio Possibile:sosentibilita applicata

Sara Occhipinti

LA NATURA ENTRA IN CARCERE: A
WASHINGTON I DETENUTI AIUTANO LA
RICERCA

9/9/2013

Seattle Dog Spot

Robert Pregulman

Dog training program at Stafford Creek
Corrections Center an amazing success

9/16/2013

WSU News

Rachel Webber'Butterfly Wranglers' tapped by wine industry

Jessie Fetterling
Monique Dubos,
Benj Drummond
photosA Win-Win for the Environment, Prison
Systems and Beyond

Doing good while doing time

9/19/2013

Corrections One

Paul Sheldon

3 top online resources for going green: Find
inspiration to help your own system become
more environmentally sound

9/23/2013

KVEW TV

Josh Peterson

Walla Walla Inmates Raise and Release
Monarch Butterflies

9/23/2013

KAPP TV

Josh Peterson

Walla Walla Inmates Release Butterflies for
Research

9/30/2013

THE SPOKESMANREVIEW

Kaitlin Gillespie

10/1/2013

WSU V&E Extension

David James

Prison gardens provide food for inmates'
tables, spirits
Mites and Microscopes: Inmates Helping with
IPM

10/10/2013

Cooper Point Journal

Joe Anderson

Composting Solutions with Cedar Creek

10/28/2013

The Columbian

Emily Gillespie

Inmates harvest what they planted: Larchprisoners grow squash to benefit Clark
County Food Bank

11/7/2013

Urban Gardens:
Unlimited Thinking for
Limited Spaces

Christine Cube

Blooms Behind Bars: Urban Gardening andSustainability in American Prisons

11/26/2013

American Institute of
Biological Sciences

Benj Drummondand Sara Joy Steele
photoWinners Selected in 2013 Faces of Biology
photo contest

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report25

University of Alabamain Huntsville News

Joyce AndersonMaples

UAH alumna working with Washington
Sustainability in Prisons Project

11/29/2013

France 24

Juliette
LACHARNAY /Mairead DUNDAS /Marina BERTSCH

Green Jobs for Jailbirds

12/2/2013

Earth Fix

Pamplin MediaGroup

Rare Butterfly Gets Help From Oregon Prison
Inmates

12/2/2013

Portland Tribune

Pamplin MediaGroup

Prison inmates help with butterfly restoration
project

12/11/2013

KEPRTV.com

Frances Watson

Prison dog training program expands

12/11/2013

Food Tank

Steve Mahoney

Compost and Prisons12/30/2013

Food Tank

Christopher G.
Ramos

Worm Farm Wisdom: Growing Plants (andPeople) that are Full of Life

Kelsey Watts

Share on twitter, Prisoners With Puppies: A
Look Inside Spokane's Pawsitive Dogs
Program

11/27/2013

1/8/2014

KHQ-Q6

1/20/2014

High Country News

1/31/2014

Christian Science
MonitorDonna Simpson

To cut food waste costs, Washington prison
turn to worms

2/1/2014

Seattle Met

Allison Williams

The Truth about Cons and Dogs
Prison Inmates Gardening at Cedar Creek
Correctional Center: A Volunteer’s
Perspective
Sustainability in Prisons Project: Building
capacity for conservation

Sustainability in Higher Ed

2/6/2014

Food Tank

Jaclyn Castellanos

3/1/2014

Beastly Banner

Joe Greathouse

3/1/2014

Ecology News

3/18/2014

The Wall Street
JournalJoel Millman

4/9/2014

Seattle Times

Paige CornwellPrisons give rescue dogs a second chance
Inmates feel better, too, after helping ill
turtles

4/9/2014

King5

Lori Matsukawa

State prisoners nurture endangered turtles

Caitlin Feldman

A transformative project: Coffee Creek
inmates harvest leaves for Oregon Zoo's
effort to save endangered butterflies
Artillery fire, butterflies coexist on Armyrange

5/12/2014
5/23/2014

Portland Tribune
The Tacoma News
TribuneThe International Picture for Wildlife in
Prisons

Phuong Le

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report26

7/1/2014

7/2/2014
7/23/2014

National Correctional
Industries Association:
Green Edition
Multnomah County
websiteMother Nature
Network

Joslyn Rose Trivett

Correctional Industries' Dedication to Rootsof Success
Office of Sustainability and Sheriff's Office
Collaborate on Regional Sustainability in
Prisons Conference

Sidney Stevens

A (greener) life behind bars

Website/Social Media

During the reporting period, we created 36 new posts or blogs. In addition, we added 12 partner(organization) profile pages, such as http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/about/washington-departmentof-corrections-wdoc/ and three partner (individual) profiles for SPP liaisons, suchas http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/about/washington-department-of-corrections-wdoc/partnerprofile-paula-andrew/.
We updated nearly every page in the website (91 pages total) to represent current programming andpractices (e.g., http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/what-we-do/spp-programs-in-washington-stateprisons/ and http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/about/) and maintained our video(http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/blog-galleries/stories/) and press libraries(http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/press/). We added many new banner photos to highlight gorgeous
contributions from Benj Drummond and Sarah Joy Steele and other contributors.
According to google analytics, the site had 44,598 page views during the reporting period, and averagetime spent per page was 1 minute, 46 seconds and an average of 2.5 pages per visit. More than 70% of
the visitors were new versus returning visitors. The five most popular pages were:
1. / (homepage)
2. /stories/
3. /blog/2013/11/23/and-then-there-were-three-third-hoop-house-complete-at-washingtoncorrections-center-for-women/
4. /what-we-do/
5. /about/
SPP’s main outlet for social media continues to be Facebook (www.facebook.com/sustainableprisons).
During the reporting year, we posted ~170 items on a wide variety of topics, and our Likes increased
from 530 to 861. The posts that reached the most people were:
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July 10, 2013 Dan Pacholke and Andrea Martin TEDx talk (re-post) – 6.9K (6.5K Paid reach)August 14, 2013, WDOC 5 Year anniversary video – 1K
December 6, 2013, Quote from Nelson Mandela (“A garden was one of the few things in prison
that one could control…”) – 899
April 24, 2014, Dan Pacholke’s TEDx talk – 822
April 28, 2014, Nick H. TEDx talk – 814
April 10, 2014, Western pond turtle story, Seattle Times – 778
May 15, 2014, Jamar Glenn blog - 777

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report27

Awards

Two leaders of SPP programming were recognized with Annual Agency Awards: Paula Andrew who was
SPP Liaison at WCCW, and Wayne George who has been the main force behind the bicycle restoration
program at SCCC. The nominations for both highlighted their efforts in sustainability programs, among
other areas.

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report28

Appendix 1. SPP Programs in Washington State Prisons
Major program areas and highlights indicated; program partners indicated where that information isavailable.
Airway Height Corrections Center• Gardens : 60-70 inmate gardeners, 34,000 lbs grown for the kitchen in 2013
• Pawsitive dog training – prison program: dog training and adoption, partnering with Diamondsin the Ruff and SpokAnimal• Recycling and waste sorting• Workshops• Master Gardening classes• Food waste composting (shipped offsite to commercial composter); developing a barkcomposting program• Firewood donation program – partnering with SNAP Spokane; cut and delivered 303 cords ofwood to low income and senior citizens last cold season (2012-2013); on track to donate 800
cords this cold season• LEED Silver certification for two buildings
Cedar Creek Corrections Center• Beekeeping: bee colony collapse research, honey collection, manufacturing lotion and lip balms
from beeswax, Olympia Beekeepers Association certification for staff and inmates• Large-scale, in-vessel composting; inmate’s story on composting• Vermicomposting• Endangered species conservation programs: Oregon spotted frog rearing; Western pond turtle
rehabilitation; cricket rearing, partnerships with Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo, Northwest Trek, Point
Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, and PAWS
• Prairie restoration crew, partnership with Center for Natural Lands Management, Joint Base
Lewis-McChord, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish
and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Zoo, Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental
Stewardship, Whidbey-Camano Land Trust, Friends of Puget Prairies, Wolf Haven International,
and City of Steilacoom• Gardens• Horticulture program with vocational college credits, partnership with Centralia College• Pet program: dog training for veterans, dog training and adoption, in partnership with Brigadoon
Service Dogs
• Recycling and waste sorting• Tilapia and aquaponics• Water reduction and catchment• LEED certified Perimeter Control Office, new construction• Roots of success, workshops
Clallam Bay Corrections Center• Gardens: growing for the prison kitchen• Dog training and adoption
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

29

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Composting: developing in-vessel system on site
Recycling and waste sorting
Soon to have Roots of Success
Developing waste water heat recapture program, partnership with the Center for Sustainable
Infrastructure

Coyote Ridge Corrections Center• Gardens• Dog training and adoption in partnership with Adams County Pet Rescue• Food waste composting (shipped offsite to commercial composter)• Recycling and waste sorting• 2014 pilot to eliminate single-use plastics• LEED Gold certified campus• Roots of Success
Larch Corrections Center• Gardens• Food bank crop donations, partnership with Clark County Food Bank• Pet program: cat socialization and adoption• Large-scale, in-vessel composting• Recycling and waste sorting• House plants in living units, in cells and in dorm windows – pilot program• First Washington state prison to eliminate trash can liners• Waste reduction led by kitchen staff
Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women• Endangered species conservation program: Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly rearing and release,
partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Joint Base LewisMcChord, and the Oregon Zoo• Gardens• Small-scale composting• Recycling and waste sorting• Dog training and adoption• Water use reduction and water catchment• Workshops• Project Feeder Watch: bird identification and data collection (pilot program)• LEED Silver Certified living unit, new construction• Salmon habitat restoration, partnership with Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group• Soon to have Roots of SuccessMonroe Correctional Complex• Vermiculture and vermicomposting, partnership with City of Monroe• Gardens• Greenhouses• Horticulture program with vocational college credits, partnership with Edmonds Community
College
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

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Pet program: dog & cat training and adoption, cat program in partnership with Purrfect Pals
Composting
Recycling and waste sorting: large-scale with pick-line
Recycling and repurposing wood, donations to Monroe Senior Center
Water use reduction and water catchment
Workshops
Bicycle repair, partnership with Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office
Medical equipment refurbishment
LEED-Certified Buildings: three buildings at Monroe Correctional Complex are rated gold or silver
Soon to have Roots of Success

Olympic Corrections Center• Gardens• Horticulture program, partnership with Peninsula College• Pet program: dog training and adoption, partnership with Clallam County Humane Society• Large-scale, in-vessel composting (including waste from Clallam Bay Corrections Center)• Recycling and waste sorting• Wood recycling and repurposing, partnership with Westport Shipyard and donations benefiting
Quillayute Valley School District• Water use reduction and water catchment• Ponds for every living unit!
Stafford Creek Corrections Center• Beekeeping• Birdhouses• Large-scale, in-vessel composting• SPP’s first Conservation nursery for rare and endangered prairie plants, partnership with Center
for Natural Lands Management, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington Department of Natural
Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon
Zoo, Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship, Whidbey-Camano Land Trust, Friendsof Puget Prairies, and Wolf Haven International• Gardens• Greenhouses• Pet program: dog training and adoption, partnership with North Beach Paws
• Recycling and waste sorting: large-scale with pick-line• Tilapia – approximately 60,000 fish in 22 tanks, harvested at regular intervals for in-prison menu,
partnership with Correctional Industries• Water use reduction and water catchment• Bicycle repair, partnership with local Lions Club• Science and Sustainability lecture series• Medical equipment refurbishment, partnership with Joni and Friends: Wheels for the World• Roots of SuccessWashington Corrections Center• Large-scale, in-vessel composting• Gardens
Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

31

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Food bank crop donations
Recycling and waste sorting
Shoe and clothing recycling, partnership with Correctional Industries
Developing conservation nursery for rare and endangered prairie plants and horticultural
program, partnership with Centralia College, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and the Center for
Natural Lands Management
Soon to have Roots of SuccessWashington Corrections Center for Women• Conservation nursery for rare and endangered prairie plants, partnership with Center for
Natural Lands Management, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington Department of Natural
Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon
Zoo, Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship, Whidbey-Camano Land Trust, Friendsof Puget Prairies, and Wolf Haven International• Gardens – partnership with WSU Extension, Pierce County• Horticulture program with vocational college credits, partnership with Tacoma Community
College• Pet Program: Prison Pet Partnership• Bee keeping, including certification process for inmate beekeepers, partnership with Mother
Earth Farm
• Large-scale, in-vessel composting• Recycling and waste sorting• Science and Sustainability lecture series
Washington State Penitentiary• Rare species conservation program: Monarch butterfly captive rearing, release, and tracking,partnership with Washington State University Department of Entomology• Integrated Pest Management lab: characterizing microscopic beneficial and pest insect
communities in the grape growing industry, partnership with Washington State University
Extension• Gardens• Bee keeping• Pet Program: dog training and adoption (partnership with Blue Mountain Humane Society), cat
training and adoption• Recycling and waste sorting: large-scale with pick-line• Hazardous waste reduction by 95%• Sustainable Practices Lab: furniture repair, vermicomposting, bicycle and medical equipment
refurbishment, fabric and wood re-use, and sign shop
• Roots of SuccessTotal ~113

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report32

Appendix 2. SPP Partner Organizations FY14
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Blue Mountain Humane Society
Brigadoon Service dogs
Center for Natural Lands Management
Center for Sustainable Infrastructure
Centralia College
City of Monroe
City of Steilacoom
Clallam County Humane Society
Clark County Food Bank
Correctional Industries
Department of Natural Resources
Diamonds in the Ruff
Edmonds Community College
Friends of Puget Prairies
Guest lecturers from various colleges, natural resources
agencies, non-profits, and businesses
Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Joni and Friends: Wheels for the World
Kiwanis Club of Olympia
Lands Council
Lions Club
Master Gardeners
Mason County Food Bank
Monroe Senior Center
Mother Earth Farm
North Beach Paws
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
Olympia Beekeepers Association
Oregon Zoo
Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship
PAWS
Peninsula College
Pierce County Emergency Food Network
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
Prison Pet Partnership
Purrfect Pals
Quillayute Valley School District
Roots of Success
SNAP Spokane
Snohomish County Sherriff's OfficeSustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

33

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Spokanimal
Tacoma Community College
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
US Green Building Council
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Washington State University Department of Entomology
Washington State University Extension
Washington State Parks
Westport Shipyard
Whidbey-Camano Land Trust
Wolf Haven International
Woodland Park Zoo
WSU Extension, Pierce County

Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report34