CAHNRS News > Newsletters > Confluence > Fostering a Resilient Washington

Fostering a Resilient Washington

What if our state were more resilient? What would it be like? How can we face the unexpected, adapt for the future, and make stronger, healthier communities?

Our college seeks to find out. As part of our ongoing land-grant mission, CAHNRS is embracing “Resilient Washington,” a new, cross-disciplinary vision that helps answer those questions and more.

From the coast to the Cascades, across the Columbia Basin, and in communities statewide, weʼre engaging in research, service, and education that support economic and family health, food production, wise use of natural resources, and a well-trained and adaptable workforce.

Resilience means something different to nearly every Washingtonian. For some of us, itʼs high-value agriculture; for others, itʼs improved urban forestry and soils, better emergency management, community health and well-being, or circular economies that reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Resilience also means transforming the student experience, investing in internships and mentorships that grow a sense of belonging and lay the foundation for career preparedness. Itʼs also about joining our Research and Extension Centers and county Extension offices in engaging neighbors on their home ground, supporting community science, and recruiting new learners and partners of all ages and backgrounds.

Get Connected

The vision for a Resilient Washington requires investment from a diverse set of partners, including state and federal as well as private resources. With your support, we can do more. Join us and find opportunities to advance this vision.

Get started

Building Pillars of Resilience

Thriving Communities

CAHNRS scholars study and share ways to grow vibrant, positive families and communities. Work in the human sciences informs programs and policies that elevate people’s health and well-being, while WSU Extension empowers families in diverse and inclusive communities. Among many examples in CAHNRS, 4-H, the largest youth development program in the world, helps Washington children develop confidence and skills for healthy lives that enhance their communities; while WSU Extension master gardeners offer education for resilient, nurturing communities; and Extension’s Broadband Action Teams strive to provide critical internet access to underserved rural communities.

Natural Resources

Research and service in CAHNRS help sustain the vital natural resources that nourish our communities, our state, and our world. We investigate the environment through the lens of both science and people’s needs, seeking answers to today’s challenges. Our researchers test crop varieties and farm practices that use less water and chemicals, maintaining soil health and air and water quality. WSU Extension provides a link between the university and the application of knowledge and technology by society.

Woman and child harvesting vegetables from a garden.

Food Security

CAHNRS helps support a secure food system that provides reliable access to affordable and nutritious food for all. Partnering with growers and businesses, we find ways to grow more food sustainably. Agricultural scientists develop higher-yielding, better-tasting, and disease-resistant crop varieties, increasing harvests to feed a growing world population. WSU Extension helps families build food security through education and support for access to fresh, healthy food in the local community.

Adaptable Workforce

Washington employers need a skilled and adaptable work-force for today’s competitive economy. CAHNRS readies students to bridge disciplines, seize learning opportunities, and take on roles of responsibility, leadership, and service. Ideas start in the classroom, then lead to the field, lab, and community through undergraduate research, more than 400 annual internships, and 40-plus student clubs. Interdisciplinary programs build a universal bank of knowledge, while WSU Extension educators share research-based best practices to keep Washington’s workforce ready for what comes next.