Yakima Valley College, in collaboration with the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy, will continue its 2025 Winter Talk Series with a presentation on the history of Elk in Yakima County this March. The series explores current issues related to the Yakima Valley region’s environment and ecosystems and features guest lecturers who are subject matter experts in a variety of disciplines. Admission is free and open to the community.
Elk Then & Now: The History of Elk in Yakima County and Current Perspectives on Management
Presenter: Greg Mackey, Oak Creek Wildlife Manager
Tuesday, March 4, 2025 • 7:00 p.m. • YVC Kaminski Conference Center, 1704 W. Nob Hill
Blvd., Building #38
Elk were nearly extirpated from the Northwest. Successful reintroductions have created new conflicts of interest with humans. Oak Creek Wildlife Manager Greg Mackey will describe elk’s natural history in our area, their unique behavior and physiology, and the management challenges created by such a powerful, mobile, and social animal.
About the Speaker
Greg Mackey is a Yakima Valley native. He received an associate degree from Yakima
Valley College and a bachelor’s degree in forestry from Washington State University.
Mackey worked in the timber industry before moving to government management with the
Department of Natural Resources. Since 2017, he has served as the Oak Creek Area Wildlife
Manager for the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.
Cowiche Canyon Conservancy is a local non-profit organization conserving shrub-steppe habitat and connecting people to the land through recreation and education programs. CCC owns and manages 7,000 acres of land and offers over 40 miles of trails for non-motorized recreation. For more information, go to cowichecanyon.org or contact CCC at (509) 248-1065 or info@cowichecanyon.org.
Yakima Valley College is a public, two-year institution of higher education dedicated to strengthening our communities by providing opportunities for economic mobility, personal enrichment and sociocultural engagement. YVC offers five bachelor of applied science degrees, 55 associate degrees and more than 100 certificate of achievement programs at campuses in Yakima and Grandview and learning centers in Ellensburg and Toppenish. YVC students can enroll in programs in lower division arts and sciences, professional and technical education, adult basic education and English Language Acquisition. For more information about Yakima Valley College, go to yvcc.edu.