The Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group http://www.skagitfisheries.org has 5 Saturday tree/shrub planting parties scheduled beginning October 25. These are all in beautiful waterside salmon-habitat sites, which will benefit greatly from your efforts. Places you normally never get to see. You will feel good too! See below for the first two dates, and see their web site for a flyer with ALL the details … dates, directions, what to wear and bring.
There are at least four really great things about these planting parties. First of all, they always have a porti-potti there! Second, they provide great snacks to keep you going. Third, you get a real good orientation about the area and how to do the planting, so even if you’ve never done this before, just bring the right clothes and you’ll be good at it by the end of the session! Fourth is that you will meet some great people. Some new, some who have been at it a long time.
What a way to Dig In!!
This past Wednesday evening the Watershed Masters class heard from the US Coast Guard Auxiliary about the Sea Partners program – an education effort between the US Coast Guard and the Auxiliary. The talk was given by Harry Ota, a man who has long been involved in efforts to improve local water quality, in both marine areas as well as in fresh-water streams. Harry was a member of the very first Watershed Masters class in the 1990’s and was a co-founder of the Skagit Conservation Education Alliance in 2002 with Kristi Carpenter and Bill Dewey.
Harry reviewed a lot of the history of Marine-water pollution laws and also talked about the kinds of pollution we have to deal with here in our local marine waters. We worry a lot about oil spills but the plastic … my goodness. Bottles, cups, bags, 6-pack tops, styro-foam! There are often opportunities to get out on beach clean-up efforts and we all got really motivated for that duty! Harry also brought along a “friend”, Officer Snook, and either you already know Officer Snook or you will just have to wait your chance to meet him!!!!
We also heard from Geology Professor Scott Babcock of Western Washington University. He had some great pictures and stories about how the whole region here has been formed and reformed through the forces of glaciers, floods, earthquakes, and volcanoes. We learned, for example, that the VERY deep fertile soil of our Skagit Flats is mostly from huge mudflows off of Mount Baker thousands of years ago. I can remember watching the turf farm out on Hiway 20 toward Anacortes when they would scrape off a layer of sod and load it up in big rolls on trucks … wondering when they would use up all the good soil. Not for a LONG time!
The Local-Organization-You-Might-Want-To-Be-Involved-With this week is The Washington Sustainable Food and Farming Network http://www.wsffn.org a statewide nonprofit partnership organization that advocates for programs and policies that support sustainable and organic agriculture and family farms in Washington State. They advocate bringing food from the ranch and farm to the table in a way that is economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and socially equitable. The headquarters is right here in Mount Vernon.
As you are probably aware, quite a bit of energy is being expended throughout the State to ensure the healthy future of farms and farmers of all sorts. Many of the initiatives and programs have sprung from efforts of “WSFFN”. For example, there is a recent State law called “Local Farms Healthy Kids”. This act provides for more Washington grown fruits, vegetables, dairy and meats to get into the local schools and food banks.
If these ideas are important to you, get on their website and sign on to help with money, time, and/or efforts. Be sure to register for the newsletter, it is chock full of news, good ideas, and opportunities. You will be part of a large and energetic group working hard for our ongoing healthy food supply!
Here are some near-term activities to consider:
Sat. Oct. 18 Plant the Berm 9:00am – 2:00pm Falls Creek Rockfall Mitigation Berm on Rte 20 east of Newhalem. Meet at the North Cascades National Park nursery office near the greenhouse. Then carpool to work site. Please sign up in advance …
Sat. Oct. 25 Planting 300 native plants at Anacortes Ace of Hearts Rotary Park 10:00 – Noon Bring tools like shovel, pick, bar, gloves – families encouraged. Sign up in advance: or 299-2579
Sat. Oct. 25 Bowman Bay Work Party 9:00am Help preserve the historic log building, meet at the CCC statue at Bowman Bay. Tools and Materials provided. 755-5262 if questions.
Sat. Oct. 25 Help Plant Riparian Trees and Shrubs 9:00am Cascade River boat launch, Marblemount (about 1½ hrs from I-5) Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group 336-0172 or for directions and to let them know you are coming.
Sat. Nov. 1 Help Plant Riparian Trees and Shrubs 9:00am Ovenell Slough near Concrete (about 1 hr from I-5) Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group 336-0172 or for directions and to let them know you are coming.
Many similar events and activities and opportunities are posted on the GoSkagit Event Calendar. Check it often!
(This blog is a service of the Skagit Conservation Education Alliance (SCEA) http://www.skagitwater.org Your comments will be helpful. New ideas to consider, and changes we should make are especially welcome. Corrections and further enlightenment will help as well. You can email to . Thank you.)
