If you went out and found some (or all!) of the thirteen 2008 Skagit Watershed Letterbox Trail letterboxes, then there is big doings for you! Thursday evening, Nov. 6, from 6pm to 8pm is a free party/get-to-gather at the Padilla Bay Reserve facility … for all participants. Bring your journal! Food (including Taylor shellfish), entertainment, activities, and awards at 7:00pm. All the boxes will be there, see some stamp-carving demos too. Try to rsvp to or 419 3161 to size the food supply!
Maybe you have read a bit about the Alternative Futures project in the county. It’s an attempt to look at four different 50-year plans and try to pick a best one that will then be used to guide decisions year by year. Stay tuned and be ready to participate … a really great chance to Dig In and be an influential part of our future.
Is imitation flattering? If so we are happy, happy! First of all, a new energy proposition #1 advocacy group called Skagit Citizens for Electric Authority has the same initials, SCEA, as the group sponsoring this blog, the Skagit Conservation Education Alliance. Thing is, we have been around since 2002. And then, the Skagit Land Trust has produced a grand coffee-table photo book about the Skagit area, and they call it Natural Skagit, certainly a fitting name! There is a big book launch celebration on November 13, and you can get details at their website, http://www.skagitlandtrust.org.
This past Wednesday evening the Watershed Masters class heard from Mike Davison from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Mike has worked in our area in wildlife management for a long time and reported some of the changes he has seen in various kinds of wildlife. Most fascinating, with great pictures, but you need to take the class in order to find out more!!! Then Kathy Kilcoyne from the local United States Department of Agriculture office talked to us about wetlands … what defines a wetland, what grows and lives in them, and their value and purposes. After that she talked to us about the soils of our county and the website that maps and categorizes all of them. I think we heard that the Avalon Golf Course sits atop a huge source of gravel, maybe the last big untapped deposit north of Snohomish County. Better golf while you can, that stuff might get mighty valuable in the future!
Last Saturday we took a “beautiful day” field trip to Rockport State Park and the Howard Miller Park in Rockport. Jim Harris told and showed us fascinating things about that beautiful old-growth forest there, and then shared some charming stories of the “old days!” We followed that with a tour of the Baker River Dams and visitor center, primarily to learn about the fish management systems used to get them up and down the river without damage from the power generation gear. That was a great learning experience led by Mike Fickland of Puget Sound Energy. The dams were just relicensed for another 50 years, and part of that effort will result in even more elaborate fish-enhancement projects over the next few years.
The Local-Organization-You-Might-Want-To-Be-Involved-With this week is the Skagit River Bald Eagle Awareness Team (SRBEAT) http://www.skagiteagle.org This non-profit organization puts on the dandy Bald Eagle Festival on the last weekend in January in Concrete. But, they also manage the Skagit River Interpretive Center at the Howard Miller Park in Rockport, and especially have it active from early December through late February with many speakers, events, and guided walks as part of the eagle-watching activity that takes place up there during those times.
You can help … they need volunteers to help plan and conduct the Festival itself. The planning work is now beginning in earnest. They also need people or groups to volunteer to give weekend talks and events at the Interpretive Center during December – February. Lastly, they are looking for education coordinators, these are paid positions, to host and conduct the activities at the Interpretive Center from Dec 12 – February 16. You can find the detailed application on their website or email at for information and maybe apply!
What important opportunities and I hope some of you give them a go!
Here are some near-term activities to consider:
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.
Thur. Nov. 6 Growth Management Act Administrative Guidelines Review and Comment 9am – noon Skagit Station in Mount Vernon. Workshop will review the preliminary drafts of updates to GMA Guidelines and take questions and comments from attendees. Dave Anderson 360 725-3052 for more info.
Thur. Nov. 6 2008 Skagit Watershed Letterbox Trail Party 6pm – 8pm Padilla Bay Reserve Facility Free for everybody who went out on the trail! Bring your journal! Food, entertainment, activities, with awards at 7pm. RSVP or 360 419 3161
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.)
