We were at a kid’s activity day a bit ago.  Our group had the kids try to write down Five Things You Could do/Not do to Help Keep our Waters Clean and Healthy.  We collected about 40 sets of “answers”, most kids had help from friends and/or parents.  Next week we will publish the top five vote getters.  (There were some dandies!)

For now, each of you go ahead and take the same test, write down your answers, and then compare them to the kid’s top five next week!  How will you do???

There have been some tragic, sad news stories about recent happenings out there in our wonderful NaturalSkagit.  They remind us that Mother Nature is not benign.  Please be careful.  Please be prepared.  Don’t go beyond your limits.

The Local-Organization-You-Might-Want-To-Be-Involved-With this week is Friends of the Anacortes Community Forest Lands http://www.friendsoftheacfl.org The Friends of the Forest is a non-profit, citizens organization dedicated to the preservation of the Anacortes Community Forest Lands through education, outreach and stewardship.

There are nearly 2800 acres of Anacortes Community Forest Lands – meadows, trails, mountains, lakes.  By donating $1,000 per acre, for a total of $1.5 million, citizens have allowed 1500 acres to be placed under permanent conservation easement, forever prohibiting development or commercial use.  The donations are held by the Anacortes Parks Department for maintenance of the lands.  This amazing preservation effort has required but 10 years, a pace much faster than envisioned by the founders!

Stewardship activities are conducted in cooperation with the City of Anacortes Parks and Recreation Department. Mutual efforts include trail maintenance, invasive plant removal, litter pick up, user group education, habitat restoration, trail patrol, 4th of July Fire Watch, and “Adopt a Trail.”

The web site for the Friends of the Anacortes Community Forest Lands does not seem to be fully up to date, newsletters and reports are missing or old, but several current, upcoming events and opportunities are listed.  For more details and participation opportunities, use the Contact Us information from the site.  All of the interesting history of the Forest Lands is there on the site as well.

There is an All Ages hike around Mitten Pond Loop Sat. August 9, 10:00am – Noon, meet at A Ave and 37th St.  There is also an Adult hike to the Beaver Ponds on Thurs. August 14. 10:00am – Noon, also meet at A Ave and 37th St.

Here are some near-term activities to consider:

Thur. August 7 104th Annual Skagit County Pioneer Association Picnic 11:00 am.  Pioneer Park in LaConner BBQ Salmon Dinner-$10-at 11:15, program begins at 12:30pm.  No charge or $2 annual membership fee.

Sat. August 9 Geology and History of Washington Park 10:00am – Noon Friends of Washington Park Walk and Talk Meet at new restrooms by start of loop road.

Sat. August 9 Work Party at Tope-Ryan property 10:00am – 1:00pm Skagit Land Trust http://www.skagitlandtrust.org for details and directions.

Sat. August 9 Colonial Creek Campground Revegetation 9:00am – Noon Contact 360 854 7275 for info.

Sat. August 16 Beach naturalists at Washington Park 10:00am – Noon Beach education with the WSU Beachwatchers.

Sat. August 16 Skagit Land Trust Annual Picnic Noon – 3:00pm Bowman Bay/Deception Pass State Park RSVP Diane by Aug 13. 360 428 7878 Optional 10:30 – 11:30 walking tour of Anacortes Community Forest Lands – call for directions.

Sat. August 16 At The Water’s Edge 11:00am – 2:00pm Rasar State Park (15 miles east of Sedro-Woolley on Cape Horn Rd.) River exploration, education and demonstrations for all ages with the Park staff and Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group..

Sun. August 17 Beach naturalists at Bayview State Park 11:00am – 1:00pm Beach education with the WSU Beachwatchers.

Tuesday August 19 Marine Recovery Area Proposal Public Hearing 9:30 a.m. at the Skagit County Commissioners Hearing Room, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon.

Sat. August 23 Anacortes Community Wildlife Habitat Certification celebration 11:00am Fidalgo Backyard Wildlife Habitat Group At the Snag Boat Center! 

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 PeteH@Skagitwater.org.  Thank you.)

Pete, have you noticed that no one reads this and few if any respond.  Did you ever think that the general public is tired of having “GREEN” shoved down their throats??  It’s tiring to keep hearing it.  All of it seems to come from some Subaru driver sitting behind a desk.

Do you want to know just what the farmers think of this stuff, then how about joining one of our groups for coffee.  Hmmm maybe not, you would’t like what you hear about “interlopers who have decided to protect us from ourselves.” Oh by the way we are talking about real farmers not those that grow products on a few acres and take it to “farmers markets.” People who’s lives depend on large acreage.

I can’t believe people actually give money for you to do this stuff.  Aren’t you embarrased?

How can we keep our waters pure as long as the county commissioners insist on contaminating it with fluoride? Look at Dahlstedt, he is all for clean water and then he votes to fluoridate, no credibility whatsoever.