June 2004

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June 4 & 5

A Sound Investment: The Northwest Straits Initiative Looks Ahead

King County Extension Education Nights

Presented by the WSU King County Extension

Logistics: The sessions will be held on the second Wednesday evening of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. at the WSU King County Extension office, 919 S.W. Grady Way in Renton.

Description: Are you curious about your local environment? Want to find out what you can do to care for our water, land, forest and local food systems? Washington State University King County Extension is pleased to announce Extension Education Nights, a free monthly educational series designed to offer residents of King County useful stewardship information. Community members can pick and choose the topics that interest them. Each session will be presented by WSU King County Extension staff and volunteers.

Upcoming Extension Education Night Topics:

June 9: Best Management Practices for Pastures, Livestock and Farms, with Greta Cook
July 14: Fire Protection for Your Woodland and Home with Amy Grotta
Aug 11 Foodshed Stewardship - Reasons and Resources for Eating Locally, with Sylvia Kantor
Sept 8: Backyard Bird Conservation, with Cara Ianni
Oct 13: Using Bugs to Combat Weeds: How Does Biocontrol Work? with Tara Zimmerman
Nov 10: Salmon Recovery in Puget Sound Watersheds: The Shared Strategy and You, with Paul Racette and Barbara Bruell
Dec 8: Flea Beetles: Biology and a Research Update on Organic

Control Options, with Brad Gaolach

For more information, upcoming topics, or to register: Call (206) 205-3130, email darcy.batura@metrokc.gov or visit http://www.metrokc.gov/wsu-ce.

June 10

Open House Farm Tour and Ice Cream Social!

Presented by the Skagit Conservation District

Logistics: Thursday, June 10^th from 3:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Doug and Debbie Wedin’s farm, located at 10538 S. 3^rd Street in Sedro Woolley.

Description: Come join us at the Walled Garden to see Best Management Practices (BMPs) in action! Take a tour of a CREP project, tiptoe through an organic garden, and learn how to build a fence from a pro; all while enjoying a nice, cold, ice cream treat! This is a fun way to learn about sustainable agriculture and discover what services are available to help you protect the natural resources on your land. Visit with livestock and natural resource management experts, learn about noxious weeds and how to deal with them, discover how you can be “firewise” in Skagit County, learn about the Skagit County Agriculture Critical Areas Ordinance, and much, much more!

For more information: Contact the Skagit Conservation District at (360) 428-4313.

June 10

Stream and Wetland Ecology Basic Training

Presented by Adopt-A-Stream Foundation Streamkeeper Academy

For: Land Use Policy Makers, Developers, Real Estate Agents, Appraisers, Teachers, Streamside and Wetland Property Owners, and anyone interested in stream & wetland ecology.

Sponsors: the Washington Association of Realtors and the Snohomish/ Camano Board of Realtors.

Logistics: 8:30am to 4:30pm, The Northwest Stream Center, Everett, WA, 600-128th Street SE. (Take Exit 186 off of I-5. Drive 1/2 mile east to McCollum Park. Turn right and drive to south end of park)

Principle Instructor: Tom Murdoch, Executive Director of the Adopt-A-Stream Foundation and co-author of the Streamkeeper¹s Field Guide and editor of course texts.

Guest Instructors: Randy Middaugh, Snohomish County Planning and Development Services and Mike Chamblin, Regional Habitat Biologist, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife

Cost: $75 (includes course materials, text and clock hour fees).

Text: Adopting A Stream: A Northwest Handbook and Adopting A Wetland: A Northwest Guide by Steven Yates

Note: A portion of the class will be outdoors. Please dress appropriately for the weather.

For more information or to register:Please call 425-316-8592 or visit us on our website at www.streamkeeper.org

June 12

Day in the Park

Presented by Earth Share Washington and IKEA

Logistics: Golden Gardens and Discovery Park from 9:30am to 3:30 pm. Celebration afterwards at Golden Gardens.

Description: Day in the Park invites people from Puget Sound area organizations to team up with leading non-profit conservation organizations for an honest day's work enhancing local parks. Volunteers remove invasive plant species, clean up beaches, and rebuild trails. It’s an opportunity for everyone to feel good about helping the Earth, and giving back to your community parks. The year’s event takes place at Discovery Park and Golden Gardens. Bring your friends, family, and coworkers to volunteer at Day in the Park. Kids are welcome but please let us know when you signup online so that we can add you to our "kid-friendly" volunteer teams.

To learn more about the event, for directions, or to signup: Please visit http://www.dayinthepark.org.

For more information: Please call Dave Manelski at 206-283-7832, email dave@esw.org or visit our website: www.dayinthepark.org

June 15

The World of Shorebirds

Presented by Adopt-A-Stream Foundation and Snohomish County Parks & Recreation

Logistics: 11am at the NW Stream Center, 600 128^th St. SE, Everett, WA. Ages 6 and up.

Description: Seattle Aquarium’s bird biologist Mary Carlson will take you into the lives of shorebirds in the Puget Sound region with a fascinating slide presentation. Learn how to identify the various species of shorebirds and observe their habitats, behavior, and feeding habits. Join in an “oil and feathers” demonstration and learn what happens to birds during an oil spill. Then create a shorebird coloring craft to take home.

Tickets: $4 Members/ $6 Non-members. Advance purchase necessary.

For more information and to register: Contact Sue Minger at 425-316-8592

June 16

Cougars Among Us

Presented by Adopt-A-Stream Foundation and Snohomish County Parks & Recreation

Logistics: 7pm at the NW Stream Center, 600 128^th St. SE, Everett, WA. Ages 6 and up.

Description: Cougars have been appearing in news reports with increasing frequency as people spot the large, powerful cats in their neighborhoods. Rocky Spencer of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will present a slide show and information on this often misunderstood and mysterious predator. We’ll have a “can you spot the cougar?” contest . . . win a Come Back Salmon poster!

Tickets: $4 Members/ $6 Non-members. Advance purchase necessary.

For more information and to register: Contact Sue Minger at 425-316-8592

Applications due June 18

Volunteer to Help Protect Mt. Baker
Presented by the North Cascades Institute and U.S. Forest Service
Description: North Cascades Institute, in cooperation with the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, is offering an exciting opportunity to become a Mountain Steward. If you enjoy being on trails and feel responsible for the upkeep of our public lands, volunteering as a Mountain Steward may be just the thing to round out your summer plans. The program, now in its third year, trains adult volunteers in low-impact recreation skills, natural history and backcountry management issues. From late July through Labor Day, Mountain Stewards hike two of the busiest trails in the Ranger District, Heliotrope Ridge and Park Butte/Railroad Grade, to share information with day hikers, backpackers and climbers. The sheer number of feet on these trails leaves them vulnerable to an enormous amount of impact. Mountain Stewards are on these trails in order to help others understand how to best soften the blow on these well-loved areas.

“The Mountain Stewards program involves the community in understanding, protecting and restoring the health of the Mt. Baker ecosystem,” said Jeff Giesen, coordinator of North Cascades Institute’s Stewardship programs. “Volunteers have consistently proven their effectiveness and joy in helping educate fellow hikers and climbers about wilderness ethics and the uniqueness and fragility of mountain landscapes.”

Applications are due by June 18. Volunteers must attend trainings on July 17 and 24 and commit to three days of educating hikers and climbers along the trail on weekends from July 30 through September 6. Shifts take place during daytime hours, Friday through Sunday. Volunteers must be skilled in hiking and outdoor recreation, including snow travel, but are not required to travel on technical climbing routes. At the completion of the three-day commitment, volunteers will receive a Northwest Forest Pass.
For more information and a volunteer application: Call Deb Martin at North Cascades Institute, 360-856-5700 ext. 309, e-mail deb_martin@ncascades.org or visit www.ncascades.org

June 19

Skagit Dig Day
Co-organized by People for Puget Sound & the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community

Logistics: 10am – 2pm on the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Reservation

Description: Help remove Spartina, an invasive plant that destroys important shoreline habitat for birds and fish in Skagit County. Join us on the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Reservation at this family friendly event. Snacks and tools provided. Skagit Dig Day is co-organized by People For Puget Sound and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Sponsoring organizations include the Skagit Marine Resources Committee, Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, Skagit Conservation District, Skagit Conservation Education Alliance and the Skagit County Noxious Weed Board.

Please RSVP: By contacting People For Puget Sound at 360-336-1931 or beschete@pugetsound.org to volunteer at this dig day.

June 23

The Awkward World of Alcids

Presented by Adopt-A-Stream Foundation and Snohomish County Parks & Recreation

Logistics: 7pm at the NW Stream Center, 600 128^th St. SE, Everett, WA. Ages 10 and up.

Description: Are you curious about auklets and puffins? Seattle Aquarium bird biologist Mary Carlson will present an evening program about the natural history of these fascinating birds. Learn more about the husbandry and research that biologists at the aquarium are conducting, including video showing the mysterious interior of the birds¹ nests.

Tickets: $4 Members/ $6 Non-members. Advance purchase necessary.

For more information and to register: Contact Sue Minger at 425-316-8592

June 25 – Application Deadline

Volunteer to be a Skagit River Steward!

Skagit River Stewards is a cooperative program between North Cascades Institute, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group with support from North Cascades National Park.
Description: Volunteer to help monitor creeks in the Skagit Watershed. Get your feet wet with Forest Service biologists collecting data in the field. Receive 15 hours of free training in salmon ecology, stream processes and aquatic insects. Help monitor changes to selected creeks over time, adding to our knowledge base on the impacts of human activities and natural events in the Skagit Watershed.
When will the program take place? One evening training session will be held for new volunteers on July 29th from 7-9pm. Two full day field-training sessions will take place for new and returning volunteers on August 7th and August 8th. New volunteers must attend all training sessions. Volunteers will then utilize skills learned from these sessions to monitor sites in the Skagit Watershed. A coordinated group monitoring effort will take place in August and early September 2004.
Where will the monitoring sites be located? The Skagit Watershed is the largest watershed in the Puget Sound Basin and includes all streams and subdrainages that drain into the Skagit River. Volunteers will be given the tools and support for monitoring tributaries to the Skagit River. Sites monitored upriver from Sedro-Woolley will contribute data to Forest Service monitoring efforts within the Skagit Wild and Scenic River corridor. Several sites will be monitored to assess restoration projects for the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group.
Who is eligible to apply? Previous knowledge of watershed monitoring techniques or aquatic insect identification is not required. Volunteers should have a keen interest in the health of the Skagit Watershed, a willingness to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours to field monitoring during the months of August and September, a desire to learn, and a willingness to share their knowledge with the public. We encourage anyone age 16 and older to apply.
How do I sign up? Call North Cascades Institute at 360-856-5700 ext 309 or email deb_martin@ncascades.org. Applications must be received by Friday, June 25, 2004