upcoming events
Wine Tasting
Marrowstone Vineyards
July 27th, 5:30-8pm
Fin at Hadlock Block Party
QFC and Kivley Center
Aug 5th, 10 am - 5 pm
Spawner Survey Training
Aug 17th, 10 am- 12 pm
SAVE THE DATE
For Our Annual Meeting:
September 7th
Picnic and pie, 6:30 pm
at Sunland Country Club
in Sequim
(plus a shoreline tour at 3 Crabs, 5:30 pm)
Questions? Contact Olivia
360.379.8051
Or click here to view the NOSC Events Calendar
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Click the link below and select "North Olympic Salmon Coalition"
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Creating the Next Generation of Stewards
Click
here to watch a video about some of the Salmon Coalition's education programs.
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Salmon Safe Goods Start on the Farm
Look for this label at the PT Food Co-Op!
More info can be found
here
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Upcoming Events
Wine Tasting at Marrowstone Vineyards
Join us for a behind the scenes tour of Marrowstone Vineyards. Meet the owners, learn about the wine and sample the new blend, "Riverbed Red(d)," made with grapes from a Salmon Safe Farm.
Plus hear an update on our upcoming Kilisut Harbor Restoration Project.
Clam Chowder & hors d'oeuvres
Suggested donation: $25/pp
Marrowstone Vineyards
423 Meade Road, Nordland
Cannot attend? Go to www.nosc.org to learn more, become a member or renew your membership!
Summer Chum Spawner Survey Training
It's that time of year again! The summer chum adult salmon are soon to be making their way back up Chimacum Creek in search of a place to spawn. As part of the WA Fish and Wildlife monitoring process that has been conducted annually since a supplementation program began on the stream almost 30 years ago, Salmon Coalition volunteers will be walking sections of the creek to collect data on spawning numbers.
If you think this is something that would interest you, please come to our Summer Chum Spawner Surveyor Training on Thursday, August 17th from 10 am - 12pm in Port Hadlock, WA to learn more.
Click here to RSVP for training. Location and parking information will be e-mailed after you RSVP.
Making Projects Work for Everyone
WA Conservation Corps crew poses with their newly constructed flume.
In November of 2016 the Salmon Coalition received a phone call from property owner, Rose Ann, about a problem culvert beneath her driveway. A site visit with the landowner revealed the problem. An undersized crosspipe was creating a "fire hose" effect on the downstream end of the culvert during rain and snowmelt events, though the drainage was dry most of the year, and quite steep. This was a non-fish bearing tributary connected to McDonald Creek, a sizable fish bearing creek that drains into the Straight of Juan de Fuca just east of the Dungeness. The scour from the
culvert outfall was creating a huge scarp and threatening to take out the only access road to Rose Ann's house.
Scarp created from outfall of undersized culvert.
What was to be done? From the landowner's perspective, she was about to lose the only access way to her property. From the Salmon Coalition's perspective, a significant contributor of fine sediment to McDonald Creek had been identified; yet with
out fish actively using the small tributary, grant funds for repair would be difficult, if not impossible, to secure.
Kevin Long, Salmon Coalition Project Manager, met with the Jamestown S'klallam Tribe and the North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entity for Salmon (NOPLE) to try to rustle up funding and repair ideas. It was looking like the only way to fund the project was for the property owner to do it herself, but it was proving difficult to find an affordable solution since completely replacing the culvert w
as impractical due to site topography and hydraulics. Then, Eric Carlsen with NOPLE had an idea to construct a cost effective flume to stop the erosion and protect the roadway. This structure allows water to make the drop it needs to while dissipating its energy to cease the erosion. With an idea on the table, the Salmon Coalition's WCC crew was enlisted to work the construction. Rose Ann ordered up materials and in early July our crew was mobilized to build the flume under Eric's direction. In a little over two days, the crew built a sturdy flume and energy dissipater. Lovely baked goods and words of praise from Rose Ann made it all the sweeter. As the rain begins again this winter, Salmon Coalition staff will return to inspect the project and plant trees in the scarp to prevent further erosion and sediment run-off into McDonald Creek. A huge thank you to Rose Ann, NOPLE, Eric Carlsen, the Jamestown S'klallam Tribe and our WCC crew for making this underdog project possible. The power of partnership has paid off again to the benefit of both people and salmon!
Water & Soul Brings Community's Youth to the Streamside
Salmon Coalition board member, Terry Sweeney, and students of the Water & Soul summer program gather to look at benthic macroinvertebrates on Chimacum Creek.
The
Water & Soul
summer camp, hosted by St. Paul's Episcopal Church, kicked off this week with a day of map making and learning about the waterways of the Chimacum Valley. The program, which is open to the public, is for youth ages 11-15 and focuses on getting young people outside learning about their environment and ways to study it, as well as some of the modern issues facing the natural world and how these problems are linked with our own daily lives. Salmon Coalition Education and Outreach Associate, Olivia Vito, and board member, Terry Sweeney, showed students how to study water quality and identify benthic macroinvertebrates found in the stream. Students looked at mayflies beneath a microscope and held crayfish for the first time. Later in the week, they'll be looking at what species exist in the lower reaches of the creek at Irondale Beach and comparing their findings.
Spotlight: Amanda Rose
Mother and Salmon Coalition Volunteer
How did you first hear about the North Olympic Salmon Coalition?
I first heard about NOSC from a friend at my son's school, Sunfield. He knew I was looking for volunteer work to fulfill experience on the land and working with conservation efforts and had previously volunteered with Jefferson Land Trust, so he mentioned NOSC and it ended up becoming a perfect fit.
What first got you interested in working with environmental conservation?
I had been attending an online school for a Radiology degree in California previous to moving to Washington State, and had over 10 years of experience in the medical field, mostly caring for geriatrics and people with disabilities.
After the move, I was thrown off a bit and decided to move in a new direction. Being surrounded by so much natural beauty really was the driver for the drastic change in my plans. Conservation has always been a passion of mine, as well as helping our beautiful planet in any way I can.
Having children, and wanting to lead by example for them, was a huge driving force in the career change, as well. I wanted them to have a healthy understanding about where food really comes from, how to take care of the planet and care for all of her creatures and ecosystems, and understanding our place within all of it. This was the beginning of our new adventure in conservation implementation. So now,
I am on track to obtain a Fisheries and Wildlife degree through Oregon State University.
Why did you pick NOSC to volunteer with?
NOSC has done so much, not only in the way of conservation efforts, but also in surveying to quantify if all of their hard work is really making a difference. I believe all the hard work has and does make a difference; and that's the kind of difference I want to be a part of.
In what ways have you volunteered with NOSC over the past few months?
Some of the NOSC conservation efforts my family and I have been part of so far are plant identification, weeding and organizing of the NOSC native plant nursery located at Finn River. My family and I also helped plant trees and shrubs along the Dungeness River in May, and from October-December I helped survey for Coho salmon up Chimacum Creek with a team of fellow NOSC volunteers. I plan on doing much more volunteering with NOSC; in fact, chum surveying is coming up and I am dying to be a part of it!
Do you think your family has received a worthwhile experience while volunteering with NOSC?
An emphatic YES!! I believe after all of the volunteering that my husband and kids have been part of, they have walked away happy, excited for what they have accomplished, and the desire to do more. It melts my heart that they have such joy in helping our planet and local ecosystems thrive.
What is you and your family's favorite thing to do outside?
This is a very hard question. There is an endless amount of things to do outside, but I would say gardening, camping and jumping in any nearby body of water.
Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?
I guess I would like to emphasize the fact that you are never too old to go back to school. You are never too old to follow your dreams. Remember, we are all only given one life, with no guarantees of how long we may live. So play hard, lead by example, spread joy whenever you can, show kindness to all living things, and most of all, be grateful for every day.
Oh, and whenever possible, plant a tree.
Peace, love and happiness to you, dear reader.
Thank you, Amanda! We're also excited for the upcoming season of surveying for Chimacum Creek spawning salmon!
If you have questions or comments about anything in our newsletter, please don't hesitate to contact us.
360.379.8051
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