Coho Surveyor Training
WSU Jefferson County Extension Office, Port Hadlock
Monday, October 29, 10-12 p.m.
Trivia Night
Wind Rose Cellars, Sequim
Thursday, November 8, 6-8 p.m.
Click here to view the NOSC events calendar to learn more.
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Coho Surveys Just Around the Corner
Volunteers slowly working their way up Chimacum Creek. Photo from NOSC archives.
There are two remaining weeks of chum surveys, and coho surveys are right around the corner! We are in search of volunteers to help us conduct coho surveys.
Our Coho Surveyor Training event for volunteers will be held on
Monday, October 29th from 10-12 p.m.
at the
WSU Jefferson County Extension Office,
Kivley Center; 1
21 Oak Bay Road, Port Hadlock.
Coho and chum surveys have a different procedure, so even if you've surveyed chum, come and learn something new!
If you cannot make the training, but would still like to be involved, contact Hannah; hseligmann@nosc.org,
for options.
Real Learning, Real Work is Back!
Thanks to generous members, donors, and volunteers!
Last year's Chimacum Real Learning Real Work students gathering for a group photo at Finnriver Farm and Orchard after a day's worth of field work.
On Tuesday, October 16th, the Real Learning, Real Work program kicked off with Chimacum Middle School students. The program provides students in Jefferson and Clallam County the opportunity to work alongside real restoration professionals at real restoration sites, learning the techniques that specialists use every day. Students developed plot maps (the area that each student group will plant in the spring), learned to identify common trees and shrubs and made creek observations at Finnriver Farm. They then enjoyed a taste of wild salmon demonstrating traditional Native American fire roasting techniques. On Friday, the 19th, the program will continue with Blue Heron Middle School students at Illahee Preserve and Salmon Creek.
We'd like to send a big THANK YOU to YOU, our members, donors, and volunteers who have attended our house parties, events at Marrowstone Vineyards and mailed in those return envelopes. Through this, YOU are planting future forests and the seeds for a new generation of environmental stewards.
Each year, salmon for students has been kindly donated by Joel Kawahara and the troll fleet. And each year, students are enthralled with the cooking technique and how delicious wild salmon can taste!
Generous grant support has been provided by: the Stranahan Foundation, No Child Left Inside grant from the Restoration and Conservation Office, Jefferson County WSU and Jefferson County Puget Sound Anglers. Thank you once again!
The program continues through the spring with planting and volunteer opportunities located from Port Townsend to Clallam Bay. If you're interested in ge
tting out in the field with students in the future, please
RSVP using this form
.
No experience is required, we will have a brief day of training.
If you have any questions, contact Hannah at hseligmann@nosc.org or call our office at 360-379-8051.
The Salmon Coalition and the North Olympic Land Trust will join forces on Thursday, November 8th from 6-8 p.m., for trivia night at Wind Rose Cellars in Sequim.
Come enjoy an extended happy hour while putting your nature knowledge to the test! Your
attendance
will support local land conservation and wild salmon habitat restoration.
One of three tables worth of pies at this year's Annual Gathering. Photo from NOSC archives.
Thank you for joining us at our Annual Gathering and Pie Celebration last month.This was the peak week for viewing summer chum returning to Chimacum Creek. We always enjoy celebrating the year's accomplishments and sharing pie with you. Stay tuned, after popular demand this year we may even add a savory pie section to next year's table!
Congratulations to Sarah Doyle!
Pictured left to right: NOSC's Sarah Doyle, Janine Boire, Darlene Schanfald (representing Eloise Kailin). Photo by Peninsula Daily News.
Along with Dr. Eloise Kailin of Blyn, our very own Sarah Doyle was awarded the 2018 Eleanor Stopps Envionmental Leadership Award from the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. This marks the first time ever that two people were nominated. The award recognizes citizens on the North Olympic Peninsula, who have provided leadership in protection and stewardship of the environment. Eleanor Stopps founded the Admiralty Audobon Chapter and played a key role in the establishment of Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge in 1982. Eleanor Stopp's work continues to inspire people today, and as Sarah said, "Eleanor Stopps was a powerful voice in our community, so to be given an award in her honor is really special to me." Click
here to read more.
Restoration in Dungeness Bay
Rainy first day of construction in Dungeness Bay. Photo by Bre Harris.
On Monday, October 8th, two tugboats, a barge, and a crane were brought to Dungeness Bay to begin the removal of 165 creosote treated pilings
.The pilings are remnants of the old Dungeness Wharf. Locals tell us that the wharf was initially used to load boats to transport milk from Dungeness dairies to Seattle. One resident tells the story of his dad loading two boats of milk a day to depart from the wharf. The structure has been coming apart for years due to its age, rot and storm events. Besides the floating debris and leftover pile stubs presenting navigational hazards, the creosote treated wood has negative environmental impacts. The pieces eventually wash onto area beaches and continue to leach creosote into area waters and beaches. The primary component of creosote, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), can negatively affect the health of marine species, sensitive spawning grounds, and bird nesting grounds. There are various human health problems associated with creosote exposure, along with its potential to cause cancer.
Overhead view of the barge, crane, and tugboats used to remove 165 creosote treated pilings. Photo by John Gussman.
In conjunction with removing this harmful substance, the project will restore natural shoreline processes, improve
eelgrass beds in the area, and remove shading impacts from the pilings and overwater structure. When you visit the site, you'll notice three pilings near the beach. These are steel pilings, placed during the projects that will house established purple martin nest boxes. To learn more about the purple martin project, visit OPAS (Olympic Peninsula Audobon Society), in Sequim.
Meet Our New Staff Member
Volunteer and Education Program Manager
Hannah Seligmann
Hannah has more than eight years of experience teaching environmental education and managing community-based stewardship projects. Hannah received a B.A. in Sociology with a specialization in Social Justice. Most recently, she worked for a non profit in the DC region focused on mobilizing communities to take action on plastic pollution. Previously, Hannah was a zip line instructor in the Blue Ridge mountains, a crew member aboard an oceanographic research vessel in the Gulf of Maine, and served with Americorps. Hannah is passionate about connecting people to their local waterways. She is from the Potomac River watershed, and is excited to be living on the Olympic Peninsula. In her free time, Hannah enjoys potlucks, growing flowers, and exploring the Earth.
Born and raised in Montana, Bre's life has always been focused in the mountains. Her fascination with the natural world inspired her to receive a B.S. in Biology at Western Washington University. Throughout her studies, Bre spent time as a part-time responder for marine mammal stranding events in Whatcom County, an assistant researcher with NOAA Fisheries in Skagit Bay, and an instructor for Mt. Baker SnowSchool. Bre also served a year as an AmeriCorps member at the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, where she lead various local watershed education programs. On her days off, Bre can be found in the mountains skiing or riding her bike, on the coast surfing, or botanizing.
Bre looks forward to getting involved in the unique community on the North Olympic Peninsula and continuing to share her passion for the environment as our new Education and Outreach Associate/WCC IP.
WCC 2018-2019 Crew Members
From left to right: NOSC's WCC Crew Supervisor Owen French and crew members Elena Smith, James Swanson, Brian LeMaster, Cheyenne Parson, and
Restoration Specialist, Owen French leads this Washington Conservation Corps crew sponsored by the Salmon Coalition. WCC AmeriCorps members will improve habitat for salmon and wildlife throughout Jefferson and Clallam Counties, focusing on planting trees and shrubs along rivers and streams, but also working on trail projects, minor construction, invasive weed control, salmon surveys and more! Learn more about the crew below.
Brian LeMaster
Brian grew up in Port Townsend and is back in the area after school. He enjoys playing sports, ball games and hiking in the Olympics. This is his second year on the Port Hadlock crew.
Cheyenne Parson
Cheyenne was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest in Washington state. As an individual she has always had a strong interest and passion for almost all things outdoors. With this opportunity as a crew member, she is looking forward to putting her time and effort to assist in a variety of restoration projects where she is able to help preserve the land and wildlife for herself and many generations to come.
Elena Smith
Elena is from the Midwest originally and went to school for animal Ecology. It's her first year in Americorps and her first year in Washington altogether. Before this, she was teaching outdoor science in California. In Elena's free time she likes tide pooling, rock climbing, and petting dogs.
James moved out to the Olympic Peninsula last year from Minnesota. This will be his second year as an Americorps. Last year he served at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. In his free time you can find James hiking a mountain, swimming in the ocean, or playing in the garden. He has a wetsuit so the cold doesn't bother him! James is excited for this next year with WCC helping restore salmon habitat!
José is a charismatic Cuban-American with a passion for vertebrate ecology and eukaryote taxonomy. Since graduating from Appalachian State University he has worked for multifarious private, state and federal agencies in Western Europe, Cuba, North Carolina, Colorado, Oregon and Washington. In the fall he plans to attend graduate school to refine his skills in herpetological telemetry.
Spotlight: Christine Edwards
Christine Edwards is one of our second year volunteers, who has dedicated a lot of her time to our summer chum and coho spawner surveys.The data collected by volunteers like Christine helps the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to estimate the number of salmon returning to Chimacum Creek. Learn more about Christine and her involvement with the Salmon Coalition.
When and how were you first introduced to the North Olympic Salmon Coalition?
I moved to Port Townsend a little over 2 years ago after retiring from a career in airport management. To get to know my community, I took the WSU Beach Naturalist class, and that's where I first heard about NOSC. NOSC's mission to restore salmon habitat in local streams inspired me to take WSU's River Stewards class last fall, and volunteer to count summer chum and coho. This is my second season counting salmon, and I hope there will be many more!
Why do you choose to donate your time to the North Olympic Salmon Coalition? How important are salmon to you?
I spend most summers boating in British Columbia and Alaska, and have actually seen the water "boil with fish" as salmon wait for the tide to allow them to enter the mouths of streams; I've also had the opportunity to watch eagles and bear on the beach catching salmon, then walked those same beaches looking at the remains the predators left behind. Volunteering for NOSC has let me into the inland part of the salmon's journey that I've not had the opportunity to see from a boat. All of these experiences have reinforced the incredible importance of salmon--to the wildlife that prey on them, to the forests that they nourish, and to us.
Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers?
Getting to know other volunteers and NOSC staff, all of whom are passionate about what we're doing has been great fun, even when we're measuring and pulling scales from dozens of very ripe dead fish! I'm looking forward to getting involved in more of NOSC's educational programs and restoration work in the future.
Thank you Christine for all the great work that you do! We look forward to seeing you at many more volunteer events.
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Base funding for the RFEG program comes from a grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, a portion of state commercial and recreational fishing license fees, and excess egg and carcass sales administered by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
If you have questions or comments about anything in our newsletter, please don't hesitate to contact us.
outreach@nosc.org
360.379.8051
www.nosc.org
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