Sound Stewards

May 2022

go with the flow - free the Deschutes!

A Message from our Outreach Coordinator

Hello, thanks for stopping by! My name is Jae, and I'm the new Outreach Coordinator at DERT. I'm a lifelong resident of Washington State, and I moved to Olympia in 2014 to attend The Evergreen State College. I quickly fell in love with the area, the community, and the passionate work of local organizations.

After college, I served as an AmeriCorps and paired with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and The South Sound Reading Foundation. I loved the field work at DFW and the relationships I built at the Reading Foundation so when it was time to choose my next adventure, I decided to combine the things I loved most-- people and planet!

I'm thrilled to be a part of DERT! The work we do today will benefit folks, flora, and fauna for years to come. Today I'm saying YESTUARY. 

I would love to meet and connect more about the restoration of our Deschutes Estuary. DERT will be at Love Local tonight, May 19th, from 5-9 pm at Huntamer Park in Lacey, WA. We will have resources about the work we do along with some fun coloring pages for the kiddos.

We will also be at The Olympia Center on May 31st, 5:30-8 pm, for a community forum. The conversation will include presentations of the current state of our climate while highlighting possible methods of mitigation, such as estuary restoration. Estuaries provide critical ecosystem services that mitigate the effects of climate change, such as flood control and carbon sequestration. There will also be a small environmental fair with local organizations sharing resources. Come learn more, share, and connect with the South Sound community!

If you can't make it, no worries! Feel free to call and chat. DERT is grateful for the unique skills that folks bring to the table as volunteers and board members, and we are always available to chat about how you can get involved. 

Please consider donating to DERT today at deschutesestuary.org/donate. You are part of the vision and hard work that guarantees the Deschutes River WILL meet Puget Sound without a barrier. Together, we will continue to advocate for the removal of the 5th Avenue Dam to restore our urban estuary.

May 19: Love local Market

5-9 pm at Huntamer Park 

We will have resources and kid's activities! Stop by to chat about estuary restoration and ways to get involved at DERT. 

May 31: Olympia's Climate Future: Mitigation and Resilience through Estuary Restoration

5:30-8 pm at The Olympia Center (222 Columbia St NW 98501)

Join us for this IN PERSON event! Estuaries provide critical ecosystem services that mitigate the effects of climate change, such as flood control and carbon sequestration. Find out more about how estuaries are critical in the fight against climate change at our upcoming community forum on May 31st. There will be special guest speakers from a variety of environmental disciplines, a small environmental fair, treats and an open Q&A.

If you would like to sponsor this event, please reach out to us via email to our Outreach Coordinator Jae at harris-townsend@deschutesestuary.org.

June 28: Community Forum: Deschutes Watershed and Puget Sound Wildlife

5:30-8 pm at The Olympia Center (222 Columbia St NW 98501)

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

DERT is searching for new Board Members!

Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team (DERT) is looking for community-focused estuary enthusiasts to join our Board of Directors. DERT’s Board of Directors are members of our community that have chosen to volunteer their time and resources to advocate for restoration of the Deschutes Estuary through the removal of the 5th avenue dam in downtown Olympia.

We can’t achieve this vision without your help. DERT welcomes those from all backgrounds and identities. If interested, please visit our website or email our Executive Director, Paige Anderson, at anderson@deschutesestuary.org

Seeking volunteers for our upcoming event on May 31st. Five volunteers are needed for set up, tear down, and welcoming guests. If you are available, please reach out to our Outreach Coordinator, Jae Harris-Townsend at harris-townsend@deschutesestuary.org

Check out our latest blog post featuring a brief history of the 5th Avenue Dam and its implications. Visit our website to learn more. 

Earlier this month, 26,669 donors raised over $13,564,811 for 1,410 non-profit organizations across Washington State. DERT is honored to be included in these impressive numbers. We humbly accept our donors' generous contribution to our tireless work to ensure estuary restoration. Thanks to donations from our supportive and passionate community members, we are one step closer to the removal of the 5th Avenue dam and full restoration of our local urban estuary. We truly could not do this work without you. Thank you! 

If you'd like to make a donation to support our mission, please visit our website. 

We had a wonderful time learning from a number of experts about water issues in our region during DERT's two-part Human Water Cycle community forum!! Great presentations and conversations. Thank you so much to our guest speakers: Jesse Barham, Sean Dixon, Kevin Hansen, Katrinka Hibler, Matt Kennelly, Dave Peeler, and Ted Sturdevant!

If you were unable to attend, worry not! We have uploaded videos of the two forums to our community forum webpage. You can also view them below. Part I is on the left, and Part II is on the right.

Join us for the return of in person forums on May 31st at 5:30 pm at the Olympia Center-- we hope to see you there!

If you'd like to sponsor this or future events, please contact our Outreach Coordinator, Jae, at harris-townsend@deschutes

Extra extra! Hear all about it!

A special thanks goes out to Paige Folkers from the podcast, For Folks' Sake, for taking the time to highlight DERT through an interview with our Executive Director, Paige Anderson. Find the interview in episode 22. 

As a community dedicated to protecting the Deschutes watershed and South Puget Sound, we must all keep an eye out for potential pollution incidents when we are out and about. This page contains a list of who to call to report a pollution source - click the organization name to be directed to their site.