Upcoming Event: Solstice Salmon Days
You are invited to an all-ages educational celebration of salmon! Inspired by the long-standing traditions of local communities in honoring the salmon lifecycle, Finnriver, North Olympic Salmon Coalition and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center have joined together to offer three days of all-ages educational fun.

All activities will be hosted at Finnriver Farm and Cidery in Chimacum.

Thursday, June 22nd
4-6pm - Salmon Hat Crafting with NOSC
6pm - Nature Trivia with NOSC & PTMSC

Friday, June 23rd
3-5pm - Fin the Giant Migrating Salmon
3pm & 4pm - SUPERPOD: Illustrated Book Reading & Signing
6pm - Film Festival Screening
7:15pm - Film Festival Screening

Saturday, June 24th
1-4pm - Fin the Giant Migrating Salmon
1-4pm - Salmon Wind Sock Crafts with PTMSC
3-5pm - Salmon Boogie & Costume Contest
Children climb inside Fin to explore the watershed murals in her belly. Photo by NOSC Staff/Volunteer
Event Location:
124 Center Road, Chimacum, WA 98325
Art Contest Winner - Randy Radock!
"Swimmin' Home", Block Print, Randy Radock
The art contest results are in, and the winner is... Randy Radock’s beautiful “Swimmin’ Home”! Congratulations Randy! And thank you to everyone who submitted art to our contest. It was tough to select just one from all the beautiful submissions. We are so lucky to be a part of such a talented community! Don’t worry folks, we will be sharing all of the art submissions throughout the year so you can enjoy all the amazing art.

Volunteer Opportunity - Nursery Steward
NOSC is seeking a couple of volunteers to help with some watering, weeding, and re-potting of our native plant nursery in Chimacum.

These plants will be used in future volunteer and student plantings as part of NOSC's riparian restoration work.

Time Commitment - we are looking for folks who can commit between a couple of hours a month to a couple hours a week. Day and time are based on your availability and are flexible week to week.

If you are interested, please contact Stewardship Coordinator Nate Roberts at nroberts@nosc.org.
Photo by NOSC Staff.
Invasive Plants - What Can YOU Do?
A WCC crew member standing next to a pile of butterfly bush debris. Photo courtesy NOSC staff.
The Salmon Coalition is currently prepping for invasive and noxious weed treatment along local waterways like the Dungeness River. Our Dungeness River Riparian Recovery Project is entering its 8th year, with the goal of the project being treatment and removal of invasive weeds that have colonized the river’s riparian areas. We primarily treat butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) and knotweed (Polygonum spp.), as they are the most ubiquitous invaders along the banks and gravel bars of the river. However, several other species are also targeted when encountered, including Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius), Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), and perennial peavine (Lathyrus latifolius).

What are Invasive Weeds?

Invasive weeds are plants that are not native to a region that have been brought in either on purpose or by accident. These plants, lacking natural herbivores and competitors, can spread at rapid rates, displacing and competing for space traditionally occupied by native plant species. Some examples of intentional introduction include use as garden ornamentals, as food for livestock, or for erosion control. Means of unintentional introduction include seeds hitching a ride on clothing or hiking boots, or seed that was unintentionally mixed with livestock feed. With no natural means of keeping their populations in check, these plants are often able to out-compete native species for light and water. In fact, according to the Washington Invasive Species Council, invasive weeds negatively impact nearly one-half of the plants and animals listed as Endangered or Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act!
Invasive or Noxious, What’s the Difference?
Although the terms noxious and invasive are often used interchangeably when referring to unwanted plant invaders, there is a difference between the two. According to the Bureau of Land Management, a noxious weed is a plant designated by a Federal, State, or County government as a threat to public health, agriculture, recreation, wildlife, or property. A noxious weed can be either native or non-native. Invasive plants, however, are plants that have been introduced to an area in which they did not evolve, and as a result have no natural herbivores or competitors to limit their growth or spread. So, while both noxious and invasive weeds grow where they aren’t wanted and both can be detrimental to the environment or human health, noxious weeds can be either native or non-native, while invasive weeds are, by definition, not native to the environment to which they’ve been introduced.
A small knotweed infestation along the banks of the Dungeness River. Photo courtesy NOSC staff.
What Makes Invasive and Noxious Weeds Such Good Competitors?
There are several reasons why invasive and noxious weeds are so successful in colonizing areas and displacing native plant species. These plants often produce copious amounts of seed, which are easily dispersed by wind or water. In the case of butterfly bush, each flower head can produce up to 40,000 seeds, which are easily transported downstream to colonize areas previously free of the weed. Invasive and noxious weeds can not only reproduce sexually via seed but can often also reproduce asexually from broken stem or rhizome fragments. They also tend to get a head start in the spring, emerging days or even weeks earlier than native plants. In the case of invasive weeds, plants are not as susceptible to local pests, having evolved in a region where they weren’t present. As if these weren’t enough advantages, some invasive and noxious weeds are allelopathic, meaning they can exude chemicals that inhibit the growth of other species!
Common Ragwort. Courtesy of Washington State University—Jefferson County Extension
What Do I Do If I Find These Weeds on My Property?
There are several methods for controlling noxious or invasive weeds if you find them on your property. Manual removal (i.e. pulling or digging) is preferred when possible. However, some severe infestations may require either manual, mechanical, or chemical removal. If you suspect you may have these weeds on your property, the next step is to reach out to your local county noxious weed control board. Every county in the State of Washington has one and they are one of the best resources out there for information on treating invasive and noxious weeds in your area. These boards provide information on the best management practices, can assist in formulating a treatment plan, and often provide weed removal tools for rent. Click below to find additional information for the weed control board for the county in which you reside.
May Recap!
Making room in our storage garage for all our new equipment. Photo by NOSC staff.
A BIG Thank You for GiveBIG!
Because of your generous contributions, we were able to raise $4,620 to purchase new equipment to support our growing programs!

We have been able to purchase planting bags, wheelbarrows, and shovels to power our volunteer planters; a shade canopy, projector screen, grass-whips (for cutting grass), and kid-sized work gloves to support our growing education programs; and polarized sunglasses and dry boxes to keep our volunteer spawning surveyors safe in the streams! We've already started to receive and put these tools to good use!

If you missed the GiveBIG fundraiser, but would still like to donate, visit Donate | North Olympic Salmon Coalition (nosc.org)
Thank You for Joining us for the Farms and Fish Event!
It was a pleasure to share with you the unique collaboration between salmon restoration and farming along Chimacum Creek.

Finding solutions that benefit both salmon and farmers takes creative thinking and community support.

The afternoon was packed with the premiere of the short film Farms and Fish: Thriving Together, a presentation by Project Manager Kevin Long, farm tours of Kodama Farm and Food Forest, and a panel discussion and Q&A featuring Sarah Spaeth from the Jefferson Land Trust, Crystie Kisler from Finnriver Farm & Cidery, and NOSC's own Project Manager, Kevin Long and Executive Director, Rebecca Benjamin.

Miss the event? Check out the Farms and Fish: Thriving Together video and information about the Kodama Project on our website!
Top: Kevin Long presents on the challenges and opportunities of salmon restoration in agricultural valleys such as Chimacum. Middle: Hors d'oeuvres featuring ingredients from local farms. Right: Participants learned about the upcoming restoration work on Kodama Farm and Food Forest during farm tours. Photos by NOSC staff.
Header photo: John Gussman
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.

Give Us Your Feedback

Questions or Comments? Let us know what you think!
outreach@nosc.org
360.379.8051
www.nosc.org