Volunteers from Whatcom Conservation District's Orca Recovery Day event celebrate a great day of volunteering and habitat restoration. This was one of 85 events across the Pacific Northwest on October 16th, which brought together 100 organization partners and 1,900 participants.

Throughout the Pacific Northwest on October 16th, nearly 100-organizations joined the Puget Sound Conservation District caucus to host 85-events that support the recovery of endangered Southern Resident Orca Whales. Along with Congressmembers Kim Schrier and Derek Kilmer, over 1,900-participants engaged in restoring vital salmon habitat, picking up trash, removing invasive weeds, or simply learning about the challenges facing this iconic species and how they could help. These combined efforts of well over 4,300 volunteer hours resulted in over 22-acres of habitat restored, another 17-acres of invasive weeds removed, and over 13,500 native plants installed.

After two years of work, the Puyallup River Watershed Council has successfully elevated the Puyallup – White River Watershed as a vital area of focus for ecosystem recovery, both for the region, and nationally. On Wednesday, December 5, 2018 the Puget Sound Partnership’s Leadership Council unanimously voted to make the Puyallup River Watershed Council a new Local Integrating Organization (LIO), ensuring that recovery of the local ecosystem is community based and supported by local, state, and federal agencies.

Pictured here is the new side channel habitat recently installed at our South Prairie Creek Preserve project just upstream from the recently acquired Soler Farm. As restoration efforts move forward, a similar side channel will be designed to reconnect 13-acres of the Soler Farm to it's natural floodplain, creating vital new salmon habitat and flood storage capacity, while keeping 60-acres in agricultural production.

Thanks to a grant from the Pierce County Flood Control Zone District and in partnership with the Puyallup Tribe Fisheries Department, South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group, Forterra, and Surface Water Management, the Pierce Conservation District recently acquired the 73-acre Soler Farm to continue 20-years of effort to restore South Prairie Creek, one of the most important salmon streams in the area.

“This acquisition reflects the kind of multi-agency interest needed to accomplish large scale restoration projects and the tribe is delighted to partner with so many enthusiastic individuals,” said Puyallup Tribe Fisheries Director, Russ Ladley.