Salish Sea Heroes Project Wraps Up

There was a sense of accomplishment as we watched the salmon fry dart to the edges of Swan Creek after being dropped into their new home. They had been raised at the Foss Waterway Seaport from the time they were eggs as part of the Salish Sea Heroes project with Tacoma Public Schools. Community partners, including Pierce Conservation District, teamed up with 5^th grade classes to deliver remote lessons about salmon and the Salish Sea, and how the plight of resident orcas can be tied to the health of local salmon runs. We also collected data on Swan Creek and provided it to the students to determine the best spot to release the salmon. After learning about native and invasive vegetation, macroinvertebrates, and stream health, the students cast their votes. 

Progress with Glacier Middle School Volunteers

The final wheelbarrow full of mulch signaled the end of a hard yet productive shift for the volunteers from Glacier Middle School. We had placed heaps of burlap and mulch over the recently planted area in an effort to keep the blackberry canes at bay. The area along the White River has been transformed over these past several months thanks to the dedicated teachers and students during regular work parties. Our conservation crews have also been a key part of our early success, and we’ll look to keep momentum going over the summer as we clear more room for planting later this year.

Forest Poster Contest

Are you a student artist, or know someone who is? Check out this year’s NACD poster contest – Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities!

WORK RESUMES ALONG WHITE RIVER
After a bit of a hiatus (what with the pandemic and all), we picked back up with our partnership with Glacier Middle School. We put together some blackberry-clearing work parties with a small but dedicated group of teachers and students this fall and winter. We also benefitted from the efforts of an AmeriCorps crew during their rotation with Pierce Conservation District. Once we made a dent in the blackberry patches, we set our sights on putting some native plants in the ground in February. These will help improve habitat along the White River, as well as serving as an outdoor learning opportunity for the school and community. There’s plenty of work still to be done but it’s great to see some progress!


REMOTE LEARNING RESOURCES 
We’re glad to see kids returning to school safely, and we can’t wait to resume class visits and field trips when the time comes. In the meantime, we’ve been adding to our remote learning resources. You can watch a stop-motion stormwater video, look at soil organisms up close, and explore other environmental science activities. Check out our Environmental Education at Home page for these and others to help meet your remote learning needs.

With so much distance learning going on, our EE team wants to support teachers and learners who are looking for resources. We have virtual activities, videos, and other resources to support environmental science learning for a variety of grades. To get an idea of what we can offer, visit our “Environmental Education at Home” page here: https://piercecd.org/522/Environmental-Education-at-Home.

Or email our team directly:ChrisT@piercecd.org

PUYALLUP SALMON HOMECOMING
We celebrated the return of local salmon virtually this year, with videos and activities from partners throughout the watershed. We compiled these on our website to make them easy for you to check out. Until we can gather again and celebrate Salmon Homecoming together, use these fun activities to learn more about them, their journey, and the role we play in their story.
Visit our website at: https://piercecd.org/539/Puyallup-Watershed-Salmon-Homecoming.