Coming up in October.

Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Shoreline Real Estate: Course for Real Estate Brokers
Coming up in October.

Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Shoreline Real Estate: Course for Real Estate Brokers
Join Sierra Club’s Wastewater Residuals (formerly Sewage Sludge)
Grassroots Team’s National Call
|
VICTORS Against Sewage Sludging |
WEDNESDAY APRIL 18 5 PM/PT 8 PM/ET
Call: 1-866 501 6174 Code: 1892005#
How did a small Eastern Washington State community of organic farmers defeat the application of sewage sludge in their farm land watershed?
Hear Mill Canyon resident Morton Alexander describe the Tolstoy Farm community and its fight against getting sludged.
Hear Attorney Rachael Osborn explain the legal issues involved.

Morton Alexander is a retired WA State employee and experienced community organizer. He has lived in Mill Canyon for 46 years. He is a neighbor to the Tolstoy Farm and maintains his own organic orchard. His natural spring has been a source of clean drinking water for neighbors. (Read more at www.protectmillcanyonwatershed.org ) Photo credit: Colin Mulvany

Rachael Paschal Osborn is a retired public interest water lawyer who lives on WA State’s Vashon Island. She assisted the Mill Canyon farmers and orchardists in preventing the sludge permit.
Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Morton Alexander, Puget Sound, Rachel Osborn, sludge | 1 Comment »
Clallam Marine Resources Committee just received the correct sign-in information from Department of Ecology. To participate in the webinar March 14th please use the link below. Sorry about the inconvenience.
Helle Andersen
Project Coordinator
Clallam MRC
March 14th Webinar “Staying Prepared in an Evolving World of Oil Movement” at 12 – 1 pm
More than 20 billion gallons of oil moves through Washington each year, carried by vessel, pipeline, road, and rail. You are invited to an online webinar to learn about the recent improvements and current challenges Washington state environmental regulators face to keep the state’s oil spill program strong. Learn about bulk oil movement in Washington, implementation of the 2015 Oil Transportation Safety Act, properties of oil and potential impacts from spills, existing response capability and opportunities for staying involved.
The webinar will be hosted by NWSC and Clallam MRC and presented by Dale Jensen, Program Manager and Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, Preparedness Manager, Department of Ecology Spills Program.
Join the webinar by clicking on this link: https://watech.webex.com/watech/j.php?MTID=m1586245d9d84d4a96259e47117c288da
Meeting password: spills18
Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on March 2018 – Oil Spill Preparedness Month – Events in Clallam County
More Navy needs for our lands and parks.
PORT TOWNSEND — The U.S. Navy is hosting an open house in Port Townsend tonight to provide information on its proposed special operations training in Western Washington.
The Naval Special Warfare Command proposes to conduct small-unit land and cold-water maritime training activities for naval special operations personnel.
…The open house is set for 5 to 8 tonight at Blue Heron School Commons, 3939 San Juan Ave., Port Townsend. It is the only open house planned on the North Olympic Peninsula.
I highly recommend you come out and let them know what you think of their proposals.
The whole story is here: https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/navy-taking-comment-on-draft-plan-for-land-cold-water-maritime-training/
Support local newspapers and subscribe to the PDN and PT Leader.
Filed under: Events, Government, Jefferson County, Olympic Peninsula, Puget Sound | Tagged: Jefferson County, Navy Expansion, Olympic Peninsula, Puget Sound | Comments Off on Navy taking comment on draft plan for land, cold-water maritime training -PDN
Volunteers needed to plant native trees along Dungeness River on Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal property

Jim Pearson planting at the Salmon Creek planting held on January 6th and 7th.
The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and the North Olympic Salmon Coalition seek volunteers to help plant native trees along the Dungeness River on February 3rd, 2017. The planting will be completed along one of the Dungeness River’s former floodplains.
In January 2016, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe purchased the property that will be planted, with funding from Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration and Floodplains by Design. The restoration effort so far has involved removing three houses, including their septic and utilities, and revegetating the area in an attempt to restore it to its historic state of a floodplain. Floodplains are important as the take on excess water in times of flooding. Floodplains help to reduce the risk of damage when storms or snowmelt overwhelm the river banks. Floodplains also serve to provide cleaner water, habitat for fish and other wildlife, ground water recharge, and as flood storage. Reforestation of the floodplain along the Dungeness River will help to improve water quality and create healthy habitat for the fish and wildlife that frequent the area.
Tools and gloves will be provided, but are in limited supply so feel free to bring your own. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m on February 3rd, and will include light refreshments and hot drinks. Bring warm, waterproof clothes and boots, water, and a lunch.
To receive directions, please RSVP to Katie at outreach@nosc.org or (360) 504-5611
About North Olympic Salmon Coalition:
The North Olympic Salmon Coalition is a non-regulatory non-profit organization that works with willing landowners and government agencies to perform salmon habitat restoration on the North Olympic Peninsula. Founded in 1990 by a group of dedicated community volunteers, the North Olympic Salmon Coalition was formed as one of fourteen Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups in Washington State. Working in direct collaboration with Washington State, tribal governments and the communities of the Olympic Peninsula, we have spent the last 26 years restoring degraded and compromised habitat through both small and large-scale restoration projects. We utilize the efforts of our dedicated volunteers to increase the odds of salmon survival, foster community stewardship and promote the education of our youth. For more information or to volunteer, visit www.nosc.org or call 360-379-8051.
Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on EVENT: Feb 3 – Volunteers needed to plant native trees along Dungeness River

Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on EVENT: Dec. 10 – Short of Breath: Marine Life in a Warming World
Upcoming events to allow you to communicate directly with our state and federal legislators. It would be a good idea to tell them how you feel about the proposed ban on net pen aquaculture, Navy jets, the new tax bill and other thoughts.
State Sen. Kevin Van De Wege, Rep. Steve Tharinger and Rep. Mike Chapman will host a town hall tour of the northern 24th District in December to listen to the ideas, concerns and comments of people before the start of the 2018 legislative session.
Local legislators to host town halls on Peninsula in December
Filed under: Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Local legislators to host town halls on Peninsula in December – PDN
Port Townsend – The Jefferson County Water Quality Department, in collaboration with the Jefferson County Conservation District, North Olympic Salmon Coalition and Jefferson Land Trust will be holding a public open house for Chimacum, Hadlock and Port Ludlow residents. This event is scheduled Thursday, November 16th, 2017 at the Tri-Area Community Center (corner of Highway 19 & West Valley Road in Chimacum) at 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Refreshments will be on hand and free water conservation gifts and information will be available for attendees.
The open house will feature information and Q&A with the staff from these agencies and organizations who will be on hand to provide updates on what’s been happening to protect water quality, salmon, habitat, and agriculture in Chimacum and Ludlow Creek. Highlights of the Open House will be:
· Mike Dawson & Anna Bachmann of Jefferson County Water Quality and Glenn Gately of Jefferson County Conservation District will provide the findings on monitoring for bacteria pollution, implementing agricultural Best Management Practices and the status of septic systems in Chimacum & Ludlow Creek basins.
· Latest information on salmon in Chimacum Creek from Sarah Doyle of the North Olympic Salmon Coalition.
· Updates from Sarah Spaeth of the Land Trust on efforts to protect open space, habitat, and agriculture in the Chimacum basin.
· Information on the USDA Rural Assistance Program and Craft3 programs providing financial resources for septic system repairs in this area.
This open house is part of a project, funded by the Washington State Department of Ecology, which conducted sanitary surveys and regular monitoring of Chimacum and Ludlow Creeks for bacterial pollution and other parameters affecting the health of people and the environment. Staff will be on hand to answer your questions at the open house.
For more information on the Open House on November 16th, contact 360-385-9444.
Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on CHIMACUM & LUDLOW CREEK BASINS PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE
This is the second installment of The Future of Ocean lecture series. You can read more about the complete lecture series here.
Assisted Listening Devices available
Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on EVENT: The Future of Oceans Lecture Series 2017-2018 – NOV 12
Retired astronaut turned activist John Fabian of Port Ludlow was awarded the Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award from the Port Townsend Marine Science Center for his efforts to protect Hood Canal. Fabian is the co-founder of the Hood Canal Coalition, a citizens group that rallied in 2002 to fight a proposal known by many as the “pit-to-pier project.” The proposed project from Thorndyke Resources was to build a 4-mile conveyor belt and 1,000-foot pier that would move gravel from the former Fred Hill Materials Shine pit to barges in Hood Canal. Cydney McFarland reports. (Peninsula Daily News)
John Fabian wins Eleanor Stopps award for Hood Canal Coalition work
Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on John Fabian wins Eleanor Stopps award for Hood Canal Coalition work – PDN

Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Clallam County, Puget Sound | Comments Off on EVENT:The Man Who Built the Sierra Club: A Life of David Brower
Worth attending!

Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on EVENT: June 5th- New Giants of the Salish Sea
Chris Dunagan in Watching Our Water Ways writes: “With Earth Day falling on a Saturday this year, all sorts of environmental activities have been scheduled for this weekend. On top of your typical Earth Day activities, there will be a March for Science in Washington, D.C., as well as in Seattle and hundreds of other communities across the country. It just seems like a great time to get out and do something…. The National Weather Service predicts that warm weathertomorrow will give way to a low-pressure trough moving over Western Washington on Saturday. That weather system might be traveling slowly enough that the rains won’t appear until later in the day when most activities have been wrapped up in the Puget Sound region….”
See also: Organizers Of Seattle’s March For Science Expect It To Be 2nd Largest In U.S. http://knkx.org/post/organizers-seattles-march-science-expect-it-be-2nd-largest-us Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)
Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Earth Day on Saturday includes old events plus new March for Science – Chris Dunagan

Filed under: education, Environmental Activism, environmental education, Events, Port Angeles, Puget Sound | Tagged: Clallam County, Port Angeles, Puget Sound | Comments Off on EVENT: Day of Science in Port Angeles – APRIL 22nd.
Al Latham just alerted me that a fellow from the Farm Bureau will be doing a presentation on the Hirst Decision (on building permits and water rights) and current legislative activity around exempt wells at the Chimacum Grange, 7pm Wed April 12.
What is the Hirst Decision? It’s an extremely important new ruling that addresses an ongoing battle over development vs. water rights. Let me copy from the Dept of Ecology web site:
“A recent Washington State Supreme Court decision has changed how counties decide to approve or deny building permits that use wells for a water source.
In the Whatcom County vs. Hirst, Futurewise, et al. decision (often referred to as the Hirst decision), the court ruled that the county failed to comply with the Growth Management Act (GMA) requirements to protect water resources. The ruling requires the county to make an independent decision about legal water availability.
We protect rivers and streams across the state by creating instream flow rules, which set the amount of water necessary for protecting fish, wildlife and recreation. In 1985, we adopted an instream flow rule for the Nooksack River (WAC 173-501) in Whatcom County. This rule closed most streams in the watershed to new water right permits but allowed landowners to use permit-exempt wells in most of the area. Whatcom County’s development regulations followed our instream flow rule.
A reliable, year-round supply of water is necessary for new homes or developments. Before the Oct. 6, 2016, court decision, many counties relied on what the Department of Ecology said about whether year-round water was available. This court decision changes that – counties now have to make their own decisions about whether there is enough water, physically and legally, to approve a building permit that would rely on a well.
The case directly relates to Whatcom County but appears to set legal precedent that applies in other counties where there are instream flow rules that were not intended to regulate permit-exempt water uses. It is unclear how the decision affects areas of the state where there are no instream flow rules. Counties are working to review the decision and what it means for them. Contact your county’s building, planning or health departments if you have questions about how the Hirst decision may affect you.
Filed under: Around the Sound, Events, Government, Jefferson County, Puget Sound | Tagged: Jefferson County SMP, Puget Sound | Comments Off on EVENT: Farm Bureau to present on Hirst Decision 4/12 @7PM Chimicum Grange
Ludlow Creek Open House, Wednesday, October 26
5:30-7:30pm – Bay Club, 120 Spinnaker Place, Port Ludlow
Jefferson County Public Health & the Jefferson County Conservation District are hosting a public meeting at the Bay Club to provide residents information about a new water quality project on Ludlow Creek. This projects starts in October 2016 and runs for 12 months. We’ll also be offering information on financial support for septic system repair and/or replacement as well as other public health information and free water quality conservation gifts to people who attend. People can contact Anna Bachmann if they need more information: (360)379-4482 or abachmann@co.jefferson.wa.us
Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on EVENT: Ludlow Creek Project -Open House, Wednesday, October 26
The JLT Natural History Society Presents: The Hoh River Trust—Preserving a last great American river and its corridor
On Thursday, October 6, the JLT Natural History Society will sponsor a presentation on the remarkable history and stewardship efforts of the Hoh River Trust. Executive Director Mike Hagen will explain how the trust was formed to obtain and manage lands along the Hoh between the Olympic National Park and the Pacific Ocean.
Of the roughly 250,000 rivers across the continental US, the Hoh is arguably one of the most unspoiled. It flows virtually intact for 56 miles from its source high in the Olympic Mountain range down to the Olympic
National Marine Sanctuary. The river corridor contains what many consider the world’s richest old-growth and temperate rainforests. These ecosystems provide critical habitat for endangered and threatened species including marbled murrelet, spotted owl, and bull trout, along with diverse other wildlife, such as elk, black bear, cougar. The river itself supports some of the healthiest native salmon and steelhead runs in the “Lower 48.”
Within the lower reaches of the river, 30 miles beyond the Olympic National Park boundary, some 10,000 acres encompassing a mile on either side of the river are designated “at risk.” Over the last century, much of this area was managed for commercial timber harvest, and it is now in various stages of regeneration.
Restoring the vitality and resilience of these lands for the benefit of fish, wildlife, and humans is the mission of the trust. In its short, twelve-year history, the trust has already acquired nearly 7,000 acres.
Join us for this exciting program at 7 pm in the Sanctuary Hall of the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, at 2333 San Juan Avenue, Port Townsend. This event is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of five dollars.
Contact: Noreen Parks Noreen.parks@gmail.com
Filed under: Events, Olympic Peninsula, Puget Sound | Tagged: Hoh River Valley, Olympic Peninsula, Puget Sound | Comments Off on Event: Oct 6 -Hoh River Trust – Preserving a last great American river and it’s corridor.

Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Event: Sonic Sea Presentation in PA 9/30 7PM
Want to know more about stream ecology, salmon, water quality and habitat restoration? WSU Extension is offering a Watershed Stewards class to be held Thursdays, September 22 to October 27 from 9 am to 4 pm in Port Townsend. This lively, engaging venue combines classroom lectures by regional experts with fabulous field trips to special protected areas all over East Jefferson County. It’s designed for anyone interested in freshwater streams, salmon and watershed resources.
Applications are being accepted through September 16th. Classes are held primarily in Port Townsend, with field trips destinations from Discovery Bay to Hood Canal. Class participants also commit to 40 hours of volunteering with local organizations such as WSU Extension, Jefferson Land Trust, Jefferson Conservation District, the North Olympic Salmon Coalition and others. Volunteer activities include stream and salmon monitoring, public outreach, and habitat restoration. Cost is $160. Scholarships are available. See http://extension.wsu.edu/jefferson/nrs/wsu-watershed-stewards/ for more info or contact Bridget Gregg, Bridget.gregg@wsu.edu or Cheryl Lowe, Cheryl.lowe@wsu.edu.
Contact: Bridget Gregg, WSU Extension
bridget.gregg@wsu.edu, 360-379-5610 x 210, cell 360-531-0413
Filed under: Events, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on ‘Local Waters’ Course offered by WSU Extension – WSU
With high wind warnings for this evening, we have consulted with our
“Bees & Biodiversity” speaker, Jerry Freilich, and decided it’s best
to postpone our event.
We’re now planning for this event to take place at 7:00 pm on Thursday
January 7, in the same location, QUUF. We appreciate your
understanding, and hope to see you then!
On Thursday, December 3, the JLT Natural History Society will sponsor a presentation on Bees and Biodiversity by Jerry Freilich, former director of the North Coast and Cascades Science Learning Network. An entomologist by training, Freilich coordinated scientific research in Olympic National Park. He has researched insect biodiversity since 1996, and recently carried out a project to find and identify as many bee species as possible in Olympic National Park.
Most people can name perhaps three or four kinds of bees. They are surprised to learn that close to 4,000 species of native bees inhabit North America, (this doesn’t including honey bees, which were introduced by European settlers). Freilich will explain why bees are so difficult to study. Most are tiny, fast-flying, and inconspicuous. They go about their jobs, don’t interact with people, and generally fly below human ‘radar’.
Across North America, native bees can be found any place where flowers bloom. They have been pollinating the continent’s flowering plants since long before the arrival of honey bees. Even in today’s vastly altered landscapes, these champion pollinators continue to service the majority of native plants, as well as important human-cultivated varieties such as tomatoes, eggplants, pumpkins, cherries, blueberries, and cranberries.
The program begins at 7 pm in the QUUF’s sanctuary hall on San Juan Avenue, Port Townsend. This event is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of five dollars.
http://jltnatural.org/2015/11/02/bees-and-biodiversity/
CONTACT: Noreen Parks, 379-4007
Filed under: Events, Olympic Peninsula, Puget Sound | Tagged: Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend, Puget Sound | Comments Off on CANCELED -Event: JLT Natural History Society presents: Bees and Biodiversity