Upcoming WSU Extension Class for Beginning Farmers- Sign up now

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Al Bergstein

Upcoming farm course offers overview of production and marketing options

 

Do you farm and need some help improving your bottom line? Do you dream of farming, and aren’t sure where to begin?  The “Sustainable Small Acreage Farming and Ranching” course offered through a joint effort between WSU Jefferson and Clallam County Extensions provides beginning and expanding farmers with planning and decision-making tools, production skills, and support necessary to develop or improve their sustainable small farm or ranch.

 

Course presenters include successful local producers and university specialists with expertise in direct marketing, value-added processing, production planning, and more.  Course participants will have a chance to participate in field visits to see different operations and processing options up close.  They also qualify for college or continuing education credit.

 

Sustainable Farming and Ranching runs weekly on Wednesday nights from January 22nd thru March 19th, 6:00pm-9:00pm at the Gardiner Community Center in Gardiner, including 3 intensive Saturday field trips to various farms throughout both counties. The class is part of the Cultivating SuccessTM Program, a collaboration of Washington State University’s Small Farms Team, University of Idaho Extension and the non-profit Rural Roots. Support comes from the USDA Risk Management Agency and the Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program. 

 

Class size is limited. Cost for the nine-week course is $250 per farm or family. Paid pre-registration is required.  Register online at jefferson.wsu.edu or contact Kellie Henwood at WSU Jefferson County Extension at 360-379-5610 ext. 201.

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Upcoming WSU Extension Class for Beginning Farmers- Sign up now

Environmental Lobby Day is no more…

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Al Bergstein

Washington Environmental Council (WEC), who took over the remains of People For Puget Sound after it’s collapse  a few years ago, continued the long running and highly successful Environmental Lobby Day in Olympia. No longer.  WEC has determined that the event needs to die to continue to live. So they are running a new program this year, called 60 Days/60 Ways Action Plan. Here’s how they describe it:

Get Involved! 60 Days/60 Ways Action Plan
This legislative session we’re trying something new and exciting. We’re going to be interacting with legislators throughout the entire session. We have 60 days and 60 ways to help. What does this mean for you? We know you’re busy and time is limited, so whether it’s volunteering one evening at a phone bank, sharing a post on social media, or attending your local town-hall meeting, we’re giving legislators 60 days and you 60 ways to get involved.

Doorbell Days
Every Priority campaign will have at least one doorbell day during this legislative session. These days will entail passing out campaign information to targeted voters in the legislators’ own backyards.

Town Halls
Organized by your local legislators, we have two goals: to pack the room with constituents, and get at least one activist to the microphones to ask a question on each Priority.

Local Party Meetings
This includes attending legislators’ party meetings (both Democrat and Republican) and asking to put our issues on the agenda when appropriate.

Constituent Meetings
Every week during the legislative session we will have one weekly grasstop constituent meeting with a targeted legislator at their office in Olympia. The meetings will be a chance to talk about each Priority.

Phonebanks
Most phonebanks will be run out of offices in Seattle, but option may be available to call at home. Phonebanks will call voters in targeted areas to educate the public and legislators on our Priority campaigns.

Literature Drops
Each Priority will have at least one ‘drop’ day in Olympia. A local team of volunteers will canvas the campus with literature or some related item, infographic, or educational piece that will be distributed to all legislators.

Social Media Shares – Facebook/Twitter
Campaigns will develop weekly Facebook and Twitter feeds that will be posted and sent to share. They will include pictures, graphics, interesting facts, or links to action alerts.

You can sign up if interested, here: http://environmentalpriorities.org/

Last year, over 300 people attended Environmental Lobby Day, spending time learning about issues, meeting with their State Senators and Representatives.  I’m hoping that the folks at WEC/P4PS will make sure they have their metrics for the success of this new idea dialed in. I always had a lot of good feedback from people who came to the Lobby Day, and it introduced people to their elected officials, as well as to their power in calling for change. Losing the momentum of Environmental Lobby Day to push out to a indistinct cloud of people who you hope will actually take actions over a much longer period of time is fraught with possible problems. Hoping that we see some real successes with this tactic.

Along those lines, as posted here elsewhere, Representative Kevin Van De Wege is going to be holding a public meeting in Port Townsend to discuss his involvement with the Toxic Coalition leader Laurie Valerino at the PT Community Center. See the other post here for details.

Filed under: Around the Sound, Events, Government, Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Environmental Lobby Day is no more…

Jefferson County SMP to finally be adopted! Dec 16th

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Al Bergstein

No really! After local adoption, the County will then forward the new Shoreline Master Program (SMP)  to Ecology for final adoption and anticipates the new program will be in effect by mid-January 2014.

From Michelle McConnell of the Department of Community Development:

Monday, December 16, 2013

City of Port Townsend’s Cotton Building

(former Police station)

607 Water Street – downtown

See the Board’s agenda (to be posted on Friday) for final estimated time (likely ~ 10:30am). The meeting is open to the public – please note this is not a public hearing.

This has been a long and collaborative project for our community and your involvement has been important – whether you just tuned-in or have been following this for years, whether just tracking progress via web & email updates, submitting comments, attending the many public hearings and outreach events, or participating in the extensive advisory committees and Planning Commission process.  The result is an updated Shoreline Master Program that is robust and flexible, rooted in current science, reflective of local values, and better able to address the diversity of our approximate 500 miles of lake, river, and saltwater shorelines under SMP jurisdiction.  The SMP gives us all a much-improved toolbox for allowing appropriate waterfront development in balance with our fragile natural resources:  Let’s Do More With Our Shores:  Protect – Use – Develop – Restore!

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Earth Economics – A new way of valuing ecosystems

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Al Bergstein

David Batker of Earth Economics

David Batker of Earth Economics presents their analysis of Clallam County ecosystems.

The Quarterly meeting of the Strait Environmental Recovery Network (ERN) met on Friday in Port Angeles. The ERN is chartered by the Puget Sound Partnership to get organizations together to prioritize work on recovery projects along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This month, we had David Batker, chief economist and Executive Director, of Earth Economics report on their work done for Clallam County. EE created a report called “Policy Implications of the Economic Benefits of Feeder Bluffs and 12 other Ecosystems” as part of the SMP. Sound boring? Think again…

EE has formed some new models to help understand the economic benefits of these ecosystems and their recovery. This is really revolutionary analysis. Constantly, opposition to environmental programs  rail about how fixing the environment is “too expensive” and “costs jobs”. This analysis turns that on it’s head. It makes it very hard to argue that it isn’t the *right thing* to fix the environment, from a purely economic perspective.

EE has done work around the world, and this is really ground breaking stuff. You can find more about them at http://www.eartheconomics.org.

The entire talk can be downloaded or listened to at:

https://soundcloud.com/mountainstone/earth-economics-economic

Filed under: Events, Government, Jobs, legislation, Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Earth Economics – A new way of valuing ecosystems

Kelp Monitoring and Management: Helen Berry at the 2013 NW Straits Conference

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Al Bergstein

DNR Kelp Monitoring and Management: Much of the eelgrass data generated by the Northwest Straits Initiative is provided to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the state agency charged with monitoring status and trends of eelgrass and kelp species in support for nearshore habitat management. In recent months several MRCs have expressed interest in engaging in kelp preservation and recovery; a natural
evolution from more than a decade of eelgrass surveys and protection. This presentation will provide and overview of the kelp monitoring efforts and observations by DNR, the new Washington Vegetative Habitat Atlas, and highlights of the agency’s findings in Puget Sound.

Helen Berry maps and monitors intertidal and subtidal habitats for the Nearshore Habitat Program in the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Current projects include long-term monitoring of canopy-forming kelp, changes in nearshore vegetation in response to Elwha Dam removal, development of a Marine Vegetation Atlas, and intertidal biotic community monitoring. Her other work includes eelgrass monitoring, vegetation surveys using a variety of techniques, and administrative management of the Nearshore Habitat Program. Helen has worked with DNR since 1995, and holds an M.S. in Oceanography from Oregon State University.

You can download this for use on a device like an ipod or iphone, or just listen to it right here on your computer. 

Audio of her talk is here:

http://soundcloud.com/mountainstone/kelp-monitoring-and-management

The Powerpoint file of this presentation can be found here:

Array

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: | Comments Off on Kelp Monitoring and Management: Helen Berry at the 2013 NW Straits Conference

2013 NW Straits: Alexis Valauir -Ocean Acidification Effects on Global Communities

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Al Bergstein

From the 2013 NW Straits Annual Conference, a most interesting talk:

Alexis Valauri-Orton recently completed a year-long Watson Fellowship investigating human narratives of ocean acidification in Norway, Hong Kong, Thailand, New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Peru. Over the year, she traded her lab coat for a pair of gum boots, experiencing firsthand the role marine resources play in coastal communities. Investigating narratives of acidification in such diverse communities, she discovered the importance of understanding and navigating the social structures that shape our vulnerabilities and responses to environmental issues. She holds a degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Davidson College, in North Carolina, and now lives in her hometown of Seattle. She believes increasing scientific literacy and public awareness on issues like ocean acidification is the key to creating a sustainable future.

The Powerpoints of her talk are found at the NW Straits web site:

http://www.nwstraits.org/Whats-New/Meetings-Events/2013-MRC-Conference.aspx

or directly here (This downloads the presentation to your computer)

Array

You can download this for use on a device like an ipod or iphone, or just listen to it right here on your computer.

https://soundcloud.com/mountainstone/alexis-valauir-on-ocean

 

 

Filed under: ocean acidification, Puget Sound, Shellfish | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 2013 NW Straits: Alexis Valauir -Ocean Acidification Effects on Global Communities

Incredible underwater videos from BC filmmaker(s)

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Al Bergstein

I just discovered the work that Tavish Campbell, Ian McAllister and others are  doing north of the border to save and protect the Great Bear Rainforest. Their video project is putting web cameras all over the place, and having local First Nation kids help run them. The  goal is to help educate the planet to the amazing forest there, the last intact temperate rainforest on the planet, and the threat from the tar sands pipeline the Harper Government  is attempting to smash through. The threat to the forest, and the surrounding waters is real, as Harper has no real opposition, and is acting much like the kind of government found in African oil regions. Nothing is successfully standing in the way to do whatever they want to ship this oil everywhere. Now a superport in one of the most delicate and incredible ecosystems left.

Why is this important to us on the Peninsula? Because the massive increase in tanker traffic will not just happen up north of Vancouver Island (which will threaten the north part of the island) but also will bring more tanker traffic through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. All the while, Harper is slashing the budgets to the Coast Guard, and from conversations I’ve had with our Coast Guard, they are very worried, though assume they will have to pick up the slack.

So Pacific Wild has  been having great video shooters up and do work there.  They have been running a fundraiser for more gear that I just found out ended by the time you read this. But you can share in the discovery of their amazing work.

Here’s what they have to say about their work:

Pacific Wild Alliance is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to protecting the Great Bear Rainforest and its wildlife.  As the largest remaining intact temperate rainforest on the planet, the Great Bear is under immediate threat from crude oil and liquid natural gas pipeline proposals that would go directly through the heart of the rainforest.  At Pacific Wild Alliance, we are dedicated to showing the world how truly unique this area is and what would be lost if these proposals were to go forward.

Great Bear LIVE is an innovative research project and conservation tool that transmits live wildlife video and audio streams from the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest to your personal computer anywhere in the world.  By sharing the hidden world of the Great Bear Rainforest, Pacific Wild Alliance can connect people with the region we are striving to protect and educate the world about the many threats this pristine ecosystem faces.

This short piece is well worth taking a couple of minutes to see. Absolutely stunning underwater video. All just a few hours north of us.  If you know someone who might want to help fund their work, it’s likely not to late to ask them.

 

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Incredible underwater videos from BC filmmaker(s)

Photography of Jellyfish on Display in Port Townsend

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Al Bergstein

Jellyfish are some of the most beautiful animals in nature. Superbly designed to float with little or no propulsion.  Linda Sutton, a Port Townsend photographer, will be displaying a selection of works from three of her series at The Spice and Tea Exchange, 929 Water Street, Port Townsend beginning November 30, 2013 and continuing through the holidays. Hours are daily from 10am to 6pm. The store and display will be open during Art Walk, December 7, 5:30-8.

Included in the display: “The Jellies,” series of high contrast black and white photographs, “Edge of Day,” that special low light time that is so fabulous, and “Floral/Leaf,” the celebration of nature.

“The Jellies” are low light photographs taken at various aquariums using high speed black and white film pushed to the limit. The large prints were hand printed in a darkroom from the extremely thin negatives using a fiber-based graded paper that is no longer available.

Linda Sutton has exhibited locally at the Northwind Arts Center, Olympic Art Gallery/Quilcene, Metro Bagel/PT and Hadlock, Muskan Restaurant in Port Townsend, and Sunrise Dental in Sequim. Prior to moving to Port Townsend, her photography was exhibited throughout California.

All photographs are archivally framed by her husband, Dan Sutton, a Certified Picture Framer and former officer of the Professional Picture Framers Association.

20131130_143523_resized

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Photography of Jellyfish on Display in Port Townsend

New Partnership Between Industry and NGOs on the Olympic National Forest

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Al Bergstein

Representative Derek Kilmer has convened a new partnership organization that is bought into by both industry and environmental NGOs to try and break the log jam (pun intended) in both timber harvest and forest protection.  It appears to be welcome by all parties. This is Representative Kilmer’s first real foray into moving towards solution. Since election he has primarily focused on listening to the various parties. Anything that gets the various factions talking is work in a positive direction.  Devil is always in the details.  A couple of them might be a lack of Tribal representation and a lack of workers, like unions. We’ll see if he addresses those shortcomings in the next few weeks.

Here’s the press release. More analysis on this at a later date.

—————————————————

FROM THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN DEREK KILMER

Representing Washington’s 6th District  

 

EMBARGOED UNTIL 10:30AM                                                   CONTACT: Stephen Carter

December 2nd, 2013                                                                                       (202) 225-3459

New Partnership Aims to Improve Environmental Quality and Economic Vitality of

Olympic National Forest

 

Representative Derek Kilmer and a group of conservation, timber and local government stakeholders today announced the formation of new partnership called the Olympic Peninsula Collaborative. Members of the partnership approved the following statement to explain its purpose and goals:

The Olympic Peninsula Collaborative will bring together stakeholders from the environmental community, the timber industry, and representatives from federal and local government around shared goals of increasing timber harvest from the Olympic National Forest while benefitting the environmental quality of our forests and watersheds. The Collaborative will work together and with federal officials to address issues that stand in the way of achieving the stated goals. Ultimately, the purpose is to show we can simultaneously create a more environmentally sound forest, provide for increased, sustainable timber harvests on the Olympic National Forest, and provide economic benefits to timber communities on the Peninsula.

Goals include:

·         Increasing the amount of acres treated and total harvest volume produced in forest restoration projects under the Northwest Forest Plan and increasing the number and footprint of aquatic and other non-thinning related restoration projects.

·         Creating a framework of agreement on the type and locations of forest restoration treatments that benefit the ecosystem and provide for increased harvest levels under the Northwest Forest Plan.

·         Improving treatment effectiveness and working to reduce the time and cost required to plan and prepare projects through increased efficiencies for the Forest Service.

·         Creating a framework of agreement around innovative forest practices, treatments and techniques that integrate ecological, social, and economic goals, and exploring whether the Adaptive Management Area (AMA) established under the Northwest Forest Plan provides an opportunity to test these alternative approaches.

·         Collaborating on specific projects, as needed, to create an environment that reduces conflict and seeks to achieve a common vision about the future of the Olympic National Forest.

·         Creating a forum for addressing any problems that stand in the way of accomplishing our stated goals with the active involvement of federal elected and agency officials.

Organizations and representatives supporting the Olympic Peninsula Collaborative include:

American Forest Resource Council

American Whitewater

Cosmo Specialty Fibers

Green Creek Wood Products

Interfor

Merrill & Ring

The Mountaineers

Murphy Company

Olympic Park Associates

Olympic Forest Coalition

Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society

Pew Charitable Trusts

Sierra Pacific Industries

Simpson Lumber Company

Washington Wild

Wild Olympics Campaign

The Olympic Peninsula Collaborative, modeled on similar partnerships elsewhere in Washington state and around the country, is a grassroots, stakeholder driven partnership and the first of its kind to be solely devoted to building greater consensus around public lands on the Olympic Peninsula.  Since early this year, Representative Kilmer has convened discussions with a wide variety of stakeholders on solutions to problems facing the Olympic National Forest including a field hearing in August in Port Angeles dealing with collaborative forest harvest agreements.

“I have always said that we don’t have to choose between economic development and environmental protection. This is the beginning of a long-term partnership that I hope will help prove that’s true,” said Representative Derek Kilmer. “The Olympic Peninsula Collaborative will show we can build consensus and can bring folks together to simultaneously create a more environmentally healthy forest, provide for increased, sustainable timber harvests on the Olympic National Forest, and provide economic benefits to timber communities on the Peninsula.”

“We thank Congressman Kilmer for bringing all parties to the table to focus on areas where we agree rather than disagree.” said Olympic Forest Coalition President Connie Gallant and Olympic Park Associates Vice President Tim McNulty in a joint statement. “This collaborative process will improve habitat conditions in the forests and streams on the Olympic Peninsula for a range of species. Currently, there are thousands of acres of dense and structurally simple forest on the ONF that provide poor habitat. Increasing the amount of carefully designed, habitat restoration thinning treatments in these types of forests will improve diversity and encourage the development of more complex, older forest conditions. Combining thinning with holistic watershed restoration projects will improve water quality and fish & wildlife habitat. OFCO and OPA will be helping to craft and monitor these projects to ensure they follow the best available science and the Northwest Forest Plan.”

“The current approach to managing the Olympic National Forest is not meeting the economic, social, and ecological needs of the forest or communities on the Peninsula.  Common sense solutions to create jobs through increased active, sustainable timber management on the Olympic National Forest is urgently needed to address chronic local unemployment and poverty rates that are among the highest in the state and nearly double those of the Seattle area,” said Matt Comisky, Washington Manager of the American Forest Resource Council.  “The volume of timber currently harvested from the Olympic National Forest is less than 10 percent of historic levels, only 13 percent of the volume of timber that dies each year, and a mere 3 percent of the annual forest growth.  Our industry looks forward to working with Congressman Kilmer and other partners to promote more balanced, innovative approaches to timber management that provide a sustainable future for our industry and the local communities as part of continued discussions about the future of the Olympic National Forest.”

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on New Partnership Between Industry and NGOs on the Olympic National Forest

Report from the Front: Alexandra Morton’s latest video

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Al Bergstein

Lots of news on the farmed salmon front lately. The  world’s leading scientist working on educating the public on this threat, Ms. Alexandra Morton of Canada, has a new video covering the several disturbing bits of news regarding salmon farming. From Canada’s taking down of the Cohen Commission’s comprehensive web site (the government spent $26M on the commission!), to a new genetically modified salmon, to the EU failing to properly protect the public from high levels of toxins in Norwegian farmed salmon, this 9 minute video is worth a short break from your day.

It’s more clear than ever that saying no to farmed salmon is the right thing to do, and that their industry looks more and more like nuclear power, a failed experiment that just won’t go away because there is too much money at stake.

http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2013/11/looking-more-than-a-little-dodgy.html

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Report from the Front: Dan Tonnes on Rockfish Recovery & Critical Habitat in Puget Sound

Posted on November 28, 2013 by Al Bergstein

From the 2013 NW Straits Annual Meeting. Dan Tonnes has worked for NOAA as a biologist since 1999, where he has focused on diverse issues, ranging from long-term watershed habitat conservation plans to fisheries management and research on nearshore estuary environments. Dan has a US Coast Guard Inalnd Master 100 Gross Tons Merchant Marine License and has worked as a boat captain on sport fishing boats in the Puget Sound and Alaska, as well as on passenger ferries and oil spill response vessels. He received his bachelor of Science in Environmental Planning from Seattle Pacific University and a master’s in Marine Affairs from the University of Washington. He is a Kinship Conservation Fellow.

Dan covered the spectrum of issues related to rockfish protection.

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

“Red List” of Endangered Species Grows – The Guardian

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Al Bergstein

While not directly related to our area, this is one of the critical lists that shows how our efforts to save species from extinction is progressing. Bottom line, not well. We are succeeding in some areas, and this does show that it’s possible. There is little time left for inaction, nor waiting on someone else to do the work. See you in the field.

The blue-tongued forest giraffe, the national symbol of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is on the brink of extinction, according to the latest update to the red list of threatened species. The stripy-legged creature, which appears on Congolese banknotes and is actually a species of okapi, has become another victim of the DRC’s long-running war. But surveys reveal that conservation efforts have had a positive effect on ocean-roaming leatherback turtles and albatrosses, while a Californian fox has returned from the edge.

“This red list update shows some fantastic conservation successes, from which we must learn,” said Jane Smart, a director at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which compiles the list.

“However, the overall message remains bleak. With each update, whilst we see some species improving in status, there is a significantly larger number of species appearing in the threatened categories. The world must urgently scale up efforts to avert this devastating trend,” she added.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/26/iucn-red-list-endangered-species-extinction?CMP=ema_565

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on “Red List” of Endangered Species Grows – The Guardian

Upcoming Workshops on Defining the Economics of Ecosystem Services

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Al Bergstein

This is a hot topic lately. It’s a sad state of affairs that all environmental protection seems to be predicated by what is the value of resource, rather than people simply appreciating it, but there you have it. So here’s some forums to help understand these.
——————————————

Click for the hyperlinked SUMMARY
.
Click here for the hyperlinked REPORT
.

THREE Public Workshops on “The Value of Our Ecosystems – Defining the
economics of ecosystem services in Clallam County”

All held at Clallam County Board of Comissioner’s Meeting Room #160, 223
East Fourth Street, Port Angeles, WA.

Thursday, December 5, 2013
2:00 – 4:00 pm

Thursday, December 5, 2013
6:00 to 8:00 pm

Friday, December 6, 2013
11:25am-12:45pm (Part of the Strait Ecosystem Recovery Network Meeting).

All three forums will be lead by staff from Earth Economics who performed the ESV analysis and are open to the public.
The December 5 afternoon session will be targeted to County staff and officials and likely be more technical in nature.

The December 5 evening session will provide an ESV introduction and overview targeted to the public, with emphasis on nearshore bluff systems.

The December 6 meeting presentation is part of the Straits Ecosystem Recovery Network meeting agenda, and will focus on the ESV pilot projects results for the Central Strait of Juan de Fuca nearshore area and next steps.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Steve Gray, Deputy Director/Planning Manager
Clallam County Dept. of Community Development
223 East Fourth Street, Suite 5
Port Angeles, WA 98362-3015
Phone: (360)417-2520; Fax: (360)417-2443
sgray@co.clallam.wa.us

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Upcoming Workshops on Defining the Economics of Ecosystem Services

Report from the Climate Change Front – Will Stelle’s (NOAA) talk at the NW Straits Conference

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Al Bergstein

Continuing our coverage of the NW Straits Annual Conference: For the “Big Picture” of what is happening on the West Coast, Will Stelle was asked to share his thoughts. Will is the Western Regional Administrator for NOAA fisheries. He handles fisheries management and is also involved in land management issues surrounding the Endangered Species Act. This is really critical listening for anyone wanting to better understand how the Federal Government interacts with the State and local jurisdictions. Will discusses the latest issues with flood insurance, FEMA, habitat loss, flood plain functions, herbicides in the environment and their impact on salmonids, water quality standards, road culverts, watershed management, along with climate change and it’s effects on electricity generation.

Will brought humor and deep understanding of the issues that the West Coast is facing. He takes us from California to our local Washington issues. Sometimes NOAA seems like a friend of the environment, and sometimes it’s a big bureaucracy that that appears to be manipulated by political and business forces. After hearing Will, I think you will agree it’s a bit of both. At least he was funny and left us in an upbeat mood. Very unusual and refreshing in a bureaucratic administrator!

You can either listen to this from this web page or download the file and play it locally. It’s about 45 minutes long. A good idea if you want to take this along for a walk or exercise routine.

If you wish to attend any of the monthly MRC meetings in your area, check their local web sites. All meetings are open to the public and are advertised in advance. You can also support the work of the NW Straits Initiative, by donating to the NW Straits Foundation. Their web site is http://www.nwstraits.org and http://www.nwstraits.org/Foundation/About.aspx.

Filed under: fisheries, Government, legislation, Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Report from the Climate Change Front – Will Stelle’s (NOAA) talk at the NW Straits Conference

Notice of tracking devices for Japan tsunami debris

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Al Bergstein

This in…be aware…

Tattori U Drifter Flier_Page_1 Tattori U Drifter Flier_Page_2Please see attached a brief notice from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program.  Beach visitors are asked to keep an eye open for tracking devices released from Japan 3 months after the earthquake and tsunami and follow guidance for reporting.

Liam Antrim

Resource Protection Specialist

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

office: 360-457-6622 x16

cell: 360-460-2530

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Notice of tracking devices for Japan tsunami debris

Elwha River sees largest run of Chinook in decades – Skagit Valley Herald

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Al Bergstein

A story to cheer up David Suzuki this morning (G).

The largest run of Chinook salmon in decades returned to the Elwha River this fall, according to officials with the Olympic National Park. Fish are streaming into stretches of the Elwha River and its tributaries that were formerly blocked by the Elwha Dam, park officials said Friday on its website. The Elwha Dam, one of two dams on the river, stood for nearly a century before it came down in 2012.

Read the whole story at

http://www.goskagit.com/news/state/elwha-river-sees-largest-run-of-chinook-in-decades/article_1b9a30b6-b9b7-56f8-a44f-3c6272c3c830.html

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Elwha River sees largest run of Chinook in decades – Skagit Valley Herald

Tankers, barges and trains, oh my: The growing fossil-fuel threats in Washington – Crosscut

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Al Bergstein

While not immediately dangerous to the Peninsula, the increasing push to get crude oil shipped out from west coast ports here and in BC is intense and non stop. Here’s a good overview of the problem.

Vast amounts of crude oil, primarily from the Bakken shale formation in North Dakota, is being transported by rail throughout the United State and Canada. Eleven rail terminals are in various stages of completion in Washington state in anticipation of receiving this “shale on rail.” The public and regulators need to take a closer look at the big picture.

Fred Felleman opines.

http://crosscut.com/2013/11/12/environment/117378/oil-trains-fred-felleman/

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Tankers, barges and trains, oh my: The growing fossil-fuel threats in Washington – Crosscut

Can Mushrooms Help Fight Stormwater Pollution?

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Al Bergstein

I know many of you love wild mushrooms. Here’s another good reason to love them.

Ah, the Garden Giant. He’s a jolly fellow who roams around your garden at night tossing mulch as he merrily skips along, helping your veggies grow lush and tall. Not quite. The Garden Giant is actually a species of mushroom, scientifically known as Stropharia rugosoannulata, that may hold a key to filtering harmful pollutants from stormwater runoff. Although this mushroom can be rather “giant” as the name implies, growing up to eight inches tall and a foot wide at its cap, it is not the mushroom itself that does the work. It is something hidden underground — a fungal root-like material called mycelium. Mycelium is a microscopic, cobwebby, fungal thread that, when mixed with woody debris, decomposes bacteria.

Sarah Strunin reports.  http://ijpr.org/post/can-mushrooms-help-fight-stormwater-pollution

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on Can Mushrooms Help Fight Stormwater Pollution?

EVENT: Free Forum on Oil Transport Threatens Washington’s Health – Nov 19th.

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Al Bergstein

bullhorniconA regional conference on oil transport in the Pacific NW is going to be held on November 19th. 

What: Risky Business: How oil transport threatens Washington’s health, economy, and waters

 

When: Tuesday, November 19, 2013. Program 6:30-8:30pm. Doors open at 6:00 pm, snacks and beverages.

Where: Center for Urban Horticulture at University of Washington, 3501 NE 41st St., Seattle

http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/visit/directions.shtml

RSVP here: http://wecprotects.org/make-a-difference/come-to-event/oil-transport-forum

Partner organizations: Washington Environmental Council, Citizens for a Healthy Bay, Columbia Riverkeeper, Earthjustice, Forest Ethics, Friends of the Earth, FRIENDS of the San Juans, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, RE Sources for Sustainable Communities, Sightline Institute, Sierra Club, and Surfrider Foundation.

Forum Agenda

·        Welcome – WEC

·        Moderator: Brett  VandenHeuvel, Columbia Riverkeeper (introduce the two large oil transport campaign goals ) 

·        Big Picture Overview:  Eric de Place, Sightline (tar sands, Bakken, rail, pipeline, vessels, maps, etc.)

·        Facility Siting in Washington:  Kristen Boyles, Earthjustice

·        Marine Issues in Washington:  

§         Bruce Wishart, WEC (Gaps in Oil Spill Regulatory System)

§         Stephanie Buffum, FRIENDS of the San Juans (Aquatic and marine risks in north Sound)

§         Fred Felleman, Friends of the Earth (vessel traffic risk assessment)

·        Canadian / West Coast Developments:  Matt Krogh, Forest Ethics (What’s happening out of state and how we can work with Canadian, West Coast partners?)

·        Q&A : Brett VandenHeuvel moderating

·        Wrap Up with brief introduction of legislation, next steps and information how people can plug into hearings, etc:  WEC

·        Break out tables for engagement opportunities

 

 

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: | Comments Off on EVENT: Free Forum on Oil Transport Threatens Washington’s Health – Nov 19th.

Superpod of Dolphins seen in Gulf Islands–CBC

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Al Bergstein

Superpods are rare, but not unheard of. Photographer Chase Jarvis videotaped a superpod of dolphins off South Africa’s coast  last summer.  But to see them here is quite a treat. I’ve interviewed old timers who recalled seeing them in the 50s and 60s, along with superpods of Orcas. The best definition of them is a gathering of pods, likely for hunting when food is present.

Passengers aboard a BC Ferries vessel were treated to a rare sight on Friday, as a pod of about 1,000 Pacific white-sided dolphins swam next to the boat for several minutes. Rob Maguire caught it on video.

1,000 dolphins swim beside ferry off Gulf Islands

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/1-000-dolphins-swim-beside-ferry-off-gulf-islands-1.2326288

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on Superpod of Dolphins seen in Gulf Islands–CBC

« Previous Page — Next Page »