5/26 Oregon grape, 'State of the Salish Sea,' PFASs in milk, Fairy Cr protest, Point No Point, birds in pandemic, healing nature

Oregon Grape [Meggar/WikiCommons]

 
Oregon Grape Mahonia aquifolium
Also called holly-leaved barberry, the Oregon grape is a shrub native to much of the Pacific coast and and is also found sparsely east of the Cascades. Its year-round foliage of pinnated, waxy green leaves resembles holly.and resists wilting (the foliage is sometimes used by florists for greenery). The Oregon grape plant bears dainty yellow flowers in early summer and a dark blue berry that ripens late in the fall. The fruit is tart and bitter, containing large seeds, but can be used in cooking (it's used to make jelly locally). Oregon designated the Oregon grape blossom as the official state flower in 1899. (State Symbols USA)

Salish Sea Institute Releases Comprehensive ‘State of the Salish Sea’ Report
Western Washington University’s Salish Sea Institute has released the “State of the Salish Sea” report, the first comprehensive, scientific overview of the health of the Salish Sea since the 1994 Shared Waters Report. The report illustrates how the Salish Sea is under relentless pressure from an accelerating convergence of global and local environmental stressors and the cumulative impacts of 150 years of development and alteration of our watersheds and seascape. Report authors will discussed the report today at 4 p.m. at an free online symposium.

Seattle study finds toxic chemicals in mothers' breast milk
New research is raising concerns over toxic chemicals being found in breast milk. A paper published this month in Environmental Science and Technology followed 50 Seattle-area women, looking for PFAS (pre and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in their breast milk. “We found PFAS in 100% of the breast milk samples,” said Erika Schreder, science director at the Seattle nonprofit Toxic-Free Future and co-author of the paper. “And that includes the PFAS that are currently being used.” PFASs are a class of chemicals valued for water and grease repelling properties. They can be found in many everyday products, from stain resistant coatings on carpets and couches, to non-stick coatings for cookware. The chemicals can also be found in food packaging. Michael Crowe reports. (KING)

‘We’re going to have Fairy Creeks happen all the time’: Q&A with Garry Merkel from B.C.’s old-growth review panel
As tensions escalate and arrest tallies grow at logging blockades on Vancouver Island, The Narwhal spoke with one of the foresters tapped to help the province navigate its old-growth woes. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

Marsh habitat restoration project planned at Point No Point aims to help salmon
A 32-acre area at Point No Point will undergo a habitat restoration led by the Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group that aims to restore critical salmon habitat. The nonprofit, which was created by the Legislature and partners with groups on salmon restoration, is working with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, Kitsap County Parks and the Hansville community on the restoration project that will reconnect the Point No Point marsh to Puget Sound. Mid Sound has been reaching out to various groups to get their input on the project. Jessie Darland reports. (Kitsap Sun)

How birds in the Pacific Northwest experienced the pandemic
A community science effort asked hundreds of Northwest residents to keep tabs on birds, and they learned a lot about themselves in the process. Hannah Weinberger reports. (Crosscut)

Are COVID-19 Lockdowns Really Causing Nature to Heal?
As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold last spring and people around the world went into lockdown, a certain type of news story started to spring up—the idea that, in the absence of people, nature was returning to a healthier, more pristine state. There were viral reports of dolphins in the canals of Venice, Italy, and pumas in the streets in Santiago, Chile. But new research shows that the true effect of suddenly removing people from so many environments has turned out to be much more complex. Brian Owens reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  305 AM PDT Wed May 26 2021   
TODAY  S wind to 10 kt becoming NE 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 1 ft at 9 seconds. A slight  chance of rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  E wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft after midnight. SW  swell 2 ft at 8 seconds building to 4 ft at 8 seconds after  midnight. Rain.

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