5/6 Beargrass, King County climate, Skagit mining, tree poaching, salmon habitat bridge, Puget Sound herring, black bear wanderings, seabed mining

Beargrass [WA Native Plant Society]

 
Beargrass Xerophyllum tenax
This plant grows from British Columbia to California and east to the northern Rocky Mountains. This plant grows in mountainous areas of Washington, except in southeastern region of the state. On the Olympic Peninsula it occurs near sea level. Many Pacific Northwest tribes (Chehalis, Cowlitz, Hesquiat, Hoh, and others) have used the plant (leaves and new sprouts) to decorate and make baskets, make dress ornaments, and for trimming the edges of mats. This species derives its common name "beargrass" because bears eat its fleshy leaf bases in the spring. (WA Native Plants Society)

King County Council takes big step to combat climate change
The King County Council has solidified a plan for dramatic action against climate change. Councilmembers unanimously approved the Strategic Climate Action Plan, which paves the way for sweeping changes by 2030. The plan includes ambitious goals – cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half, revising green building codes, planting 3 million trees, and improving access to public transportation. Julie Furukawa reports. (KNKX)

Mount Vernon, PUD join fight against mining in Skagit headwaters
The growing opposition to potential mining at the headwaters of the Skagit River in British Columbia now includes the city of Mount Vernon and the Skagit Public Utility District. The Skagit PUD Commission passed a resolution April 27, and the Mount Vernon City Council passed a resolution April 28. Each highlighted drinking water as an utmost concern. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Tree poaching on Vancouver Island prompts spike in forest patrols
The municipality of North Cowichan is stepping up patrols of the region's forest reserve, after an increase in timber theft in the area, which lies 70 kilometres north of Victoria on Vancouver Island.  Since January, approximately 100 trees, including Douglas fir and Western red cedars have been poached and local residents and officials believe the spike is likely tied to the surge in lumber prices. Briar Stewart reports. (CBC)

Volunteer effort at Newberry Hill Heritage Park builds bridge for salmon habitat
Wetlands surrounded by evergreens seem to extend in every direction in Newberry Hill Heritage Park, a preserve of more than 1,000 acres east of Seabeck Highway. So lush with native and threatened species is one marsh that it's classified as "high conservation value" in the eyes of the state. That's where Frank Stricklin believed fish like coho salmon could also flourish — if only they could swim there. Stricklin and an army of volunteers have succeeded in clearing that very path for salmon. In the past six years, they planned, designed and built a bridge and stream channel to connect the coho and other fish with the pristine habitat. Josh Farley reports. (Kitsap Sun)

HollyFrontier expects Puget Sound synergies with renewables projects
HollyFrontier's first quarter results took the backseat to an earlier announcement it was buying Shell's Puget Sound refinery, as analysts peppered management with questions about purchase on May 5 call. Some analysts were looking for the rationale of buying a hydrocarbon refinery as momentum in the refining space shifts toward renewable fuels in the current low-carbon environment, particularly in a state which just passed a low carbon fuel standard. "Right now, the new shiny object is clearly renewables. But I think we have to take a step back and say is powering this economy over the next ten years ... the fact is the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel are the major mover of people and equipment around this economy," said Rich Voliva, HollyFrontier's CFO on the call. Janet McGurty reports. (S&P Global)

The Good News: Puget Sound Herring
In an ecosystem where whales and other charismatic megafauna get most of the attention, herring are neither charismatic nor mega.  At four to eight inches, they are easily ignored and usually are — except in the early spring, when millions upon millions of herring converge on the shallows around Port Townsend, Discovery Bay, Hood Canal and throughout the sound. Beachwalkers may not see the fish themselves, but they’ve marveled at the chaotic swarms of seabirds massed at the surface, and at seals, sea lions and even an occasional humpback whale diving and cavorting as they gorge themselves on one of their favorite meals. All that activity is about Pacific herring, crucial to Puget Sound ecology.  And state biologists believe they have had a very good year. Ross Anderson writes. (Rainshadow Journal)

Black bear wanders into downtown Vancouver
The bear was soon tranquillized by conservation officers, with the help of Vancouver police. Mike Raptis reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Seabed Mining Opponents Off WA Coast Find Win in Legislature
Gov. Jay Inslee signed a seabed mining ban into law Monday. The measure prohibits mineral extraction within three miles of Washington's coastline. It received nearly unanimous support in the Legislature, except for two "no" votes in the House. Lee First, co-founder of Twin Harbors Waterkeeper, helped mobilize businesses and conservation organizations to support the ban. Eric Tegethoff reports. (Public News Service)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  233 AM PDT Thu May 6 2021   
TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt rising to 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 10 seconds. Rain in the  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds building to 6 ft  at 10 seconds after midnight. A chance of showers in the evening  then showers after midnight.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told