4/29 Honeysuckle, saving sea stars, orca rights, marbled murrelets, ocean extinction, damaged ferry, Misery Pt Preserve, citizen science, bad frogs, Salmon Summit, canopy soils, week in review

Trumpet Honeysuckle [Plants of PNW]

Trumpet Honeysuckle Lonicera ciliosa
Honeysuckles have long been a garden favorite, grown mostly for their sweetly-scented, nectar-producing flowers. The common name, honeysuckle, comes from the fact that children enjoy sucking nectar from the base of the flowers for a sweet treat.

Scientists race to rescue world’s fastest sea star from oblivion
Scientists are racing to revive a critically endangered species that has succumbed to a mysterious underwater pandemic up and down the West Coast. The species is the sunflower star, a pizza-sized predator that can have two dozen arms. Since 2013, a wasting disease of unknown origin has turned some 5 billion sunflower stars, or 90% of the global population, into goo. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Can Southern Resident killer whales have legal rights?
Ecosystem conference: Advocates are promoting 'rights of nature' as orca numbers dwindle. Olivia Palmer reports. (Salish Current)

Environmental groups sue Canadian government over B.C. bird
Two environmental groups are suing the Canadian government over claims it failed in its duty to protect the habitat of over two dozen migratory bird species, including the marbled murrelet, a seabird that nests in the coastal old-growth forests of British Columbia. As few as 263,000 marbled murrelets are left, including at least 50,000 in British Columbia. Stefan Labbé reports. (Times Colonist)

Research highlights a choice about the fate of ocean life
“Avoiding Ocean Mass Extinction From Climate Warming” published in Science... is the latest research that crystallizes the powerful yet paralyzed moment in which humanity finds itself. The choices made today regarding greenhouse gas emissions stand to affect the very future of life on Earth, even though the worst effects may still feel far away. Catrin Einhorn reports. (NY Times)

Loose anchor damages ferry in San Juan Islands
Ferry service in the San Juan Islands is currently severely reduced, after the anchor on the Yakima ferry came loose, dropping several feet down the side of the boat and swinging in place. The loose steel anchor, which weighs many hundreds of pounds, bent metal on the ferry and punctured the ship’s hull above the waterline. David Kroman reports. (Seattle Times)

Great Peninsula Conservancy to celebrate opening of new Misery Point Preserve to the public
Great Peninsula Conservancy will celebrate the opening of the new Misery Point Preserve to the public on Saturday. The preserve is important to local wildlife and can now be visited on foot and by kayak. The preserve is located at the tip of Seabeck's Misery Point peninsula. Nathan Daniel, executive director of GPC, said the preserve is valuable because of some very healthy eelgrass beds. The reason those are there, he said, is because there’s a steep feeder bluff providing nutrients to the beach in the area, which helps the eelgrass thrive. The bluff is about 85 feet tall and drops straight into the Hood Canal where the beds are. Jesse Darland reports. (Kitsap Sun)

With citizen science apps, amateurs and experts both expand their horizons
Canada is too big for researchers to track all of its flora and fauna. Nature apps provide valuable wildlife data for scientists, who return the favour by sharing expertise. Ziya Jones reports. (The Narwhal)

Wildlife officials warn of invasive frogs in Washington
An invasive species is consuming and competing with native species in western Washington, including salmon. Scientists have spotted African clawed frogs in Issaquah, Lacey and Bothell, KING5 reported. The frogs were initially brought into the United States to be used in pregnancy tests and later became pets, said state wildlife scientist Max Lambert. (Associated Press)

Salmon Summit teaches kids about conservation, science
For four months, fourth grade students at Cascade Elementary School in Kennewick watched as salmon in their classroom developed from a transparent egg – the kids could see the eyes of the salmon even before it hatched to a salmon fry, ready to migrate downstream. Now, these students are learning how researchers will track young fish on their journey down the Columbia River using what’s known as a PIT tag, or Passive Integrated Transponder. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

Human Elements: What we can learn from the canopy soils of the Olympic rainforest
From beneath our feet to the tallest trees, Korena Mafune can study resiliency through a close look at the forest's fungal networks. Sarah Hoffman reports. (Crosscut)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 4/29/22: Arbor Friday, decolonizing conservation, container ships, old-growth, tire pollution, Oly Mtn glaciers, cold-water corals, Totem Pole journey, BC fish farms, Tokitae, Green River salmon, First Nation forestry, heat dome survival, ocean extinction, saving sea stars, suing for marbled murrelets

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  255 AM PDT Fri Apr 29 2022   
TODAY  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  2 ft at 8 seconds. 
TONIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt becoming E 10 to 20 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft after  midnight. W swell 2 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain in the  evening then rain after midnight. 
SAT  SE wind 10 to 20 kt becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. Rain  likely in the morning then a slight chance of showers in the  afternoon. 
SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 12 seconds. 
SUN  Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less in the afternoon. W  swell 6 ft at 11 seconds.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/28 Kettling, reptile demise, Stanley Park seawall, First Nations logging revenue, polluter pay in BC, cold bees, cement, Fidalgo Is

Kettling raptors [Creative Commons]

 

A kettle o' birds
A kettle is a group of birds wheeling and circling in the air. The kettle may be composed of several different species at the same time. Nature photographer M. Timothy O'Keefe theorizes that the word derives from the appearance of birds circling tightly in a thermal updraft "like something boiling in a cauldron." Ornithologist Donald Heintzelman has done more than anyone to popularize the term kettle, using the term at least as early as 1970 in his book Hawks of New Jersey to describe raptor flight, followed by uses in print over four decades. The related terms "cauldron" and "boil" are also heard to describe the same sorts of raptor behavior. Osprey-watcher David Gessner, however, claims a Pennsylvania lowland called the Kettle ("der Kessel" in Pennsylvania Dutch), near Hawk Mountain, is the source of the term. (Wikipedia)

One-fifth of reptiles worldwide face risk of extinction
A comprehensive new assessment of thousands of reptiles species has found that 21% are considered endangered, critically endangered or vulnerable to extinction. Christina Larson reports. (Associated Press)

Stanley Park seawall reopens to public after completion of winter storm damage repairs
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation announced the reopening of the final section of the Stanley Park seawall on Wednesday. A 3.5 kilometres stretch of the popular Vancouver attraction between Third Beach and the Lions Gate Bridge had been closed to the public since Jan. 7, when extreme winds and large amounts of debris tossed ashore by a king tide that day damaged the century old public amenity. (CBC)

B.C. First Nations receive $63M boost in forestry revenue sharing
B.C. First Nations are getting a bigger cut of forestry profits after the province announced an increase to existing revenue sharing agreements. Katrine Conroy, minister of forests, lands, natural resource operations and rural development, said the interim deals will boost First Nations' portion of stumpage fees and timber sales by at least $63 million this year. Of 204 B.C. First Nation communities, 126 have existing forestry revenue sharing agreements and another 58 are eligible. If all eligible First Nations participate, the total could reach $131 million, more than double the $59 million they received in the previous year. (CBC)

How Should We Make Polluters Pay for Cleanup in BC?
The Government of BC is asking the public for input on how it should ensure industrial property owners, rather than taxpayers, pay for the cost of cleaning up abandoned properties. The public is invited to read the government’s discussion paper and submit its feedback until May 28 at 4 p.m. Michelle Gamage reports. (The Tyee)

Bees grounded by Victoria's chilly weather
Thirteen degrees — that’s the “magic number” for honeybees to fly and begin their precious work as pollinators and honey producers, says beekeeper Dana LeCompte. But this spring, 13 C has been a tough temperature to hit and maintain on the Island and Lower Mainland as chilly weather persists and keeps the prolific pollinators in their hives and honey production at bay by several weeks. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Well Traveled Cement
David B. Williams in Street Smart Naturalist writes: "When I walk through a downtown such as Seattle’s, I like to think that I am traveling a geologic timeline as I walk by buildings with rocks ranging in age from thousands to millions to billions of years old. Downtowns also offer a diversity of rock equal to any assembled by plate tectonics; Indiana limestone butts against Index granite, Chuckanut sandstone rests alongside Carrara marble; Italian travertine edges Minnesota gneiss..."

Fidalgo Island: Not just a gateway to the San Juans, but a destination
The four San Juan islands reached by ferry have their own personalities. Fidalgo Island has its own scenic charms and the port city of Anacortes. M.L. Like writes. (Washington Post)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Thu Apr 28 2022   
TODAY  NW wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 3 ft at 9 seconds. A chance of showers in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming SW to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after  midnight. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers in the  evening.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/27 Spring rhythms, heat dome recovery, levee removal, BC logging, Site C dam, kelp restoration, bring Tokitae home

"Sappy" on the job [Laurie MacBride]

Spring Rhythms and Routines
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "In these unpredictable and troubling times, it’s good to have a few things you can rely on. This spring, one dapper bird and a whole lot of small amphibians provided me with just that. For a month or longer,”Sappy”, the bird in the photo above, would show up at his worksite (or perhaps her worksite – the sexes look alike). There, at the old, multi-trunked Bigleaf maple just outside our front door, he/she would put in a lengthy shift, working up and down the main trunk, tapping and poking the rough bark for sap and insects. The routine never varied, which I found comforting..."

Months after mass die-off of sea creatures in B.C. heat dome, researchers return in search of signs of life
At the height of B.C.'s heat dome in June of 2021, Chris Harley, a professor at UBC's Department of Zoology, headed to West Vancouver's Lighthouse Park to measure water temperatures and observe how the marine animals that inhabit B.C.'s coastlines were faring under the extreme conditions...In the days that followed, Harley and his students estimated that billions of sea creatures died as temperatures soared above 40 C, and water temperatures reached as high as 56 C. Ten months after the catastrophe on B.C.'s shores, the researchers have returned to comb B.C.'s beaches, checking for signs that the vital populations of seaweed, crustaceans and shellfish native to the coast are seeing a resurgence. ichelle Ghoussoub reports. (CBC)

King County tore out a levee near Auburn. Now the salmon are returning
The $6.5 million effort — one of the largest of its kind on the Green River — began more than five years ago with King County’s removal of an old levee. This, along with the installation of natural blockages, not only reduced flood risk but also rejuvenated aquatic habitats by making the channels slower and deeper. The removal of the levee opened three channels previously blocked from the river and a flood plain spanning nearly 30 acres. Nicholas Turner reports. (Seattle Times)

COFI to hold convention for industry for under pressure of change
British Columbia’s forest industry will make a diplomatic push for government to bring stability to a sector under pressure from substantial change when it gathers for its first major convention since 2019 in Vancouver this week...It is an ask being made, however, at the same time the province is making big changes to forest policy and being pushed to take stronger action on protecting old growth forests by the frequent protests by the group Save Old Growth that has been blocking the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge. Derrick Penner reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Site C went beyond halfway mark without fraud assessment
The BC NDP cabinet-appointed board of BC Hydro did not assess the potential for fraud at the $16 billion Site C dam project until after B.C.’s auditor general began to investigate. Bob Mackin reports. (Business Intelligence for BC)

Port of Seattle and Seattle Aquarium Collaborate to Restore Kelp Forests in Elliott Bay
The Port of Seattle Commission approved a project for research being led by the Seattle Aquarium to study and map the presence of kelp forests along the urban waterfront of Elliott Bay as well as East and West Waterways of Seattle Harbor. The Commission championed funding to restore kelp forests in the Port’s 2022 budget.  The study will begin this summer with findings to be shared publicly early next year. (Port of Seattle)

'Let's bring her home'; Hopes renewed to bring Tokitae the orca back to Puget Sound
A team of independent veterinarians has been invited to the Miami Seaquarium to examine Tokitae the orca, and many are hoping she is in good health to one day return to Puget Sound.In order for her to return home, the United States Department of Agriculture must issue a clean bill of health. The new owners of the Miami Seaquarium will now allow a health exam to be conducted, and plan on sending the diagnosis to the mayor's office and releasing that information to the public. (Q13 Fox News)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  239 AM PDT Wed Apr 27 2022   
TODAY  E wind to 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. Wind waves  2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. A slight chance of  showers in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming NW to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds.

--

"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/26 Decorator crab, BC salmon farms, BC north coast gas, Totem Pole journey, BC avian flu

Graceful decorator crab [Dave Cowles]

Graceful decorator crab Oregonia gracilis
The graceful decorator crab is a species of crab belonging to the family Oregoniidae. Like other decorator crabs it habitually attaches other organisms to its back. The sessile organisms are attached to hooked setae that act as a sort of velcro attachment. Found from the Bering Sea to Monterey Bay, and in Japan. (Wikipedia)

Federal court overturns order to shut down salmon farms
Former federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernadette Jordan breached the rights of B.C. salmon farmers to procedural fairness when she ordered all salmon farms out of the Discovery Islands, a Federal Court judge has ruled. Moreover, the court found that Jordan had “not observed” an injunction that had been granted to salmon farmers, allowing them to continue stocking fish farms with baby salmon while the judicial review made its way through the court. The recent Federal Court ruling enforces that injunction order. Nelson Bennett reports. (Times Colonist)

BC Approves North Coast Gas Project Despite First Nations’ Objections
The province has approved a fossil fuel storage and shipping facility on B.C.’s north coast despite opposition from First Nations and the potential for “significant” adverse effects in the event of a spill. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change announced the decision last week to grant an environmental assessment certificate to Vopak Development Canada Inc., a subsidiary of the Netherlands-based Royal Vopak. The company plans to build a liquified petroleum gas, methanol, light diesel and gasoline storage facility on Ridley Island near Prince Rupert. The project still requires federal approvals. Amanda Follett Hosgood reports. (The Tyee)

Totem Pole Journey will make a stop on the UO campus
Led by members of the Lummi Nation and the House of Tears Carvers, the Totem Pole Journey is a Pacific Northwest community experience that engages participants through ceremony, art, science, ancestral knowledge and cross-cultural collaboration. This year’s events, called “Se’Si’Le Snake River to the Salish Sea — Spirit of the Waters Totem Pole Journey to a Solution,” and related art, media and events are the latest in a dozen such journeys over the past 20 years. The first journey started with a successful campaign to oppose fossil fuel projects in the region. 2022 events are in support of the removal of the Snake River dams and the restoration of the river’s salmon runs, which is important to the southern resident killer whaleshales community, known as Skali’Chelh in the Lummi language.

Avian flu concerns mount as B.C. farmer loses 80% of chicken flock in 4 days, cases identified throughout B.C
A new strain of avian flu that's sweeping across Canada and around the world is now in B.C. and a West Kootenay chicken farmer says it may have wiped out 80 per cent of her flock. Courtney Dickson reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  255 AM PDT Tue Apr 26 2022   
TODAY  S wind to 10 kt becoming W 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 11 seconds. Showers  likely in the morning then showers and a slight chance of tstms  in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 11 seconds. A slight  chance of tstms in the evening. A chance of showers.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/25 Wintercreeper, cold-water coral, gone glaciers, toxic tires, Biden's old-growth, Harriet Bullitt, burning ships, PA harbor, coastal tribes, decolonizing conservation

Wintercreeper

Wintercreeper Euonymus fortunei
Euonymus fortunei, the spindle, Fortune's spindle, winter creeper or wintercreeper, is a species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae, native to east Asia, including China, Korea, the Philippines and Japan. It is named after the Scottish botanist and plant explorer Robert Fortune. (Wikipedia)

Rare cold-water coral garden in peril on B.C. coast
A remarkable coral garden tucked away in a remote inlet on B.C.’s wild central coast is in danger unless the federal government takes immediate steps to save it from destruction before the prawn fishing season gets underway, conservationists say. Heavy prawn traps and ropes, which make contact with the seabed, are particularly destructive to the delicate red tree corals, or Primnoa pacifica, in a unique area in the ­centre of Knight Inlet, said professional diver, filmmaker and naturalist Neil McDaniel. Rochelle Baker reports. (National Observer)

Olympic Peninsula glaciers expected to disappear in 50 years
The Olympic Peninsula has lost 45% of its glacier coverage since 1980, according to a new study by Fountain and coauthors from Washington state and British Columbia. The peninsula’s remaining 250 glaciers, which covered about two square miles at last estimate, should be gone in another 50 years as humanity’s pollution continues to overheat the planet, the study found. John Ryan reports. (KUOW/OPB)

A half-million tires in Puget Sound are leeching harmful substances. Here’s how to help 
Tires with toxic substances lurk in Washington waters, harming the wildlife and creating a problem that needs to be cleaned up. There are an estimated half-million tires in Puget Sound that have been leaching harmful substances into the water for about 50 years, according to Jim Trask, president of Washington scuba Alliance. Alyse Messmer reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Biden unveils protection plan for old-growth forest during Seattle visit
On Friday, President Joe Biden marked Earth Day at Seattle’s Seward Park — home to some of the oldest stands of trees left in the city — where he announced and signed an executive order meant to protect old-growth forests on federal lands. Eilis O'Neill and John Ryan reports. (KUOW) See also: Biden’s executive order in Seattle spotlights importance of old-growth forests in fight against climate change   Hal Bernton, Nick Turner and Lynda V. Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

The Long, Remarkable Life of Harriet Bullitt
The last decade of her life, which ended at age 97 on Saturday morning, saw Harriet Bullitt looking forward as well as celebrating what she created, enabled, and is leaving behind to benefit both sides of the Cascades and beyond. Joel Connelly writes. (Post Alley) See also: Harriet Stimson Bullitt, Northwest philanthropist and conservationist, dies at 97  Mike Carter reports. (Seattle Times)

Unicorns and explosives: a burning ship off Victoria’s coast hints at the dangerous secrets of cargo carriers
More than 100 sea cans were lost in B.C. waters after a storm wracked the Zim Kingston last fall. Bigger vessels, weighed down with more goods, are making shipping riskier. Bill Donahue reports. (The Narwhal)

Cruising the harbor in Port Angeles
The cruise ships Celebrity Eclipse, front, and Ovation of the Seas, rear, sit anchored in Port Angeles Harbor on Friday as they await the Alaskan cruise season. Both ships are operated by the Royal Caribbean Group or its subsidiaries. Anchored between the cruise vessels are the bulk carrier James Bay and the pusher tug Dublin Sea. Keith Thorpe reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

From WA to Alaska, coastal tribes face displacement with insufficient financial help
On April 11, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced it would invest $46 million in funding to tribal communities to address the unique impacts of climate change in Indigenous communities. The funding is a piece of the $466 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address tribal infrastructure in Indigenous communities. Securing enough federal funding for relocation expenses, infrastructure investments or efforts to strengthen climate resilience and adaptation has been a major hurdle for many tribes. While these investments are appreciated, many tribal communities believe that ecological restoration still isn’t enough of a priority.  Luna Reyna reports. (Crosscut)

How to Decolonize Conservation
Drawing on examples from existing conservation projects and their own experiences, Indigenous researchers are unpacking what a decolonized approach to environmental protection should look like. Erica Gies reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  243 AM PDT Mon Apr 25 2022   
TODAY  SW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  9 ft at 13 seconds. A chance of rain in the morning then a chance  of showers in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 13 seconds. A chance of  showers.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/22 Water jelly, Salish Sea Earth Days, Josie Osborne, Day Cr settlement, orcas, Hal Beecher, colonial science, week in review

Water jellyfish [Dave Cowles]

 
Water jellyfish Aequorea victoria
This is the largest of our local Hydrozoan jellyfish, though the Scyphozoan jellyfish can grow much larger. Feeds mainly on gelatinous plankton such as Mitrocomella polydiademata and other hydromedusae, on ctenophores, on polychaetes, and on appendicularians.  It may occasionally be cannibalistic.  Also eat larval fish such as Pacific herring, Clupea pallasi.  This species is bioluminescent and may flash brightly when disturbed. (Walla Walla University)

Our island reader responds to yesterday's comment on pumped storage: "I couldn’t agree more with the writer’s advice, which few if any will consistently follow, which is to reduce power demand, thus saving what Amory Lovins coined “negawatts” over 40 years ago. This is where we need to focus, but no one can get a handle on it because our lifestyle is considered to be a right, not a privilege earned from nature."

'Invest In Our Planet': How to celebrate Earth Day around Puget Sound
"Invest In Our Planet" — that's the theme of Earth Day 2022, happening this Friday, April 22. Abby Luschei reports. (Seattle Refined)

Earth Day 2022: Where events are being held in B.C.
Here's a list of some of the events happening in B.C.'s bigger municipalities (all times PT) throughout the week. Events will also be held in smaller communities across the province. (CBC)

Land and water in B.C. has a new ministry. We spoke with its leader
Josie Osborne is now B.C.’s Minister of land, water and resource stewardship and the minister in charge of fisheries, taking on some of the province's most challenging files. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Day Creek landowners settle with Skagit Fisheries, R2 Resource Consultants
Concerned Citizens for Day Creek signed a settlement agreement Thursday with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group and R2 Resource Consultants in response to property damage that followed a restoration project. After mediation, Skagit Fisheries and R2 Resource Consultants agreed to pay the landowners of Day Creek a settlement and in return will be relieved of all responsibility associated with the project. The monetary compensation given to the landowners is confidential. Maddie Smith reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

How orcas are a better version of us
Orca researcher Dr. Deborah Giles hopes her work can save this ancient species. Sarah Hoffman reports. (Crosscut)

How my grandfather the fish ecologist changed the nation — and me
Hal Beecher loves nature. Hal's grandchild, RadioActive's Rhea Beecher, talked with him about a time when that love was pushed to its limits in a court case that affected the nation. Rhea Beecher reports. (KUOW)

An Indigenous Scientist On Purging Colonialist Practices From Science
Jessica Hernandez in an excerpt from Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes Through Indigenous Science writes: "I recall in my graduate school that a professor was very mad that his potential research project was cancelled because the local federally recognized tribes of the state of Washington were not interested in creating marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Puget Sound and Salish Sea...This is the settler colonialism that is embedded in conservation, where non-Indigenous scientists have not developed the same relationships with the local environment as tribes who have been cherishing these relationships for generations." (Science Friday)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 4/22/22: Earth Day!, retreating glaciers, intertidal OR, BC Hydro, salmon kill, cruise ship pollution, reversing Trump, hauling salmon, Biden's old growth, Vancouver barge

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  240 AM PDT Fri Apr 22 2022   
TODAY  NW wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 9 ft at 14 seconds subsiding to  7 ft at 14 seconds in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  6 ft at 13 seconds. 
SAT  W wind to 10 kt becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 5 ft at 12 seconds. 
SAT NIGHT  NW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming W to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after  midnight. W swell 3 ft at 11 seconds. 
SUN  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft  at 13 seconds.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/21 Salmonberry, Biden's old growth, marine heat waves, Vancouver barge, green crabs, Mother Earth Day, BC Earth Day, warm water menus

Salmonberry [Plants of the PNW]

 
Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis
The common name Salmonberry is thought to have come from the natives’ fondness for eating the berries with salmon roe, but it could also be due to the orangy-pink color of the berries. Salmonberries, being one of the earliest berries to ripen, were one of the most important foods for natives. Young sprouts were also an important food for natives in early spring and summer; they were peeled, eaten raw or steamed.  Preparations of the bark were used on wounds, especially burns. (Plants of the PNW)

Our man of the woods and desert comments regarding yesterday's clip about pumped storage plants ('Energy shift creates opening for 'world's largest batteries'): "Pumped storage is a boondoggle promoted by a dying industry.  It results in a net loss of electricity and destroys whatever ecosystem is lucky enough to be the uphill storage area. The local utility wanted to do that to Tumble Lake above Detroit Reservoir in the Santiam system of the Oregon Cascades clear back in the 1970s.  It was a crappy idea then and it's still a crappy idea.  That was personal to me as "The Tumble" was a favorite place of mine, so maybe I'm biased but it's still a net loss of energy. How about we use a little less instead?"

Biden to issue Earth Day order to safeguard old-growth forests
President Biden will sign an Earth Day executive order on Friday in Seattle laying the groundwork for protecting for some of the biggest and oldest trees in America’s forests, according to several individuals briefed on the decision. Anna Phillips reports. (Washington Post)

A first as the world warms: New forecasts could help predict marine heat waves
Marine heat waves have caused major ecological disruptions along the Pacific coast in recent years, but scientists have developed a global forecasting system to help fisheries and coastal communities anticipate and prepare for these extreme weather events. The scientific journal Nature on Wednesday published the forecasting system that provides projections on marine heat waves around the world up to a year in advance. Nicholas Turner reports. (Seattle Times)

No timeline for removal of 5,000-tonne barge washed up for months on Vancouver beach
No date is set for the removal of a 5,000-tonne barge that has been washed up on Sunset Beach in downtown Vancouver for more than five months. Permits not in place to allow company to cut up barge and take it away for recycling. David Carrigg reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Effort underway to control invasive European green crabs on Washington coast
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that it is working with its partners and tribes to “deploy resources and get more boots in the mud” to control infestations of the invasive European green crab along the coast and certain sites within the Salish Sea. (KIRO)

Mother Earth Day celebration will look to the future, through the vision of Indigenous youth
Messages from Indigenous youth with eyes on environmental justice and the future will be featured at a Mother Earth Day celebration presented by Children of the Setting Sun Productions at Bellingham's Maritime Heritage Park on April 22. Clifford Heberden reports. (Salish Current)

Earth Day 2022: Where events are being held in B.C.
Here's a list of some of the events happening in B.C.'s bigger municipalities (all times PT) throughout the week. Events will also be held in smaller communities across the province. (CBC)

Monster Humboldt squid showing up on Vancouver seafood menus as waters warm, UBC-led research finds
Seafood served in Vancouver restaurants is increasingly being dominated by warmer-water species, due to climate change, according to a University of B.C. professor.  To understand the effects of climate change on seafood, a team led by William Cheung at UBC’s institute for the oceans and fisheries studied 362 restaurant menus in Vancouver over four time periods. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  241 AM PDT Thu Apr 21 2022   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM PDT THIS MORNING  THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  E wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE 15 to 25 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 5 ft at 17 seconds building to 7 ft at  16 seconds in the afternoon. Showers likely in the morning then  showers and a slight chance of tstms in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 9 ft at 15 seconds.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/20 Sparrow, hauling salmon, pumped storage, solar backlog, electric plane, Canada carbon, First Nations Power Authority

White-crowned Sparrow [Bruce Gates]

 

White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
White-crowned Sparrows appear each winter over much of North America to grace our gardens and favorite trails (they live in parts of the West year-round). As spring approaches, listen out for this bird’s thin, sweet whistle. Male White-crowned Sparrows do most of the singing, but sometimes females also sing. A migrating White-crowned Sparrow was once tracked moving 300 miles in a single night. Alaskan White-crowned Sparrows migrate about 2,600 miles to winter in Southern California. The oldest recorded White-crowned Sparrow lived in California and was at least 13 years, 4 months old. (All About Birds)

B.C. conservation group moves thousands of salmon that will produce millions of eggs
Members of the Mill Bay Conservation Society, a group of volunteers near Kulchyski’s home, 50 kilometres north of Victoria, have taken the fish into their own hands — literally. They have built a human-propelled salmon run, carrying thousands of spawning salmon from a fish trap in the Salish Sea, up a hillside, above several waterfalls and across the Trans-Canada Highway before releasing them into nearby Shawnigan Creek. Katharine Lake Berz reports. (Canadian Press)

Energy shift creates opening for 'world's largest batteries'
A question is hovering over the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy such as wind and solar: What happens when the wind doesn't blow or the sun doesn't shine? The hydropower industry says the answer is developing more pumped storage plants. They function like giant batteries, pumping water from a lower reservoir to an upper one. When power is needed, the water is released downhill through turbines. (Associated Press)

Good luck getting solar any time soon. Here’s how Bellingham, Whatcom colleges plan to help
Markus Virta wants to add six more employees to the 13-person solar installation team at Western Solar — now. The Bellingham-based business, where Virta works as director of sales and business development, is seeing the longest wait times for rooftop solar installations in the company’s history. Call Western Solar today and you might be able to get solar panels installed on your roof by January 2023, at the earliest. Ysabelle Kempe reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Arlington electric aircraft maker logs order for 75 planes
Eviation Aircraft, the Arlington company that has built a fully electric commuter airplane, got a hefty boost this week when one of the nation’s largest commuter airlines, Cape Air, signed a letter of intent to buy 75 of the Eviation Alice model. The nine-passenger airplane, which produces no carbon emissions, has been undergoing ground taxi tests since December. It is expected to take a maiden flight this year. Janice Podsada reports. (Everett Herald)

How Canada’s new carbon capture tax credit aligns (or doesn’t) with the latest climate science
In the same week the Canadian government released its latest budget with billions pledged for carbon reductions, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change put out a daunting report calling for rapid decarbonization in order to avoid catastrophe. But are the two aligned? Drew Anderson reports. (The Narwhal)

The Coming Indigenous Power Play
Creating a First Nations Power Authority would be ‘a reconciliation project,’ says Cole Sayers, who is working to make it happen. ‘First Nations have the right to access the power grid. And being denied that is wrong.’ Zoe Yunker reports in the second of a two-part series. (The Tyee)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  244 AM PDT Wed Apr 20 2022   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING   
TODAY  E wind 15 to 25 kt becoming SE in the afternoon. Wind  waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 3 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of rain in  the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SE wind 20 to 30 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 3 to 5 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. SW  swell 6 ft at 9 seconds. Rain in the evening then a chance of  rain after midnight.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/19 Mason bee, climate impacts, cruise ship pollution, marine trades park in PA, Raynell Morris, salmon climate, BC Hydro, albatross, Canada geese, saving newts

Mason bee

 
Mason bee
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus Osmia, of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named for their habit of using mud or other "masonry" products in constructing their nests, which are made in naturally occurring gaps such as between cracks in stones or other small dark cavities. (Wikipedia)

Biden restores climate safeguards in key environmental law, reversing Trump
A rule finalized Tuesday by the White House will require agencies to assess climate impact of roads, pipelines and other infrastructure. Dino Grandoni and Anna Phillips report. (Washington Post)

Wave of pollution from cruise ships expected regardless of new federal wastewater rules
Environmental groups are hoisting red flags as the cruise ship season relaunches after the easing of COVID restrictions on the West Coast despite Ottawa’s recent announcement it will roll out stricter wastewater dumping rules. The federal government’s proposed environmental regulations are ambiguous, but signal Transport Canada is starting to acknowledge cruise ships have been taking advantage of Canada’s lax standards to dump billions of litres of dirty water waste along the B.C. coast, said Anna Barford, Stand.earth’s shipping campaigner. Rochelle Baker reports. (National Observer/Island Insider)

'It's a huge deal': Federal dollars speed up Port Angeles project
The site of a former plywood mill in Port Angeles has taken a big step toward becoming a center of the marine trades, thanks to a grant from the federal government. The $7.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce will pay for infrastructure improvements at the Port of Port Angeles, which will clear the way for the port to build a Marine Trades Industrial Park. Ed Ronco reports. (KNKX)

Time in the White House and fighting for the Sacred Sea. A Lummi matriarch tells her story
Raynell Morris, an enrolled Lummi Tribal member, is known for her activism as vice president of the Sacred Lands Conservancy. She advocated against the coal port at Cherry Point and to bring home southern resident orca Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut from the Miami Seaquarium. Natasha Brennan reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Climate change is killing Northwest salmon, scientists warn
With summer fast approaching, local environmentalists are sending a warning about the impact severe heat has on salmon in the Northwest. Conservationists say more needs to be done to address what climate change is doing to these endangered species. Abby Acone reports. (

Their Land Was Drowned by a Flood of Hydropower
BC sacrificed the Kwadacha Nation’s territory to build a dam. Where does today’s quest for new energy intersect with reconciliation? A special two-part feature. Zoe Yunker reports. (The Tyee)

B.C. Hydro failing to live up to environmental obligations, say conservationists
B.C. Wildlife Federation is calling for an audit claiming money for habitat restoration is going elsewhere. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)

Creatures of habit: Albatrosses returned to Vancouver Island annually for thousands of years
The short-tailed albatross was almost driven to extinction by feather hunters, populations remain 'threatened.' Hina Alam reports. (Canadian Press)

Spring brings big honkin' mess of Canada geese — and calls for smarter population control
Conservationists say better landscaping and birth control will keep population of pooping geese at bay.
Yvette Brend reports. (CBC)

How a small army of volunteers saved a swath of amphibians near North Kitsap Heritage Park
Sharp eyes glued to the ground, Beth Nichols spots a newt and scoops it up onto a piece of wood she brought along on her walk... She and a group of volunteers have repeated this process countless times in recent weeks along an eastern length of the North Kitsap Heritage Park, which borders Arborwood, a large housing development being built near Kingston. Nathan Pilling reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  253 AM PDT Tue Apr 19 2022   
TODAY  SW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming NE in the afternoon. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 4 ft at 10 seconds. Showers likely  and a slight chance of tstms. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE after midnight. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of  showers in the evening.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/18 Spartina, OR intertidal ecosystem, environmentalism, glacier retreat, Jamestown S'Klallam water, humpback chase

Spartina [Sound Water Stewards]

 

English cordgrass Spartina anglica
Spartina anglica belongs to the grass family. It is derived from hybridization between Spartina maritima, which is native to Europe and Spartina alterniflora, a native of the American East Coast. Watch for Spartina anglica in areas of mudflats, salt marsh, loose cobble or gravel beaches, and on sand beaches. This species grows and spreads rapidly in the intertidal zone not only displacing native plant species such as eelgrass (Zostera marina), but also changing the very nature of the habitat. This impacts the entire web of organisms that depend on that habitat, including invertebrates, fish, and birds. (Sound Water Stewards)

Oregon’s Intertidal Ecosystem Is Approaching a Tipping Point
Oregon’s intertidal ecosystems are recovering from disturbance more slowly than they were even a few years ago. This, combined with documented changes in community structure, suggests the ecosystem is approaching a tipping point. Rebecca Dzombak reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Environmentalism Is for Everyone
How youth-led groups and thinkers are making the environmental movement more diverse. Marieta-Rita Osezua  reports. (The Tyee)

The retreating glaciers of Puget Sound
Puget Sound's glaciers are melting rapidly due to climate change. The North Cascades mountains have lost about 56% of their glacial ice while estimates show that glaciers in the Olympics could be gone within the next 50 years. Scientists say salmon and other species could be hard hit as the region loses its “giant storage tank” of ice. David B. Williams reports. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

EPA grants Jamestown water testing oversight on reservation, trust lands
The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe has received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to administer the Clean Water Act’s water quality standards and certification programs on its reservation and trust lands. The tribe assumes Clean Water Act authority to manage and protect its surface waters on almost 645 acres near the Dungeness River and Sequim Bay, said Bill Dunbar, spokesperson with the Environmental Protection Agency, in a press release. Matthew Nash reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Naturalist, whale-watching guides astounded by humpback whale chasing after orcas in Salish Sea
A scientist who set out with a group of tourists for a whale-watching tour on the Salish Sea was thrilled by a rare sight last Tuesday — a humpback whale following and then confronting a pod of transient orcas. U.S. naturalist Olivia Esqueda witnessed the conflict in the Georgia Strait, and said she hasn't ever seen anything like it. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  251 AM PDT Mon Apr 18 2022   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING   
TODAY  SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. SW swell 5 ft  at 8 seconds building to 7 ft at 10 seconds in the afternoon.  Rain. 
TONIGHT  SW wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 to 20 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. SW swell 6 ft at 9 seconds  becoming W 3 ft at 11 seconds after midnight. Rain in the evening

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/15 Dandelion, French Cr eagles, Cedar R asphalt plant, fish virus study, Black Washington outdoor barriers, week in review

Dandelion

Dandelion Taraxacum officinale
Dandelion is native to Europe but found throughout temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere. The leaves, flowers, and root of the plant have traditionally been used in Mexican and other North American medicine. Today, dandelion is promoted as a “tonic,” as a diuretic, and for a variety of conditions, including infections and digestive symptoms. As a food, dandelion is used as a salad green and in soups, wine, and teas. The roasted root is used as a coffee substitute. We know very little about dandelion’s health effects. There’s little scientific evidence on this herb. (NIH)

$5M dream plan to create French Creek eagle sanctuary becomes a reality
The combined efforts of environmental groups, individuals and local governments have successfully raised the funds needed to purchase the French Creek Estuary, to be preserved as an eagle sanctuary. With the assistance of BC Parks Foundation, more than $5.1M in donations were raised to purchase 18 acres of estuary land and join it to the five acres of existing protected area, for a 23-acre nature reserve. It also is a realization of a dream of creating a protected eagle reserve within the forested property. (Vancouver Island Free Daily)

King County approves controversial asphalt plant near Cedar River
After years of protest, moratoriums and delays, King County has granted approval for a proposed asphalt plant to be built in Renton on the banks of the Cedar River. The permitting division of the county’s Department of Local Services ruled Thursday that the long-planned project, which has been fiercely opposed by neighbors and environmental groups, “does not pose a probable significant adverse impact to the environment,” as long as the company takes certain mitigation measures. David Gutman reports. (Seattle Times)

Why a federal salmon study that found viruses at B.C. fish farms took 10 years to be released
For ten years, Kristi Miller-Saunders could not fully disclose the results of her study that showed a virus spreading among fish-farmed salmon in British Columbia. The federal Fisheries Department in the government of Stephen Harper would not release the 2012 report into open-net fish farms, a position that continued with the Trudeau government. In March, the federal Information Commissioner ordered the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to release the information that found pathogens among open-net fish farms in the province. The commissioner ruled that suppressing publication of the document was not justified. “The complaint is well-founded,” the commissioner said of a request to access the material. Ian Bailey reports. (Globe and Mail)

Black Washingtonians face many barriers to experiencing the outdoors, state report says
A recent survey by the Black Washingtonians Workgroup on Outdoor Recreation found fewer than 1.5% of State Parks visitors are Black. Some barriers included safety concerns, a lack of access to transportation, and access to outdoor equipment, which can be expensive. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 4/15/22: Jackie Robinson Day,  WA wolves, floating toilets, floating wind farm, PNW water. sewage tales, BC log supply, WA Blacks outdoors, French Cr eagles, salmon virus

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  215 AM PDT Fri Apr 15 2022   
TODAY  SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 1 ft at 7 seconds. Scattered  showers. A slight chance of tstms in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  Light wind becoming SE 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind  waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less after midnight. W  swell 1 ft at 8 seconds. Isolated showers. 
SAT  E wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW in the afternoon. Wind waves  2 ft or less. W swell 1 ft at 7 seconds. A chance of showers. SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 1 ft at 11 seconds. 
SUN  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at  10 seconds.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/14 Northern flicker, Tacoma warehouse, NW water, heat danger, sewage tales, community solar, BC logs, responsible plastic

Northern flicker [Joseph V. Higbee]

 
Northern flicker  Colaptes auratus
Northern Flickers can be found throughout most wooded regions of North America, and they are familiar birds in most suburban environments. Unlike most other woodpeckers, Northern Flickers are principally ground feeders, though they also forage on tree trunks and limbs. They have a strongly undulating flight pattern, and they can be easily identified in flight by this pattern and their prominent white rumps. Their whinny call sounds somewhat like laughter. They also give a distinctive call that is often transcribed as klee-yer. (BirdWeb)

Controversial South Tacoma warehouse project to get public airing at Thursday meeting
Plans for a multi-building warehouse project in South Tacoma will get a public airing today (April 14). The meeting, to be conducted online over Zoom, is set for 6 p.m. A recording of the meeting will be posted at a later date. The meeting is the result of growing public criticism over the plans, currently in the city’s permit-review process, but the meeting does not constitute a hearing. Debbie Cockrell reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

April storm improves 2022 PNW water outlook, drought remains
Climatologists say rare April snow along with rain sweeping across the Pacific Northwest this week could increase water supplies, slow snow melt and lengthen the irrigation season. Washington state climatologist Nick Bond said irrigators will benefit from April storms, but it won’t be enough to end the eastern Washington drought. (Associated Press)

'Heat officer' at TED conference outlines desperate need for cities to cope with rising temperatures
At the TED 2022 conference in Vancouver on Wednesday, Europe's first ever official to be appointed to help her city deal with rising temperatures due to climate change outlined the steps needed to safeguard residents from what she calls the deadliest consequence of climate change. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

What our poop tells us: Wastewater surveillance examines what most of us would prefer to flush and forget
You've probably taken part in one of the new frontiers of public health research: wastewater surveillance. All that's needed is a sample from down the drain: pee or poop. Our feces and urine are helpful indicators in detecting all sorts of outbreaks and infections. And wastewater surveillance can give scientists a preview of new viruses and disease variants, patterns of drug usage, and much more, including potentially assessing the next pandemic. Brandi Fullwood and Libby Denkmann report. (KUOW)

Trouble on the Half Shell
Scientists have discovered a mystery parasite—what will it mean for the future of Washington’s oysters? Carly Cassella reports. (High County News/Hakai Magazine)

New community solar projects targeting lower-income areas
Community solar projects have been part of the clean energy landscape in Washington since about 2005. The idea is to offer ratepayers who don’t have a good place to install solar panels at their homes - or enough funds to pay for an entire system - the chance to purchase shares in a larger project, offsite. They then get credits on their bill for the clean energy produced. Now, the City of Everett and the Snohomish County Public Utility District are partnering for a new kind of community solar project. The revenue it generates will help low income households pay their energy bills. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Log supply in B.C. forests slowly dwindling, warns think tank
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says in a new report that logging companies in B.C. are quickly cutting down available trees in the province, and that supply is dwindling. In the report from the think tank's B.C. office, resource policy analyst Ben Parfitt writes that the amount of wood expected to be harvested in the coming years is half the amount logged 15 years ago.(CBC)

How to make manufacturers more responsible for plastics recycling
Most waste decisions are out of reach of consumers, who have the packaging chosen for them by manufacturers. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Investigate West)

Now, your tug weather--
223 AM PDT Thu Apr 14 2022
TODAY E wind 5 to 15 kt becoming S in the afternoon. Wind
waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 3 ft at 6 seconds. A chance of showers.
TONIGHT N wind 10 to 20 kt becoming NE 5 to 15 kt after
midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 2 ft at 10 seconds. A
slight chance of rain.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/13 Stinging nettle, BC tsunami, John Gussman, cutthroat trout deaths

Stinging nettle

 

Stinging nettle Urtica dioica
Stinging nettle, also called common nettle, is a weedy perennial plant of the nettle family Urticaceae, known for its stinging leaves. Stinging nettle is distributed nearly worldwide but is especially common in Europe, North America, North Africa, and parts of Asia. The plant is common in herbal medicine, and young leaves can be cooked and eaten as a nutritious potherb. Additionally, stinging nettle has been used as a source of bast fibres for textiles and is sometimes used in cosmetics. (Brittanica)

What will happen when a tsunami hits B.C.?
This week, 10 communities across coastal British Columbia will scramble to higher ground in an effort to flee an incoming tsunami. Fortunately, it’s just a practice run — all part of the seventh annual Tsunami Preparedness Week.  Known as the “High Ground Hike,” the idea is to establish an escape route and practice reaching a tsunami safe zone to “build muscle memory,” as Mid-Island-Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne recently put it. Stefan Labbe reports. (Business Intelligence for BC)

Gussman to receive Land Trust’s ‘Out Standing’ honor
The North Olympic Land Trust’s spotlight this year falls on a photographer and videographer accustomed to putting the spotlight on the beauty of the North Olympic Peninsula and documenting the community’s conservation efforts. The land trust will honor the efforts of John Gussman, along with award-winning author Dr. Robert Michael Pyle, at the organization’s 14th annual Conservation Breakfast, slated for 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. April 22, online. Michael Dashiell reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Company charged over deaths of dozens of fish in West Vancouver creek
Four years after an incident that killed 76 cutthroat trout in a West Vancouver stream, a contractor that was working for the Ministry of Transportation is facing charges under the Federal Fisheries Act. Keller Foundations Ltd. has been charged with two counts of depositing a deleterious substance in connection to the April 30, 2018, fish deaths. Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  235 AM PDT Wed Apr 13 2022   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  E wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 4 ft  at 9 seconds. A chance of showers. TONIGHT  SW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming N after midnight. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of  showers.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/12 Evergreen huckleberry, offshore wind farm, crab plan, ocean noise, Yakima beetle, Skagit farm water

 

Evergreen Huckleberry [Native Plants PNW]

Evergreen Huckleberry Vaccinium ovatum
Evergreen Huckleberry is found on the west side of the Cascade Mountains from British Columbia to California.  Along the coast of California, it is common to the redwoods but sporadic further south. It is very common in second growth forests, especially along edges and openings. (Native Plants PNW)

Seattle developer pushes for WA’s first floating offshore wind farm off Olympic Peninsula
Trident Winds, a wind energy developer based in Seattle, submitted an unsolicited lease request Monday to the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management to build a floating offshore wind farm — the state’s first — about 43 miles off the coast of the Olympic Peninsula, near Grays Harbor. The proposed site — dubbed the Olympic Wind project — would provide 2,000 megawatts of clean energy to 800,000 homes, according to the developer. If all goes the company’s way, construction would begin in 2028 and the wind farm would become operational in 2030. Nicholas Turner reports. (Seattle Times)

Oregon finalizes first-ever management plan for Dungeness crabs
Oregon’s Dungeness crab industry wants seafood lovers to know that it’s taking steps to make sure the fishery is sustainable. That led to the creation of the state’s first-ever Dungeness crab management plan. Chris Lehman reports. (KLCC)

An ocean of noise: how sonic pollution is hurting marine life
Today’s oceans are a tumult of engine roar, artificial sonar and seismic blasts that make it impossible for marine creatures to hunt or communicate. We could make it stop, so why don’t we? David George Haskell reports. (The Guardian)

In the Yakima Valley, tiny beetles are posing major problems for growers
The iridescent green and copper-colored bugs are creating major headaches for the state's Department of Agriculture and growers of some of Washington's biggest cash crops. State officials say trapping and eradicating this beetle will come with a multimillion dollar price tag, and it'll take several years to determine if their efforts are successful. Libby Denkmann and Noel Gasca report. (KUOW)

Skagit County farm to fight Ecology fine over water fights
In response to being fined by the Department of Ecology for irrigating without a water permit, Skagit Valley Farms stated: “It is very important to our farm to operate in full compliance with the law and we are committed to continuing to work with Ecology to come into voluntary compliance with state water rules....The Department implies that our actions purposefully harmed other farmers and fish. This is not the case, and not provable. We strive to be good neighbors and responsible food producers,” Skagit Valley Farm stated. Maddie Smith reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
301 AM PDT Tue Apr 12 2022   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  SW wind to 10 kt becoming E 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 12 ft at 11 seconds. Showers in the morning  then showers likely and a slight chance of tstms in the  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt rising to 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 10 ft at 10 seconds. Showers  likely and a slight chance of tstms in the evening then a chance  of showers after midnight.

--

"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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