So many good things are happening around Fidalgo — walks, talks, educational opportunities and rewarding experiences!
Below are some highlights of events coming up that we believe may be of interest to Transition folks. Our TF&F Events and shared sponsorship events are highlighted in green.
Transition Fidalgo and Friends’
Monthly Gathering Presentation:
Marine Debris
March 26, 2019: 6:30 pm at the Anacortes Senior Center
Marine debris is a growing concern, with impacts that span ecosystems, food chains, human health and socio-economic systems. Solving this global problem will require local solutions informed by science. Hillary will talk about what we know and don’t know about marine debris sources and impacts in our region and will highlight how the citizen science program COASST is working to tackle the unknowns and make a positive difference.
For more information, visit www.coasst.org.
About Hillary:
Prior to getting her feet wet in the marine world through the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST), Hillary focused on community engagement in restoration, horticulture, and sustainability. While working at a botanic garden in south Florida, she discovered a passion for citizen science that eventually manifested into graduate studies at UW, and creation of a citizen science project exploring influences of gardening on pollinators.
Now the Science Coordinator at COASST, she ensures that data are useful and used by working with science and resource management partners, conducting trainings, module development, and overseeing data quality assurance and control. She is also involved in the Citizen Science Association and UW Citizen Science Community of Practice, and has an interest in advancing science outcomes in the field of citizen science.
Coming from a long line of beach walkers, Hillary loves visiting coastal communities and beach combing. Outside of COASST, she grows orchids, does aerial dance and is an avid hiker.
Other Events of Interest
Fidalgo for the Future:
Saturday, March 23, 9-1 pm
The Anacortes Activist Student Union (AASU) is partnering with the Friends of the Forest and the Swinomish Tribe for a clean-up event entitled “Fidalgo for the Future” on Saturday, March 23, 9-1 PM. The focus of the event is to do a clean-up (which the High School Green Club does regularly) and encourage businesses to transition from single-use plastics.
Pledge sheets will be available asking people to commit to changing their actions in support of a cleaner, healthier world.
The event starts at 9AM at the Anacortes High School (AHS) with a safety presentation. People will go out to 9 different locations (South Fidalgo not included) and fill pickups with trash for about an hour.
Trash will be brought back to the AHS where people can help sort items that will form a sculpture. There will also be free yummies at the school, and speeches, such as from Lori Hayes of the Vagabond Station, who’ll talk about how her business doesn’t use single-use plastics.
Transition Fidalgo & Friends will be helping as we can behind the scenes.
Watch the AASU promotional video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLEopnN8Qh0
Introduction to Birding: Deception Pass
Saturday, March 30, 2019 @ 9:00 AM to Noon
Would you like to see what birding’s all about? Join some Skagit Audubon members for an introduction to how we find, observe, and learn about birds and why we enjoy birding. We’ll talk about field guides, binoculars and spotting scopes, and put them to use. We’ll see and hear a variety of birds, large and small, in trees and bushes, and on the water – and, we’ll help you identify them. Dress for the weather (expect wind along the shore). Bring binoculars and field guides, if you have them, but don’t worry if you don’t. Meet at the parking lot for Rosario Beach (Discover Pass required). Leaders: Tim Manns, 360.333.8985 or conservation@skagitaudubon.org and Jeff Osmundson, 360.435.4297 or jeffo4297@gmail.com.
Master Composter/Recycler training
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 – 8:30 pm,
April 9 to May 2 at Padilla Bay Interpretive Center.
Twenty hours of lecture-based training.
Register online at skagitcounty.net/recycle
Friends of Skagit Beaches Lecture Series:
Plankton of the Land: Mosses, lichens, and fungi in Pacific Northwest forests
April 12, 2019, Friday
Plankton are the foundation of life in the ocean. Is there an analogy in terrestrial ecosystems? Yes there is! In the Pacific Northwest, the foundation of terrestrial ecosystems is the “Stegnon”, the layer of organic life just above, within, and below the soil of the forest floor. Here in the Stegnon, mosses, lichens, and fungi play an important role in forest ecosystems. Naturalist and science author Dr. Kem Luther’s presentation will look at the environmental services these inhabitants of the Stegnon provide as they process and convert organic matter into nutrients in a form useable by other organisms.
Kem Luther, PhD, Naturalist and Author
Microplastics sampling volunteers needed.
Contact Kathryn@pugetsoundkeeper.org