Student Reflection of Working With NOSC

Sadly, the reign of Salmon Crew 2013-2014 ended in June, 2014. On the bright side, we were replaced by some awesome students ready to learn about salmon!  As Salmon Crew 2014-2015 nears its end, student Dylan reflects on his experience planting trees with NOSC: 

   "Working with the North Olympic Salmon Coalition (NOSC) has provided me with many different chances to meet new people, to contribute to my society, and to get outside and have some fun. I have been to exactly two different tree plantings with my crew.  It was a whole lot of fun working with them and meeting other people who are interested in learning the different types of native trees and shrubs and the areas they prefer to be planted.

   What we do at tree plantings is just that: we plant trees. But we also talk and see all the views in the area in which we are working. Working with NOSC we do a lot of traveling both to faraway and close places, such as Discovery Bay,  Nash’s Farm Store, and  Matriotti Creek. Of course, to plant trees you must get out of the house, go to different locations, and be outside working for several hours at a time. While that sounds like a lot of work, it really isn't.  We generally will be working in medium to large -sized groups, making the work move faster because there are more people to help.

   One of the tree planting trips we went on took us down to the lower part of Matriotti Creek, where we were asked to plant trees on someone's property. On the property we had planted native trees just as we always do. The reason we only plant native trees is because we want to encourage the invasive plants to get choked out and be replaced by the natives such as 9 Bark, and Dogwood. While planting the trees we make sure each one is about 5 feet apart so that every plant has enough room to grow. We also made sure that each tree got planted in the area that would most suit it. Dogwood, for example, was planted in  areas closer to the creek on account that they prefer to have a lot of water, while 9 Wood was planted a little ways away because they do not handle as much water as well as Dogwood and have a chance of drowning.

   Generally when we meet to plant trees it is on a Saturday. To make sure that enough people are open to come and help, while planning we get the information from our group leaders via email. If you want to come plant some trees with us, you can visit nosc.org. There is quite a bit of them, so I hope to see you at one!"

Discovery Bay Drill Project

The North Olympic Salmon Coalition's Sequim High school crew ( Salmon Crew ) went out to Discovery Bay to see the construction site of the restoration project. We went there to observe what they are doing out on the bay while project manager Kevin Long explained the project. The workers are making an underground pipeline traveling under Snow Creek, using a one million dollar machine called the Horizontal Directional Drill. In the section they were drilling while we were there, there will be a twelve-hundred-foot pipe going through the drilled hole. This will supply water to the community around Discovery Bay. The project is able to happen through
state and federal grants. This is a part of the whole project to relocate the water line and restore the Dicovery Bay area including Maynard Nearshore and Snow Creek Estuary restoration. 

Discovery Bay Drill and Restoration Project

Discovery Bay restoration:

     The North Olympic Salmon Coalition is restoring a Discovery Bay beach front, transforming the project site into beach habitat. Currently, the site is infested with scotch broom and other invasive species. The purpose of the transformation is to expand the beach, and restore it to natural beach conditions.

     NOSC will also be removing historical trestles from Discovery Bay. The trestles are left over wood pilings from old train tracks. The trestles are coated with creosote, a chemical known to pollute waters and habitats, hence the removal.

Finn River Farm Salmon Restoration

       Saturday the 12th of April, community volunteers joined Finn River Farm for the last tree planting of the season. Cumulatively, all of our hard work equated into planting 540 trees. The trees that were planted were planned to out-grow the invasive reed canary grass. The different type of trees used included: Crab apple, shore-pine, and willow trees.

      

       It is important that the canary grass dies back, otherwise, Chimicum Creek could be a tough place for salmon. The grass will start to decay in the creek; during the decaying process, bacteria uses up oxygen to break down the grass, minimalizing oxygen for the salmon.

After expending all of our energy, Finn River Farm and Cidery provided us with dinner and a movie. We topped our own individual pizza's and produced them in their oven. It was a beautiful day well spent. Everyone was full of laughter, and stories to tell.

Student Technical Drawing of 3 Crabs

What is creosote?

            Creosote is the name used for many products, most commonly used in paving roads, roofing, and preserving wood. There are many types of creosote, but the type that is most widely used as a wood preservative is called coal tar creosote. Coal tar creosote is introduced to the water and soil via wood preservative industry. Coal tar creosote can dissolve into water and move through soil and enter groundwater. If it enters groundwater, it can take many years for it to break down.

            Coal tar creosote is found at the 3 crabs site out at Dungeness. Creosote is found coated on the pilings in the water left from the dock. It is also found on broken off pilings on the shore. The Salmon Coalition is working on removing 2 tons of beached creosote wood and 165 pilings. Creosote is a chemical that can build up in animal and human tissue. Handling creosote-treated wood in fences, bridges, railroad tracks or telephone poles can result in hazardous contact.
          
           Contaminated drinking water can also lead to creosote exposure.  Long-term exposure to coal tar creosote can cause skin damage, and it is probable that it leads to cancer. Short-term exposure to coal tar creosote can result in severe skin irritations and eye burns. If swallowed in large amounts it can lead to convulsions, unconsciousness and death. Studies have shown that the eggs of Herring can have a high death rate when exposed to creosote.
          
          Not only was Herring affected but so was the English Sole, which developed liver lesions. These fish are important to the food chain because they are the source of food for Salmon and Orca whales. The Salmon Coalition aims to remove the problematic creosote because of its adverse effects on the environment.

Citation and information found at:

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/TF.asp?id=65&tid=18#top
http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/marinedebris/upload/creosote_cleanup_puget.pdf 

 

A Reflection of the Semester

            Every month, I meet with my Natural Resource Options class at Dungeness Spit. The class is run through Mr. Lieberman at the North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center. It is primarily a field-based class; you do a lot of hands-on things such as planting trees or picking up debris from the beach. Also, I do surveys with COASST, a citizen science project dedicated to monitoring marine ecosystems. At the end of the semester, I turn in a project journal. What is the project? In my case, I chose a question pertaining to the Dungeness Spit and implemented researching the question through the scientific process. It’s an amazing experience because I have had the opportunity to work with volunteers at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and receive a glimpse at the Natural Resources field.

            The experience has been similar with working with NOSC.  While COASST is dedicated to monitoring marine ecosystems, NOSC is more about the action in maintaining healthy ecosystems for salmon. In the class, my “project” with the student internship is assisting with the blog about the class and 3 Crabs Restoration Project. Like in my other class, I have picked up debris to habitats clean, and in the future I will be helping with tree planting with NOSC.

            I suppose the key difference between the two is that my Natural Resources Options class is more independent while the student internship has been more structured. When working on my project for Natural Resources Options, the project I choose is mostly up to me. My teacher, Mr. Lieberman, checks in on my project about once a month, but other than that I’m on my own. With the student internship, on the other hand, I meet every week to discuss the goals and expectations of what I am doing with the blog. Essentially, with the first one, I am learning to work independently and make my own timely decisions over a long period of time. With the other, I am learning how to work in the timely manner to complete the expectations of another in a shorter time period. Both are  great experiences for me, and I am happy do being doing them.