Mosquitoes “bug” SFEG and Skagit County crews during Mount Vernon fish rescue at salmon restoration construction site

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This time of year, mosquito nets are not just a bold fashion statement for our hardworking restoration and construction crews working to enhance salmon populations on the South Fork of the Skagit River.  It is an essential piece of safety equipment when just standing near a wetland is akin to signing up for a local blood drive.  Fortunately, mosquitoes and other insect larvae are staple food sources for salmon fry, so we are used to seeing them while enhancing salmon habitat.  Last week SFEG staff “donated” plenty of blood to the South Fork mosquitoes during a fish rescue in a construction work site, leading to a very interesting food chain:

This restoration project is located on the South Fork of the Skagit River at the upper edge of the Skagit River estuary.  The water is not salty or brackish here but daily changes in the tide heavily influence the water depth.  Backwatering off channel habitats in this part of the estuary are extremely valuable rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids.   This site is a wonderful salmonid refuge in the winter, providing shelter for tiny salmon fry during harsh winter flooding conditions.  However, each spring this side channel disconnects from the Skagit before the salmon fry can escape.  By summer, this apparent fish paradise dries up and turns into a fish death trap, an issue that will be fixed during construction in summer 2022.

This project began in 2002 with a levee set-back project and a river side planting, led by Skagit County Public Works and Dike District #3.  County monitoring programs documented high fish presence at this site, including many juvenile Chinook salmon.  This final project phase will establish excellent natural water flow between the Skagit River, the floodplain, and the freshwater channel network and will allow 5.3 acres of wetted area to remain during low river conditions.  The final result will be excellent summer refuge for our young native fish with shade (from the 2002 native tree planting), shelter (newly constructed channel and pond habitat) and plentiful food (mosquitoes and other insect larvae).

For the construction phase of this project to take place, all the fish trapped in the work area in July 2022 had to be relocated.  Skagit County Public Works, the lead of this restoration project, invited SFEG to lead the relocation effort.  The same aspects of this site that make it excellent for salmon make it difficult for us to work in.  The native tree and brush cover is thick, the existing channel is large and full of woody debris, the pools are very deep, and the mosquitoes are horrendous.   In this setting the fish have quite the advantage and they are extremely motivated to stay out of the SFEG nets and buckets and away from the helpful grasp of our fish rescue crew.  Despite this we successfully rescued almost 8000 fish!

Next year, Skagit County public works will be done with construction and salmon fry born this coming winter will have better access to (and exits from) this excellent habitat.

SFEG fish rescue crew relocating fish from construction area to the Skagit River

 

Juvenile coho salmon removed from harm’s way at Skagit South Fork construction site

 

SFEG Habitat Restoration Coordinator Erin Matthews wearing her fish rescue gear

 

Existing channel before construction, this project will add several more acres of this habitat type to this site

 

 

 

Farewell AmeriCorps!

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As we say goodbye to our 2021-2022 AmeriCorps associates, we asked them to share some insights into their experience serving at SFEG. Here’s what they had to say:

 

Megan Cahill – Education Associate

I was unaware of the impact Skagit Fisheries would have on me when I first arrived at the office in Mount Vernon. Now 10 months later I am left with a greater sense of purpose about what direction I want to grow into both career and lifestyle. Through the trials and tribulations, I feel confident that my time at Skagit fisheries will stay with me as inspirational material in as I pursue getting my teaching certificate in mid-level sciences.

I spent the first few years after college working in positions that found me in the educator type role. Whether it was working at an animal shelter, as a community outreach coordinator, or food insecurity coordinator, the most satisfying part of these positions involved teaching people and helping problem solve how to make problems better understood. And yet I was quickly transitioning through these jobs, rarely staying for longer than 1.5 years. It finally clicked with me early 2021 that I needed to explore being in an educator position with kids, outside of the classroom. Luckily SFEG was still accepting applications for the educator position for WSC, and within 2 weeks of applying, Lucy emailed me the news that I was hired for the position.

One of my most fond memories is when I delivered eggs for all 11 locations that were participating in Salmon in Schools.  No matter the age or size of classes, students were captivated by the tiny tupperware. Every time I would show students 300 eggs, they were confused that the number could be so big and yet the salmon so little. Handing students their own salmon solidified my confidence in their ability to keep the lives of the salmon in good care. You could see their heart swell with excitement when they were gifted responsibility over them. After the program ended, I like to imagine that students visit the streams we released those same salmon. That they tell their loved ones all not only what they named the fish but why it is good to have leaves in the creek, or the name of a native plant, or what salmon nests are called. Learning is not difficult to cultivate when you can hold life in the shape of a small orange ball.

 

Casey Hart – Habitat Restoration Associate

It is hard to believe my time with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, (first as a WCC crew member and then as the WSC Riparian Restoration Associate) has already come to an end. When I began my time on the WCC crew, I had little knowledge of salmon enhancement. I learned how valuable and complex restoration work is, and how critically important salmon enhancement is for the health of the Skagit river ecosystems and communities. I gained skills of teamwork and grit, and now have so much respect for crews and technicians working all day in PNW weather conditions. As my WCC time ended, I wanted to continue to help out and learn from SFEG, and did just that as the AmeriCorps Riparian Restoration Associate.

As a WSC member, I learned how to manage a nursery, met incredible volunteers through leading planting and potting events, and have been filled with so much happiness watching the excitement and interest of students on SFEG field trips. I will always reminisce on my time hiking Ennis Creek to conduct spawner surveys and will never forget the pure joy of my first time watching coho salmon guard their redds. Throughout my time I was able to shadow SFEG staff to learn key skills to help me on my career path.  My time with SFEG came to an end too soon, but I could not have had a better ending with a very successful Earth Day event that my fellow WSC members and I worked hard to plan all year.

These experiences and the skills I gained the past two years allowed me to land a dream job as a Research Associate for Ross Strategic: a consulting company where I will apply the skills I gained through SFEG to continue to tackle environmental issues. I cannot be more grateful for the SFEG staff who have both helped me blossom into my career path and work hard every day to make a difference in the salmon restoration world and the Skagit community.

 

Sam Mackin – Community Engagement Associate

After 10 months of serving with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, my AmeriCorps service term is finally coming to an end. This is a difficult concept to wrap my head around because somewhere along the line in those 10 short months, SFEG started feeling like home. It isn’t often that a place of work can elicit such a feeling, but due to the nature of my position, the community we’ve cultivated, and our amazing, dedicated staff, I’m not surprised in the slightest that I already miss it. It feels like only yesterday that I was excitedly touring the office for the first time, not wanting to go home at the end of the day. Of course, that was likely because I was a newcomer to Washington at the time, and I didn’t have a sense of belonging yet. Only a year prior was I fresh out of college and working as a grocery delivery driver in Virginia, and though I didn’t hate the work, I longed to be doing something that would make me feel more fulfilled. That’s why I was overjoyed when I was accepted to the position of Community Engagement Associate at SFEG. It had been my dream to work in the environmental field ever since I graduated, and I now had a chance to make it come true.

My day-to-day work was everything I could have hoped for given the communications skillset that I had acquired in college. I was able to apply my knowledge to further the efforts of SFEG by posting on social media, maintaining our website, managing volunteer records, and coordinating volunteer events. Interacting with volunteers was one of the highlights of my time here; it was so refreshing to work with such a dedicated group of people who chose to spend their free time assisting with our various salmon restoration projects. The enthusiasm that they demonstrated in helping the environment also extended to the staff I had the pleasure of working with. Being a part of such a passionate team inspired me to always do my best to make a positive impact in some way, no matter how big or small.

As I exit my service, I will continue to chase the feeling of fulfillment that I found at Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, but it’ll be a tough act to follow. Thank you to AmeriCorps and the Washington Service Corps for providing this opportunity, and to the amazing staff and volunteers who made this an unforgettable experience.

 

Invasive Rundown

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One of the biggest threats to a new riparian restoration project is invasive species. Non-native vegetation can outcompete recently installed native species. This problem can persist for years.

Blackberry – Who hasn’t seen blackberry canes intertwined with a cedar? Blackberries can overtop desirable vegetation and shade it out. Preventing photosynthesis is one way invasive species eliminate competition from native species. Knotweed is especially adept at this survival strategy. Blackberry canes are also capable of overtopping 10 foot tall trees then pulling them down and shading them out.

Blackberry

 

English Ivy – Most people are familiar with English Ivy and think that it adds a classic look when it climbs buildings and trees. This extra weight and bulk causes trouble for native trees because the ivy leaves act as a sail and can catch more wind during storm events. Native trees are not accustomed to this extra stressor and can breakoff and fall under the extra weight and pressure.

English Ivy

 

English Holly – Another invasive species from England that thrives in the Pacific northwest are holly trees. This species brings to mind Christmas. It is also one of the few species that is capable of growing and reproducing in an established, mature forest. Typically invasive species prefer disturbed sites to become established, think abandoned lots, clearcuts, agricultural fields, etc. Established forests, especially ones with dense conifers, are one of the best defenses against invasive species establishment. English Holly is capable of becoming established in these habitat.

English Holly

 

It can get overwhelming when one thinks of all the invasive species across the landscape (and we have only touched in plants, there’s a whole other category of invasive animals). While some invasive species will never be eliminated, it is possible to achieve local control. If you’re interested in more information, contact your local Noxious Weed Control Board.