Surviving Winter: A WCC Perspective by PJ Heusted

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Fall and winter is a hard time for those of us that work out in the field. Cold wind, endless rain, and the sun setting at almost 4:00 p.m. are just a few of the factors that make it more difficult to stay comfortable, keep morale high, and be motivated to spend long days in the field. Despite the challenges that winter brings, here are ways that the we stay warm and happy during the cold months:

 

Warm Beverages (but NOT just Coffee)

Staying hydrated in the winter tends to feel much harder than in the summer where a tall glass of cold water can seem like the exact way to beat the heat. In the winter, I opt for a variety of warm beverages to both keep me hydrated and keep me warm. This does mean keeping a careful watch on caffeine intake though because coffee is famously dehydrating; consider swapping out the late morning or afternoon cups of coffee with warm decaffeinated teas, lemon water, or hot broth. 

 

Hand Warmers in All Pockets and Gloves

One of my favorite parts of planting season is spending my days with my boots on the ground and my hands in the dirt, but when it’s near freezing temperatures and the hole I’ve just dug is full of freezing mud it can be hard to keep fingers warm. I often opt for hand warmers in my pockets and – when I’m not actively putting my hands in the mud – keeping them shoved in my gloves as well. Most people are familiar with the single-use, disposable sets, but I’ve recently discovered rechargeable or reusable hand warmers and they might just be a game changer.

 

Stay Connected to Your “Why”

I find that reminding myself why I do the work that I do and what I value about conservation to be the best way to stay motivated to keep getting up and making the drive down to work. Working with Skagit Fisheries makes it easy to see the progress that we make on site and across the valley which helps to keep me wanting to get back out there and keep making a difference … even when the conditions try to make that hard.

 

Layering like a Pro

For those of us who are familiar with the nature of a PNW winter, we know that a single day can feature the weather of a dozen. Many times I’ve found myself at work bundled up for a cold winter’s day and by the end of it found myself regretting wearing my heaviest base layers. The alternative being true as well having checked the weather the night before and packed accordingly only to wake up and find that Mother Nature decided to flip the switch and drench us instead. Layering smart and packing for any weather is the only way to stay comfortable and dry out in the field.

 

Hot Lunch Wednesday

One of my favorite crew traditions has been hosting a Hot Lunch Wednesday where we cook ourselves a tailgate lunch off a camping stove. Peppering in a day where I don’t have to worry about packing a full lunch, have something warm and delicious to look forward to, and get to enjoy a meal other than crackers and fish from a can does wonders for morale on the darkest coldest days of the year.

 

Planting Trees & Helping Salmon by Education Intern Abbie Niskanen

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Courtesy of Abbie:

I am back, taking over the SFEG page to continue talking about my experience as an education intern. In my last post, I talked about my experience going in and out of elementary schools in Skagit County and teaching them about the salmon life cycle. That continues to be a blast, and I am looking forward to all that’s to come. However, for this post, I will be talking about my experience going to tree planting parties throughout the Skagit Watershed.

I had the opportunity to attend planting parties hosted by SFEG that took place throughout September. We planted near the Mount Vernon wastewater treatment plant along the Skagit River and Debay’s Slough Wildlife Area. With the help of our amazing volunteers, we were able to plant over 800 trees between the two locations! A mix of Douglas fir and black cottonwood saplings were planted in the hopes that we can help increase stream bank stability and the overall health of our waterways.

Additionally, restoring the riparian vegetation around steam banks has immense benefits for the health and wellbeing of our native Pacific salmon that swim through the streams of the Skagit Watershed. Vegetation provides shade and shelter to keep the water cold, clean, and clear as salmon come back up the rivers to spawn. Any fallen trees also act as an amazing shelter for passing salmon.

I had a blast working with everyone who came out and gave a helping hand during our work parties. It is always a nice feeling to know that we are all working together to improve the health of our local ecosystem. I look forward to attending SFEG planting parties in the new year!

 

Abbie (far left) at Debay’s Slough

A Cycle of Learn, Teach, Repeat! by Education Intern Abbie Niskanen

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It has been about a month since I started working with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group as an Education Intern. Throughout the start of my internship, I’ve been able to learn about the ins and outs of teaching kids about the life cycle of salmon.

As a child, I was never given the opportunity to learn about salmon while in school. I was vaguely aware of the restoration efforts going on in Washington State, but that was about it. Because of this, it’s been a surreal experience to be someone who is now a part of educating this generation of students. Over the past month, I’ve been in and out of classrooms teaching kids about the life cycle of salmon. We talk about the importance of habitat health and how the salmon travel in and out of freshwater and saltwater throughout their lifespan.

I have also been able to help lead several field trips with classes in which they were able to observe the surrounding environment of Hansen Creek in Sedro-Woolley. I have had so much fun watching the kids learn through observation and science experiments while on their field trips. My favorite part has been the science station, where the kids get to test the quality of the creek water through its temperature, turbidity, pH, and dissolved oxygen content. The students always get so excited when the test tubes of water change color during the pH testing portion of the station. While it does seem like simple concepts, testing the water quality and practicing observation skills are important, and the kids really enjoy being a part of it all.

As we start heading into winter, I am excited to continue working with Skagit Fisheries. It has been enriching to not only learn about salmon and riparian habitats, but to then turn around and teach kids about everything I have learned. It has opened my eyes to another avenue of environmental education and has helped me find more passion for the degree that I am pursuing. I have enjoyed being a part of the education program and look forward to getting back into the classrooms after the winter break to deliver salmon eggs to each school. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbie (far left) attending a Salmon Sightings event in October with Connor, Clare, and Adam