View our latest posts: From the Field

Bringing art and science together

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During the month of December, the SFEG’s Junior Stream Stewards (JSS) program offers an optional art project to the schools involved, giving the students the opportunity to reflect on what they have learned though the program up to this point. In the past, students have created bookmarks showing the complex salmon life cycle and have created collages highlighting aspects of salmon habitat and the Pacific Northwest.

This year, WSC Education Associate KayLani Siplin took on some new ideas. 7th and 8th grade students at both Concrete Elementary and Conway Elementary are in the process of creating murals that showcase icons of their area as well as the salmon that live there. Each student got a section of the mural KayLani designed to color however they wanted using oil pastels. Once all of the pieces are finished, each piece will be put together like a quilt and hung up in the hallway of the schools for all to see. Neither will likely be finished until January, but what has been done so far shows an assortment of bright colors that will come together to be a very interesting piece.

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The 7th graders at Edison Elementary used the mediums of watercolor, crayons and salt for their project. Students were asked to (as accurately as possible using those scientific observations we all hope they’ve been making) paint either salmon or things relating to salmon and their habitat. A wide range of designs arose, from bears eating salmon to streams running through forested landscapes. Some of the pieces may not have been entirely accurate (there may have been a shark eating a bear), but it gets them thinking about it.

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Many students complained that “I’m not good at art” or “she’s so much better at it than me” and initially it discouraged some. But after discussing how everyone has their own style and that their style won’t change if they don’t keep at it, a little bit more effort was put into the projects. Some faces even lit up when their piece turned out better than they were expecting. Things of course got a little messy, but it is to be expected when students have the opportunity to learn, have fun and be creative all at the same time.

Click here to find out more about SFEG’s education programs!

 

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A Day of Rapids and Trash Removal on the Cascade River

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Back in October our field crew went on a rafting mission to finish out the field season

By Lindsey Juen

In October, field season was nearly over but one project remained.  We were on a garbage reconnaissance mission. With extra clothes packed in dry bags and thermoses full of hot tea, the SFEG field crew put our rafts into the Cascade River. With the help of Shane and Andrea (aka Mama River) of Chinook Expeditions we finally got to spend a day on the water instead of only beside it!

FieldCrewRaftLoaded It was mostly a float trip but a few rough rapids got the best of us and tossed two crew members into the river. Joe grabbed Stephanie by her feet before she took the plunge while Jenn was thrown overboard into the rapids. Fast thinking and adrenaline kicked in as she grabbed the side ropes of the raft and held on for quite a ride. The on-board crew steadied the boat as Joe grabbed Jenn’s life jacket and pulled her out of the water. Our hero! Steph had a GoPro running the whole time and we couldn’t get back to the office and watch the replay over and over again.

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We reached the point at which the trash was staged by the river and loaded the two rafts with tires and a completely water logged futon mattress. The rest of the trip was calm and beautiful with the sun shining through the fog onto the mountains surrounding us. With heavier loads, one of the two boats got stuck on rocks at a shallow point but was quickly freed by the crews synchronized paddling.

 

After reaching the endpoint of our river journey, we unloaded the boats and loaded the trash into the work truck. We ate lunch with our guides by the river as we watched fishermen try to catch their salmon dinners.

After a trip to the dump, we returned to the office eager to watch the videos of our exciting day. We skipped through the footage to the point where people were supposed to be flying out of the boat and the video stopped! We couldn’t believe it! With nearly the entire office troubleshooting with us, we could not find a way to recover the lost footage. It will always be in our memories, but no one else will ever see the excitement. Oh well!dscf2900

We The People, Can Make A Difference

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By Taylor Schmuki & Edited by Lindsay Warne

Volunteers: ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

In 1787, the famous words “We the People…” built the scaffolding for a better future powered by the hearts and minds of everyday people. Today, the challenges of our day loom large. In Washington State alone, salmon populations decreased by forty percent, critical estuarine habitat decreased by seventy percent and human generated pollution threatens people and animals alike. Under these conditions, it seems practically impossible to out-swim the wave of hopelessness.

And yet, people from all walks of life show up—an aspiring ecologist, a woman in her first trimester, a neighbor up the road, an old friend— looking to make a difference. As a non-profit, Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) would not exist without our persistent and devoted volunteers.  During the three volunteer work parties this fall, our volunteers removed 15 shade clothes, built 18 capillary beds (which house around 200 nursery plants), potted 120 live stakes, and planted 1,160 plants.  These efforts directly improve salmon habitat and build greater capacity for SFEG to continue restoration work.

Utopia Complex Project: A Success Story

Utopia Complex is an old farm turned restoration site now managed by Skagit Land Trust. This year, in partnership, we planted 12 new acres of conifers and willows. Our new plantings will grow among full-grown conifers and cottonwoods that were planted by SFEG volunteers 15 years ago.  These plantings have reduced invasive species such as blackberry and reed canary grass while providing salmon and wood duck habitat.

Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization. They help us accomplish ambitious projects, such as Utopia, that we could never complete alone. Every volunteer helps. You have made a difference and we at SFEG are so grateful.

You make a difference!

One tree in a forest may be forgotten. However, it still produces 6,000 pounds of oxygen a year, houses numerous animals, filters water, and provides beauty for thousands of people.  We can take cues from the trees and see that by donating 25 dollars or volunteering a few hours you have helped our community.

Thank you for your commitment to service and we hope to see everyone in many days to come.

Remember: ‘We the People’ can be successful.  ‘We the People’ can make a difference.  And ‘We the people’ make change happen.

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