Our staff celebrated Whatcom Water Week last month by talking with over 60 community community members along the berm. We chatted about ways to prevent water pollution and tips on water use efficiency.   Many people signed our car care pledge which asked people to wash their car responsibly, check for leaks, and check their tire pressure to help protect water quality. We also distributed some useful tools to help with car care, pet waste management, and water use efficiency.    

Salmon spawning has begun in Whatcom County, including in Terrell Creek! BBWARM has worked hard with NSEA, and the Whatcom Conservation District to restore salmon habitat and remove fish passage barriers along Terrell Creek. You may find salmon in areas you have not seen them before! 

Do you want to help the salmon in your watershed? Join BBWARM, Whatcom Conservation District, and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association at a Terrell Creek Restoration Party on November 19th and November 26th! Learn more and register at: www.n-sea.org/stream-stewards

The Washington Department of Health (DOH) has closed recreational molluscan shellfish for all of Whatcom County. The PSP biotoxin exceeds the limit for safe harvest in this area.

Here is the information you should know: 

• Molluscan shellfish include clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops. 

• Cooking or freezing does not destroy paralytic shellfish poisoning and other naturally occurring biotoxins.

• Biotoxins do not affect crab meat but can be found in “crab butter” and crab entrails. Consumers should always discard “crab butter” and crab entrails.

• Shellfish growers are required to test shellfish sold in restaurants and markets before distribution. These shellfish are safe to eat.

Before harvesting any shellfish in Washington State, remember to check the DOH Shellfish Safety map at www.doh.wa.gov/shellfishsafety or call the DOH Biotoxin Hotline at 1-800-562-5632.

Click here for the latest biotoxin bulletin as of, October 6th and here for the latest news flash.  

The next meeting of the BBWARM Advisory Committee will be held on October 12th from 6-8pm at the BP Heron Center. The general public is invited to join us, and a public comment period will be held at the beginning of the meeting. 

Did you know that 100,000 chum salmon eggs are incubated yearly in Terrell Creek? Salmon are an indicator species, so healthy salmon equals healthy water and healthy people. Join us at the 10th Annual Run with the Chums 5k Fun Run on September 10th to celebrate our healthy water, people, and habitat! It is free and all ages are welcome! 

Register on the Whatcom Conservation District website. 

As we enter the rainy season, it's even more important to be mindful of pollution sources, such as pet waste, car wash water, and other household hazardous wastes that can wash into our local water bodies. Enjoy some time outdoors and stop by the Whatcom County Public Works Stormwater Division booth on the Birch Bay Berm from 3:00-6:00pm on Tuesday, September 13th to learn about simple ways you can prevent water pollution. We'll provide free tools to help you be part of the solution to clean water in Whatcom County. 

Are you making a resolution for 2022?  We can all do something to help our local wildlife populations, especially our pollinators.  Native plants attract a variety of beneficial species by providing diverse habitats and food sources. Setting aside even a small section of your yard to be used as habitat can make a big difference for the birds and bees!

Visit the website to pick out your favorite pollinator-friendly native plants at the Whatcom Conservation District Native Plant Sale.

Free neighborhood native landscaping program provided by BBWARM coming in 2022! Stay tuned! 

Do you have flood damage photos of public infrastructure like roads, bridges, culverts, etc.? Would you be willing to share them with Whatcom County Public Works? Please email your photos with a description to MO@whatcomcounty.us.

We will use them to show the public areas to avoid on our electronic notifications and to share the extent of damage with elected officials, FEMA, and other disaster response agencies and support organizations. Our crews continue to work around the clock not just on the flood response, but also sanding frosty roads this morning. We haven't had a lot of time to take photos while we have been busy with our response efforts, and your support via photos of public infrastructure is appreciated, thank you!

Barnyard mud got you down?  Gutters and downspouts on barns and shelters collect and divert clean rain water away from animal confinement areas. The purpose is to prevent the clean roof water from mixing with manure in the confinement area and contributing to mud build up and polluted runoff.

Contact Corina Cheever, ccheever@whatcomcd.org or visit www.whatcomcd.org/small-farm today for a free and confidential farm assessment to qualify for a rebate of up to $200!  

With the help of the Whatcom Conservation District, BBWARM supports clean water and healthy habitat with local farmers, like Elf Sanctuary. Learn more about Elf Sanctuary’s story and what you can do to make a difference by visiting the Whatcom Conservation District’s website. 

Despite the wind and rain, volunteers planted 79 native plants to restore habitat along Terrell Creek on Saturday, November 6th. These native plants will help keep the creek water cold, clean, and clear for chum and coho salmon.

Interested in volunteering? Visit the NSEA and Whatcom Conservation District websites to see upcoming volunteer opportunities. 

RE Sources is hosting their 2021 Cherry Point Science Forum October 30th from 10:00am to 12:30pm. Speakers include Dr. Christopher Harley, Professor at the University of British Columbia, Department of Zoology and Casey McLean, executive director and veterinary nurse at Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research (SR3). 

Topics include marine mammals and the implications of the summer heat wave along with longer term patterns of environmental and ecological change in our coastal marine ecosystems. 

To learn more or sign up, visit the Cherry Point Science Forum website.

The Northwest Straits Foundation invites you to attend a free virtual workshop series on Thursday, October 21st from 6:00-8:00pm to learn about the benefits of using native vegetation for slope stability and habitat. Some additional workshop topics include: soil composition and drainage, removing invasive plant species, native plant selection, and planting techniques for bluffs and shoreline properties. 

To learn more or to sign up, visit the Northwest Straits Foundation website. 

Eight Flexi-Baffles were installed in the concrete box culvert under Kickerville Road last week! What are Flexi-Baffles, you may ask? They are flexible barriers that alter water flow through culverts, slowing the speed and raising the water level so that fish can pass through to their spawning grounds (similar to a fish ladder). This fish passage project under Kickerville Road is one of many habitat improvement projects along Terrell Creek completed by BBWARM in partnership with Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. 

Congratulations to our Judge's Choice Winners in the 2021 "We Scoop" photo contest! Polling just started for our People's Choice winners on Facebook. So cast your vote on the Facebook page until October 25th! 

In addition to our photo contest winners, four pet parents who took our pledge to scoop regularly received a scooping prize pack.

Thank you to all our participants for being part of the solution to pet poop pollution in Whatcom County - Scoop it, Bag it, and Trash it!

www.whatcomcounty.us/scooppoop 

Enter the "We Scoop" photo contest and your dog could be a Scooping Star! Dog poop is poo-llution. Scoop it, Bag it, Trash it!

Submissions are accepted August 29 – September 30. Your dog may be chosen to star in our outreach materials, including bus ads, posters, and our Facebook page. There will be poop scooping prizes awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place photos in two categories: the Judge’s Choice Award and the People’s Choice Award.

Visit www.whatcomcounty.us/scooppoop for more information on how to enter.

Low tides, free parking, guided naturalist beach walks, and free popsicles are just a few of the exciting things happening at Birch Bay State Park for the “Watershed Watchers: Day at the Beach” event on June 12th from noon to 3pm! Join Birch Bay Watershed & Aquatic Resources Management (BBWARM) District and Whatcom Conservation District (WCD) to celebrate and appreciate current and new local volunteers in the Watershed Watchers program, while enjoying a summer day at the beach.

Find more information at: https://www.whatcomcounty.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2602 

Join the Whatcom Conservation District at their sixth annual Manure Nutrient Management Training event on Thursday, January 16 at the Mount Baker Rotary Building (1751 Front Street Lynden, WA 98264). The event is from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm, but registration begins at 9:30 with coffee and donuts provided. The Whatcom Conservation District's mission is to assist land managers with their conservation choices. This event will help landowners manage their manure properly. 

The next Advisory Committee meeting will be held December 11, 2019 from 6:00 PM-8:00 PM at the BP Heron Center 7290 Birch Bay Dr, Blaine, WA. 

*Parking fees will be covered for individuals attending the meeting. Please bring your Discover Pass if you have one. 

Join NSEA, Whatcom Conservation District, and BBWARM to help restore a forest for salmon along Terrell Creek! From Bellingham, head north on I-5 and take Exit 266 (WA-548 N/ Grandview Rd.). Turn left on Grandview Rd. and continue for 7 miles. Turn right on Jackson Rd. and park at the former Birch Bay Bible Community Church (7039 Jackson Rd.). Look for the blue NSEA tents to sign-in.

We’ll bring the tools and gloves – all you have to do is wear sturdy shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. Snacks courtesy of The Bagelry and the Community Food Co-Op. Coffee provided thanks to NSEA’s official coffee sponsor, Tony’s Coffee. 

Bring your friends, family and enthusiasm, and we’ll see you at the creek! All ages are welcome. Volunteers under 18 years old must bring a Youth Liability Release Form. Minors under 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

Click here for more information.

Join us at the BP Heron Center on November 12 from 6-8 pm in order to recognize our active volunteers, train new volunteers, and explain the details of Adopt-a-Block to all who are interested. We are hosting this event in partnership with the Birch Bay Chamber which is the central hub for our volunteer equipment and information in Birch Bay. 

We will also be introducing the new Water Reporter App at this event, which our Watershed Watchers volunteers can use to easily report pollution and stormwater issues. Please RSVP for this event to Lars Olson: LOlson@co.whatcom.wa.us.

Click here to view the Volunteer Training Agenda. 

Join Whatcom Conservation District and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement to celebrate orcas by restoring critical Chinook salmon habitat along the Nooksack River in Ferndale.  We will work together to plant his property, owned by WA Department of Fish & Wildlife, in order to conserve the habitat that salmon thrive in.  Parking TBD. Look for the blue NSEA tents to sign in. 

Click here for more information.

The fall season is critical to improving water quality. After a long, dry period much of the rain can’t soak into the soil. It runs over top of the land into ditches and creeks. During that dry period, pollutants (such as fecal bacteria from livestock, dogs, or wildlife), will build up on the land. When fall rains come, water picks up the pollutants and carries them into our ditches and creeks. Too much bacteria closes beaches to swimming and shellfish harvest. 

Whatcom Clean Water Program partners have compiled a series of landowner tips for the fall to complement the 2019 Fall Strategy for the Shellfish Protection Districts. Click here for tips and more information about how you can help prevent pollution closures!

Funding your dreams can be one of the trickier parts of growing your farm. Many farmers are not aware of all the resources available for financial support. Come make direct connections with funding agencies and hear a panel of successful grant recipients from the local farm community. 

The Farm Speaker Series of events is organized by the Whatcom Conservation District. Click here to learn more about this event, and click here to see other events in the series.

The next Advisory Committee meeting will be held September 18, 2019 from 6:00 PM-8:00 PM at the BP Heron Center 7290 Birch Bay Dr, Blaine, WA. 

*Parking fees will be covered for individuals attending the meeting. Please bring your Discover Pass if you have one. 

The Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility Groundbreaking is scheduled for September 6 from 11am-1pm. More information on this project can be found here.

The next Advisory Committee meeting will be held June 19, 2019 from 6:00 PM-8:00 PM at the BP Heron Center 7290 Birch Bay Dr, Blaine, WA. 

*Parking fees will be covered for individuals attending the meeting. Please bring your Discover Pass if you have one. 

 The community is invited to join BBWARM, Whatcom Land Trust, Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve Citizen Stewardship Committee and others for an event titled “What’s the Point?” on Saturday, June 15 at Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve. A negative tide will allow for intertidal zone exploration in an extraordinary stretch of shoreline teeming with wildlife. Marine life specialists will be on the beach providing information about plants and animals in the reserve’s intertidal zone.

Join BBWARM, Friends of Birch Bay State Park and others for "A Day at the Beach" on Saturday, June 8th. The event will include low tide beach walks, educational booths, games and more! Stay tuned for more information!   

Join the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce at the Birch Bay Beach Cleanup, on April 28th from 11-4pm. Cleanup will begin at the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center. For more information, call 306-371-5004. 

Click here to view to latest BBWARM Financial & Annual Report. 

Join NSEA, Whatcom Conservation District, and BBWARM to help restore a forest for salmon along Terrell Creek! 

From Bellingham, head north on I-5 and take Exit 266 (WA-548 N/ Grandview Rd.). Turn left on Grandview Rd. and continue for 7 miles. Turn right on Jackson Rd. and park at the former Birch Bay Bible Community Church (7039 Jackson Rd.). 

Look for the blue NSEA tents to sign-in and catch a shuttle to the restoration site.

Spring is Coming!

The Whatcom Conservation District’s Annual Native Plant Sale has been providing low cost, native plants to the residents and visitors of Whatcom County for more that two decades! This year we have over 40 species of native, bare-root trees, shrubs, and perennials! For the first time, we will be accepting pre-orders, online only and have discontinued the old paper forms.  

Since 1993, the purpose of the sale has been to promote stewardship of our natural resources and help get native plants in the ground. The Expo is a great family friendly event with local nurseries offering even more plant choices and community education groups enlightening you about local issues.  For all the details, visit the Native Plant Sale 2019 webpage.

The 17th Annual Wings Over Water Birding Festival March 15 – 17, 2019 in Blaine, Washington celebrates the incredible variety of migratory birds that flock to the coastal waters of Drayton Harbor, Birch Bay and Semiahmoo Bay at the northwest corner of Washington State. This major stopover on the Pacific Flyway between Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, BC is designated as an Important Birding Area (IBA) and is the anchor for the North Cascades Loop of the Great Washington State Birding Trail. Click here to learn more. 

The California Creek Estuary is situated along Drayton Harbor Road at the mouth of California Creek and consists of shoreline, estuary, open field, and forested habitat.  Restoration work has begun with the demolition of two outbuildings and the removal of a mountain of blackberry and scotch broom.  Now it is your turn to join NSEA, the Whatcom Land Trust, Whatcom Conservation District, and BBWARM to replant the area with native vegetation form improved habitat and water quality!  

*Parking will be located at Blaine High School (975 H St., Blaine, WA) look for the blue NSEA tents! 

Join special guests Michael Hipp, equine conservation planner from Snohomish Conservation District, Kulshan Veterinary equine specialist Dr. Holly Smith, local agronomists and a panel of your peers for the second workshop in the Whatcom Conservation District Farm Speakers Series. Bring questions and ideas about equine pasture management, track paddocks, composting manures, and other topics specific to managing horses on rural lands in the Puget Sound basin.

Find out more >>