Earth Share of Washington

State Legislature Votes for a Healthy Washington

For the past five years, twenty-two Washington-based environmental groups have come together and identified four critical environmental issues and committed to promoting solutions in the state legislature. Known as the Priorities for a Healthy Washington, this collaborative and focused approach is innovative and has proven to be a highly effective and a formidable force for change in the state.

2007 was a banner year for the Priorities. The coalition, led by Earth Share of Washington organization Washington Environmental Council (WEC) and our friends at Washington Conservation Voters, went an unprecedented four for four, as all of the Priorities passed and were signed into law. This is great news. It means a healthier Puget Sound, more money for Washington Wildlife and Recreation Programs, better air quality because of cleaner fuels, and ban on toxic fire retardants – the first of its kind in the nation!

A quick recap of the bills:

Clean-Air/Clean Fuels
The Clean Air-Clean Fuels bill will bring better air quality, reduced petroleum dependence, and a new source of good jobs to Washington. It will help keep Washington’s money in Washington, rather than using it to import gas and oil.

Passage of this bill will lead to 100% biofuels use in state and local fleets by 2015, dramatically increasing the Washington market for cleaner fuels and vehicles. This increased demand for cleaner fuels and vehicles should make both more available to the average consumer, as well as improving air quality.

Under the new regulations, Washington will create the infrastructure and incentives to produce and use biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol, actions which should reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of the air we breathe

Save Our Sound
Puget Sound touches almost all aspects of Pacific Northwest life, from recreational activities to providing livelihoods to the local fishing industry. And Puget Sound is sick. Thankfully, steps are being taken to return the Sound to health by 2020. These steps include a new commitment to action and accountability – real emphasis on making sure all money allocated to restore Puget Sound is part of a smart, coordinated, and prioritized effort.

To best organize these measures, a new agency has been created – the Puget Sound Partnership. This agency will ensure that our tax dollars are used for solutions for Puget Sound which make a difference. It will serve as a command center for all Puget Sound related actions – coordinating and evaluating relief efforts. This new agency and a newly created independent science panel will galvanize Washington’s fight to protect and restore the Sound for generations to come.

$100 Million for Wildlife and Recreation Programs
Included in this year’s budget was a big win for everyone who enjoys Washington’s outdoors. Priorities for a Healthy Washington lobbied hard and succeeded in having $100 million included for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) over the next two years.

This was a huge step, as the valuable programs administered by the WWRP have suffered from a stagnant budget since 1990, despite Washington’s dramatic population growth of 25% in the same period. The funds will support 135 projects, including new state and local parks, shorelines and wildlife habitat, plus the state's first ever funding for a farmland preservation program.

Eliminating Toxic Flame Retardants
Washington is the first state in the nation to ban all types of toxic flame retardants (PBDEs). Despite the existence of safer alternatives, until now, many manufacturers have used PBDEs in ordinary household products: televisions, computers, furniture, and carpeting. Unfortunately, like other toxic substances like mercury, PBDEs build up in the food chain and levels detected in humans, animals and the environment are sharply increasing. Exposure to PBDEs can negatively impact learning, memory and behavior. Thanks to Priorities legislation, Washington state will begin the process of ending PBDE usage.

While we’re only halfway through 2007, WEC and our partner groups are already thinking about the 2008 legislative session. To learn more about the Priorities and to get involved in the effort to make them a reality, visit www.environmentalpriorities.org.

Earth Share's 20th Anniversary Feature - Washington Trails Association

To celebrate Earth Share of Washington’s 20th Anniversary (1987-2007), we are showcasing the work of our organizations over the past two decades. Each month, we’ll feature a different Earth Share organization, their contributions to making our communities more vibrant & livable, and their efforts to create a cleaner Washington and a healthier planet. In 1987, Washington Trails Association joined a growing coalition of environmental organizations, known at the time as the Environmental Fund of Washington and later to become Earth Share. WTA was one of the founding 10 organizations in this young and growing coalition.

Washington Trails Association (WTA) is the voice for hikers in Washington state. WTA protects hiking trails and wildlands, takes volunteers out to maintain our trails, and promotes hiking as a fun and healthy way for people to explore the outdoors.

WTA first began with Signpost, a grassroots magazine started in 1966 by guidebook author Louise Marshall as a way for trail lovers in the Northwest to share their backcountry adventures and trail conditions. It soon became much more than a magazine, and under Louise’s leadership it evolved into Washington Trails Association, a community of hikers speaking out for trails and wildlands. The late hiking guidebook author Ira Spring was also an instrumental force in the creation of WTA, serving on its Board of Directors from 1982 until his passing in 2003.

WTA still publishes a magazine for hikers, now under the name Washington Trails. And the trip reports hikers shared with each other in Signpost are still one of the most-used hiker resources out there--the trip reports section of WTA’s website. In fact, WTA’s dynamic website launched in 1995 and was an early model, long before the days of Wikipedia, of how website users can contribute and share content through its photo gallery, trips reports, and online trail guide. The website has continued this legacy in recent years through the launch of the Signpost blog (named as a tribute to the earlier magazine) and online storm damage map and database.

Over the past two decades, WTA has been at the forefront of trail issues in our state, continuing to build on its legacy of advocacy and stewardship for hiking trails and wildlands. One of WTA’s most successful accomplishments began as a modest idea of WTA’s former executive director, Greg Ball. He envisioned connecting hikers directly with the stewardship of the trails they traveled on. In the early 1990s, as trail budgets began to wane, a backlog of trail maintenance repairs piled up. WTA responded by creating its volunteer trail maintenance program. Although it had humble beginnings, the program grew quickly. That first year, in 1993, volunteers completed 250 hours of trail work on National Parks and Forest trails; in 2006 volunteers logged 75,000 hours. It’s now the largest program of its kind in the nation.

Hiking trails and wildlands in Washington state have benefited tremendously from the sharp increase in volunteer stewardship and trail maintenance on our public lands, especially in light of diminishing trail budgets. “Without the WTA trail volunteers, we would barely be able to keep a lot of trails open," said Gary Paull, wilderness and trails coordinator for the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Over the past decade, WTA has added week-long Volunteer Vacations to its program, youth trail maintenance for high school students, and expanded regionally to host trail maintenance work parties throughout the Cascades and Olympics.

Speaking out for hiking trails has always been a key component of WTA’s core mission. WTA weighs in on a variety of issues that impact hikers, from trail funding to wilderness protection to forest planning. In the late-1990s WTA mobilized a large-scale lobbying effort to reform a state trail-funding program that was unfair to hikers. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people explore Washington's parks and forests by hiking, backpacking, sightseeing, mountain biking, and using stock like horses and llamas. They contribute millions of dollars annually through a gas tax to the state NOVA (Non-Highway and Off Road Vehicle Activities) program, but received only a small percentage of the benefit in grants to maintain hiking trails. Recognizing the disparity of the NOVA program allocations, WTA and other representatives from all recreational trail users came together and developed a consensus solution that reallocates NOVA funds to more fairly benefit the trail users that pay into the NOVA program. After many years of strategic advocacy in this effort, a bill to enact this solution was passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor in 2004. As a result, NOVA funding for non-motorized recreation increased by more than $1 million each year.

It’s been fourteen years since Washington Trails Association hosted its first TrailsFest, an outdoor extravaganza packed with fun for all ages. For its first several years, the event was held indoors at Seattle Center, but WTA moved TrailsFest into the great outdoors in 2002 to the shores of Rattlesnake Lake near North Bend. Moving the event outside allowed attendees to experience many hands-on outdoor activities like hiking, rock climbing and kayaking, while still visiting with dozens of outdoor exhibitors and gear companies and attending workshops on everything from predicting mountain weather to hiking with kids. The event targets both novice and avid hikers of all ages, offering a little something for everyone who enjoys exploring outside. This year, WTA’s fourteenth TrailsFest takes place Saturday, July 21.

Our mountains and forests are big enough to provide us with a lifetime of outdoor adventure and exploration, but we need trails to get us there. Washington Trails Association plays a unique role in Washington’s environmental community, bringing enthusiasts for recreation and conservation together to protect the awesome wild places we love to explore, and to protect the opportunities for people to enjoy them.

Dive In - The Mud's Great

- By John Daly, Alliance For Puget Sound Shorelines

Most parents would discourage their kids from getting their hands dirty and tracking mud into the house, but a new campaign to clean up Puget Sound is, surprisingly, pushing people to do just that. MudUp, a bold and fun new campaign to engage the public in protecting and restoring the Sound, was launched May 31 by the Alliance for Puget Sound Shorelines (a joint effort with Earth Share organizations The Nature Conservancy, People For Puget Sound and The Trust for Public Land).

Everyone who cares about the health of Puget Sound can now get in on the action. We all have a big stake in the Sound, and we’ve seen the effects of increasing pollution and disappearing habitats on our precious marine life. Seventy-five percent of the Sound’s salt marsh habitat has been destroyed, and only about 10 percent of our shoreline is open to the public. Native plants and wildlife have had to “move over” for human development like bulkheads that now edge about one-third of the total Puget Sound shoreline, resulting in damaged beaches and estuaries. (See State Legislature Votes for a Healthy Washington above for promising new measures to protect the Sound).

The idea behind Mudup.org is an online web portal that works as a one-stop-shop for Puget Sound cleanup events and activities. Through Mudup.org more people can get involved in hands-on cleanup events like removing invasive species, cleaning up beaches and planting native plants. All of this restoration will eventually lead to healthier near shore habitat for us and for our children.

But if you don’t feel like getting your hands dirty, web users will also be able to find out how to attend lectures, go on field trips, take their kids on treasure hunts and even share their favorite Puget Sound stories, photos and videos (perhaps of the Mud Monster, Puget Sound’s elusive but friendly new mascot?). MudUp emphasizes that there are many different levels of involvement to which people can commit, from sending an email to their representative to participating in cleanup events.

So if you’ve never taken part in a Puget Sound cleanup event before, dive in -- the mud’s great! By June 2009, the program aims to build 10 new parks and natural areas along Puget Sound shorelines, restore 100 miles of shoreline, and protect 1,000 miles of shoreline. It’s time to get dirty for the Sound. To find out how you can take part in MudUp, just go to www.mudup.org.

In Brief: Reintroducing Kokanee Salmon to Lake Sammamish & Audubon Honors Local Conservation Leader

Trout Unlimited Kokanee Reintroduction Program
The Bellevue/Issaquah Chapter of Trout Unlimited, in partnership with Boy Scout Eagle Scout candidate Colin Wick, Troop 677, Save Lake Sammamish, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the City of Issaquah have just completed the first ever survey of out-migrating Lake Sammamish late-run kokanee on Lewis Creek, a tributary of Lake Sammamish.

The Lake Sammamish kokanee are one of the last truly native salmonids left in the Lake Washington/Sammamish basin. They are among the latest running of salmons, appearing in late November and running well into January. These kokanee are unique to Lake Sammamish and are currently at risk due to habitat loss and worsening environmental conditions. They currently spawn in just a handful of streams in central/south Lake Sammamish including Lewis, Laughing Jacob, Ebright, and Pine Lake Creeks. The early run of these fish ran up Issaquah Creek, but was officially declared extinct in 2003.

Trout Unlimited volunteers are currently working with local, county and state agencies and other nonprofit groups, putting together a kokanee recovery plan. To get involved, contact Bellevue/Issaquah Chapter President Mark Taylor at emtbckt@msn.com or 206-200-2840.

Audubon Honors Local Conservation Leader
The National Audubon Society recognized two volunters for outstanding conservation leadership, one of them from Washington state. Helen Engle, member of the board of stewards for Audubon Washington and an active leader of the Tahoma Audubon Society in Tacoma, shared the award with Margery Aylwin Nicolson, board member of Audubon California and Audubon Alaska.

Helen Engle's fifty plus years of environmental activism are an inspiration. She has been the Audubon matriarch of Washington state, working with Audubon staff and volunteers from throughout the region. Her contributions range from her role as founding president of the Tahoma Audubon Society, to editor of The Towhee newsletter for ten years, to positions as a member of both the Audubon Washington board of stewards and the National Audubon Society board of directors. Helen’s willingness and style of bringing people together and building common consensus have brought about change that no one would have thought possible. In addition, Helen has served on the boards of numerous local, state and regional non-profit and governmental organizations, and has won many awards for her contributions. For more information about Audubon Washington, please visit http://www.wa.audubon.org/.

Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities

• June 3 - Mercerdale Hillside Restoration Work Party - 1:00pm - 5:00pm - Join EarthCorps, Mercer Island Parks and Recreation and community members in working to save this forested park. Community members have been working steadily since 1998 to restore this local park that is threatened by the spread of invasive plants. These invasive plants, if uncontrolled, cover and kill trees, carpet the forest floor, and prevent the sprouting of tree seedlings. This project is part of a larger effort to restore Mercer Island Parks. This winter the work will focus on planting native trees and continuing stewardship on previously restored areas. Even working for just a few hours contributes greatly, and because you are working in a local park, you can revisit your work for years to come. For more information, contact Chris LaPointe, Volunteer Program Manager at (206) 322-9296, ext. 217 or email chris@earthcorps.org.
• June 4 - Roundtable Discussion - Puget Sound Stormwater - 6:00pm - 8:00pm - REI Seattle, 222 Yale Avenue N., Seattle, WA - The Washington Foundation for the Environment, People For Puget Sound and CH2MHill invite you to a free roundtable discussion on Puget Sound stormwater. Why should you care about stormwater in Puget Sound? And why did 14 scientists write a letter of protest to the Puget Sound Partnership about their stormwater recommendations? Two leading scientists will answer these questions and others in a discussion of the science of stormwater. Questions or to RSVP, please email info@wffe.org.
• June 9 - Volunteer Work Party and Campout on the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie - 9:00am to Jun 10, 2007 3:00pm - Mid-Fork Snoqualmie - The Middle Fork Snoqualmie Valley is one of East King County’s truly wild places, with old-growth forests, whitewater rivers, and strong native trout runs. Cascade Land Conservancy is working with the Mountains to Sound Greenway, local communities and other partners to remove infestations of invasive weeds from the entire valley before they devastate critical habitat. Volunteers will use hand tools to remove Scot’s broom, Himalayan blackberry, and other non-native aggressive plants from locations downstream of the Middle Fork - Taylor River confluence. Please RSVP to Stacy Cachules at stacyc@cascadeland.org or (206) 292-5907 x. 218.
• June 14 – Lecture/Discussion – Nuclear Power in the Age of Global Warming: New Solution or Same Old Threat? – 7:00pm - 9:00pm, Town Hall, 1119 8th Avenue, Seattle, WA - Join Robert Alvarez, former Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Energy from 1993-99, as he discusses the dangers of the renewed push for nuclear energy expansion -- especially as it relates to the Hanford Nuclear site --that purports to help in the fight against global warming. Presented by the Government Accountability Project and Heart of America Northwest. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street. Free, no tickets required. Visit www.whistleblower.org or call 206-292-2850 to RSVP or for more information.
• June 16 - Bainbridge Island Low Tide Beachwalk - 10:00am - 3:00pm - Fort Ward State Park - Join People For Puget Sound science director Kirstin Holsman and beach naturalists on a guided beach walk at one of the lowest tides of the year. This is an excellent family opportunity to get outside to learn about the wonders of Puget Sound, about the issues facing the Sound and Bainbridge Island, and about what you can do to help protect and restore the Sound’s health. Please RSVP to ensure that volunteers don’t overcrowd the beach and that the event is enjoyable for all. RSVP to Mike Sato, msato@pugetsound.org.
• June 16 - 9th Annual Skagit Spartina Dig Day - 10:00am - 2:00pm - Turner's Bay, Skagit County, La Conner, WA - Join People for Puget Sound on the beach with your mud boots and shovel for the 9th Annual Skagit Spartina Dig Day and help save the Sound by digging up this invasive plant. Volunteers will learn how to identify Spartina, how to properly remove and dispose of it, and most importantly you'll be contributing to the Sound-wide effort to eradicate it from our shorelines. Snacks, refreshments and great raffle prizes- what could be more fun! For more information, please contact Keeley O'Connell at koconnell@pugetsound.org or by calling 360-336-1931.
• June 23 - NE Queen Anne Greenbelt Restoration Work Party - 10:00am - 2:00pm - Join EarthCorps, the Green Seattle Partnership and the City of Seattle Parks and Recreation Department as they work to restore NE Queen Anne Greenbelt. The Greenbelt is a combination of two new parks: Trolley Hill Park and MacLean Park. Trolley Hill Park is home to a P-Patch and picnic area while MacLean Park commands a terrific view of the Cascades and Mt. Rainer. These parks are home to beautiful and interesting native plants that are being threatened by non-native, invasive plants such as English ivy. Volunteers will be installing "Survival Rings" around trees covered with ivy, performing restoration site maintenance, and spreading woodchips. For more information, contact Elizabeth "Lizzie" White, Outreach Project Manager at (206) 255-4160, ext. 221 or email elizabeth@earthcorps.org
• June 23 - Forest Owner's Field Day - 9:00am to 4:30pm - near Cle Elum - Whether you own a home in the woods or many acres of forest land, this educational event is for you! Learn “how to” assess the health of your forest and protect your property from threats like wildfires and bark beetles -- and much more! Choose from nearly two-dozen popular topics, including wildlife habitat enhancement, pruning and thinning, reforesting tough sites, wildfire protection, and managing your timber sale. Join the more than 5,000 forest owners who’ve already attended these events across Washington and Idaho. Participants can choose to attend up to six 45-minute programs that will be delivered throughout the day. Registration fee is $20 for one person or $30 for two or more before June 17th; after June 17th fee is $30 for one person and $40 for two or more. A BBQ lunch is available on-site for $7 each to benefit the Ellensburg Future Farmers of America. Learn more at http://www.ncw.wsu.edu/foreststewardship/
• June 30 - Jose Rizal Park Restoration Work Party - 10:00am - 2:00pm - Join EarthCorps, the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Green Seattle Partnership for a day of service at Dr. Jose Rizal Park. Rizal was a Filipino patriot who, during his short life, made lasting contributions to medicine, political and social reform, engineering and a large number of other disciplines. Volunteers will spend the day working to restore this urban forest to a healthier state. Volunteers will be removing English ivy, an invasive plant that climbs and chokes native trees. By making survival rings around the park’s trees, we will be saving them one at a time. Volunteers will also be planting native trees, shrubs and ground cover. This work will make the forest a healthier system, one that will remain for future generations of the community to enjoy. For more information, contact Elizabeth “Lizzie” White, Outreach Project Manager at (206) 255-4160, ext. 221 or email elizabeth@earthcorps.org