Earth Share of Washington

Rugged Mailbox Peak Trail Feels the Pressure

- Submitted by Earth Share member organization Washington Trails Association

One of the Puget Sound area's most challenging day hikes, Mailbox Peak near North Bend, is in for a long-overdue facelift.

Mailbox Peak is not typically the sort of hike that is chosen for the casual hiker's easy outing. The summit, which has an actual mailbox at the top, is reached by a rugged trail that climbs three miles and gains over 4000 feet, sometimes at a grade as steep as 40%. The steep, rugged character of the trail makes it one of the most difficult hikes in the I-90 corridor. Mountain climbers, local hikers and even fire fighters have lugged heavy packs up and down for conditioning for decades.

But as the trail's popularity has increased, so have the erosion and resource damage along the trail. Trail braiding, exposed tree roots and steep sections have resulted in broken ankles and lost hikers, leading to more search and rescue missions on Mailbox.

In early April, the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be working with volunteer trail crews from Washington Trails Association (WTA) to improve safety and resource damage along the trail corridor, starting with the first mile of trail.

"There's an allure to Mailbox Peak that has brought far more hikers to its summit than ever before, and the trail is in dire need of some emergency fixes," said Jenni Blake, Trail programs Director for Washington Trails Association. "Volunteers are pitching in to provide a more safe, enjoyable experience for Mailbox Peak's visitors while also helping to prevent further erosion and natural resource damage."

Located on land managed by Washington's DNR, the Mailbox Peak trail's origin dates all the way back to the 1950s. The name "Mailbox Peak" was coined in 1991 by hiker Sally Pfeiffer in a trip report published in WTA's monthly publication, Signpost magazine, because the summit register was located in a heavy green mailbox.

DNR is presently focusing its efforts on the user built Mailbox Peak trail, focusing on trail safety for hikers as well as preventing further resource damage along the trail corridor. One of the first things they'll do to increase safety along the trail is to put a kiosk at the bottom of the trail and a sign warning hikers of the difficult nature of the trail, which will happen in late April. They also plan to further define the trail with white diamond markers as hikers go up and down to prevent people from getting off trail. Later this summer, Washington Conservation Crews will make emergency repairs to the upper half of the trail.

To join a volunteer work crew on the Mailbox Peak trail, contact Washington Trails Association at 206-625-1367 or www.wta.org.

Posted in the April 2008 Earth Page

Why MLK Day matters for environmental organizations

- Submitted by Earth Share organization EarthCorps

Everyone can be great, because everyone can volunteer for their community. – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In January, EarthCorps kicked off its 2008 volunteer season with the MLK Weekend of Service. EarthCorps grew from hosting one event, as in previous years, to hosting an entire weekend of service projects aimed at restoring urban forests in the Seattle area. This increase came about as part of a nation-wide effort promoting MLK Day as a “day on, not a day off,” as authorized by the US Congress in the 1994 King Holiday and Service Act. Over 500,000 Americans honored Dr. King’s legacy by participating in service projects in their communities. Here in Washington State, employers are catching on to the idea of giving employees MLK Day, not as a holiday, but as a paid day to engage in community service – and this spells opportunity for organizations that can combine their volunteer events with the principles of non-violence and civil rights that Dr. King espoused.

Civil Rights and Parks

For EarthCorps, this meant focusing on projects and partnerships in ethnically diverse communities and especially parks near the route of the MLK Day March on MLK Way in Seattle. Volunteers began the weekend of service on Saturday at Dr. Jose Rizal Park on Beacon Hill. There, volunteers pulled ivy while enjoying a unique view of downtown Seattle, Puget Sound and the International District. Their work contributes to reducing crime, drug-dealing and illegal encampments in the park, by showing that the community cares for this public space. Volunteers that day included a Brazilian delegation of the World Affairs Council.

On Sunday, volunteers joined EarthCorps and King County Parks and Recreation to help complete Phase I of the restoration of White Center Heights Park. They planted 110 Red Alders and Big Leaf Maples and 250 bare root Slough Sedges. A wetland species, these sedges had to be planted one-by-one by hand in frigid waters. White Center Heights Park has in recent years received a lot of attention beginning with its Starbucks Ultimate Park Makeover. The volunteers’ work was important in continuing the momentum started by this makeover.

On Monday, hundreds of volunteers gathered at the Cheasty Greenspace in the Rainier Valley. Once neglected and overrun by invasive plants and rubbish, Cheasty Greenspace is seeing a rejuvenation as an urban greenspace. A new walking/running path winds beside the road, and as trees have been freed from their heavy capes of ivy, the area is taking on a less creepy, more welcoming appearance.

In total, EarthCorps worked with 268 volunteers in restoration projects totaling 1,079 volunteer hours. Volunteers pulled one acre of invasive species and maintained half an acre of previous work sites. These projects contributed to healthier forests and wetlands, and most importantly, they have concrete social value in allowing neighbors to improve the quality and safety of recreational areas close to their homes.

In 2007, EarthCorps worked with over 11,000 volunteers; based on the MLK Weekend of Service, the 2008 volunteer year looks to be just as successful.

40 Days of Nonviolence - Building the Beloved Community

In addition to the physical service, EarthCorps partnered with Service for Peace to host a fair to promote community service and Dr. King's legacy of community engagement. Sixteen community organizations hosted tables at the fair, promoting their cause and interacting with community members face-to-face. The 300 fair attendees learned about nonviolence and Dr. King's Beloved Community. (This is a vision of a socially just society that Dr. King described, for example, in his “I Have a Dream” speech.) Over 100 people signed a pledge to practice nonviolence for 40 days – boycotting violent speech, actions and entertainment - to honor the 40th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination. The pledge included a commitment to volunteer with a group or organization that helps build the Beloved Community. Anyone can pledge online at www.40daysofpeace.org.

EarthCorps is a non-profit organization founded in 1993 with a mission is to build global community through local environmental service. Visit www.earthcorps.org to learn more or volunteer.

Posted in the February 2008 Earth Page

Washington Wilderness Coalition helps Introduce Alpine Lakes Wilderness & Wild and Scenic River Bill

- Submitted by Earth Share organization Washington Wilderness Coalition

On November 8, 2007 Congressman Dave Reichert introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to add the first new additions to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in more than 25 years. The announcement came after months of consultation with local stakeholders, the conservation community and local elected officials about the merits of protecting this incredible area.

The proposal includes areas of the Pratt, Middle Fork and South Fork Snoqualmie River Valleys as wilderness additions, and specifically protects the Pratt River with a wild and scenic river designation. This remarkable area, just 45 minutes from downtown Seattle, includes glacier-cut, u-shaped valleys, snow capped peaks, rare low elevation mature and old-growth forests, whitewater rivers, and healthy native trout runs. These low elevation areas include key fisheries habitat and multi-season recreational opportunities, which are under-represented in the existing Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Wild and Scenic designation for the Pratt River will ensure that recreational opportunities on the river, including unique backcountry kayaking and world-class hiking, can continue while safeguarding clean water resources for hundreds of thousands of local residents.

Washington Wilderness Coalition (WWC) played a leadership role in working with the Congressman and a coalition of conservationists, user groups, and local stakeholders to develop the proposal. Modeling the experience after the recent Wild Sky campaign, WWC assisted the Congressman with outreach early on to key stakeholders, including Alpental Ski Area, local businesses, private landowners and local mayors.

Get the latest at www.wawild.org.

Posted in the February 2008 Earth Page

Washington's Winter Habitat Supports Birds of Many Feathers

- By Hilary Hilscher of Earth Share organization Audubon Washington

So what does January offer Washingtonians keen for some nature-oriented, outdoor excitement?

Just about the best winter birding in the country.

Whether you’re west or east of the mountains, whether you know an owl from an oystercatcher, whether you have a few hours or a few days, the Great Washington State Birding Trail can guide you to places where our feathered neighbors thrive outdoors in January.

Not only are many avian species all decked out in their most spectacular plumage of the year, many are also gathered in huge flocks – in some cases thousands, even tens of thousands, of individual birds all in one place.

What, exactly, is a “birding trail”?

Birding trails, now found in more than 20 states, are usually self-guided driving trips, though some include biking, walking, canoeing and kayaking segments.

The Great Washington State Birding Trail, produced by Audubon Washington together with many private partners and public agencies, was one of the first in the country and features the state’s 365 resident and migratory species. The initial route, the Cascade Loop, was published in 2002, followed by the Coulee Corridor, and the Southwest and Olympic Loops. Three more maps will complete the statewide trail by 2010.

With nearly 50 million people in America describing themselves as interested in bird watching, birding trails have become big business nationwide. Birding trails and their birds attract visitors to primarily rural locations, which spurs economic development and gives local residents increased incentive to safeguard the natural areas around their communities and region.

What hardy avian critters would you find along Washington’s trail in January?

Sun Lakes State Park along the Coulee Corridor, near Coulee City, features dense concentrations of waterfowl: American Coots, Ruddy and Ring-necked Ducks, wigeons, mergansers and scaups. As the lakes freeze from the edges inward, the birds crowd together in the remaining open water – which makes for spectacular viewing.

The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge just north of Olympia is highlighted on both the Southwest and Olympic Loop maps because of its wealth of year-round birding. But winter offers some of the best: Watch Peregrine falcons, merlins and bald eagles as they for meals among the 6,000+ waterfowl gathered in ponds and fields.

Two other sites along the Southwest Loop provide excellent winter birding plus adventuring: Cape Disappointment State Park with its breaker-washed, craggy coast; lighthouse; and Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center; and Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, which is home to as many as 15,000 cackling Canada geese, plus Sandhill cranes, and trumpeter and tundra swans.

Speaking of swans, three of the Cascade Loop’s sites in the Skagit Valley offer reliable and accessible swan watching, plus giant flocks of snow geese and occasional snowy owls. This area also boasts the largest winter aggregations of bald eagles outside of Alaska.

Looking for loons? At the Elwha River Estuary outside of Sequim on the Olympic Loop, you can find wintering common, Pacific and red-throated loons, plus seven species of gulls and red-necked, eared and Western grebes. Goldeneyes sport stunning tuxedo plumage while Harlequin ducks present a breath-catching crazy-quilt design.

The full-color maps of the Great Washington State Birding Trail feature original artwork of birds along the routes, plus descriptions of habitat, species, access, and best seasons for birding. Go to http://wa.audubon.org/birds_GreatWABirdingTrail.html to see the maps online and to order.

Posted in the January 2008 Earth Page

On the Water (Trail) with Lewis & Clark

- By Reed Waite of Earth Share organization Washington Water Trails Association

On a June morning in 2001 Washington Water Trails Association member Bob Burco, visiting eastern Washington, walked into the Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District office and asked a simple question. "Why is it that all the Lewis and Clark signs I see are on the highways, when in fact they traveled on rivers?" Phil Benge, Corps recreation planner, didn’t have an answer that morning.

On the sunny afternoon of August 27, 2007 in Cascade Locks, Oregon, Phil Benge had the answer to the question - a 367-mile water trail beginning at Canoe Camp on the Clearwater River in Idaho and flowing down the Snake and Columbia Rivers through Washington and Oregon. The route ends at Bonneville Lock and Dam, miles downstream from his Walla Walla office, where four national agencies and numerous state and local organizations held a signing ceremony pledging to work together on the Northwest Discovery Water Trail. Congressman Brian Baird was among the speakers to herald the good news of so many entities working together to build a better future on the water.

Linked at Bonneville with the Lower Columbia River Water Trail, the two form a 500-mile river highway for boaters wanting to explore native American trade routes, numerous wildlife refuges, historic towns, and the path the Army Corps of Discovery, under Lewis and Clark, traversed over 200 years ago.

The Northwest Discovery Water Trail (www.ndwt.org) MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) signing culminated over 5 years of planning. During this time a steering committee conducted public meetings and workshops from Orofino, Idaho to Portland, Oregon and identified 200 sites along the three rivers suitable for camping, picnicking and launching motorized- and non-motorized boats. The goals of the Northwest Discovery Water Trail include improving public launch and landing sites and other facilities that support the water trail user, promoting boating safety, commemorating water trail heritage, and supporting environmental stewardship along the trail.

At the first public meeting in Richland in November 2001, participants requested the Army Corps of Engineers, with its extensive shoreline property, lead the effort. Others offered help and many partners – a library district, paddle clubs, parks, and community groups – brought their energies to the project. Washington State Parks won technical assistance from the National Park Service Rivers and Trails Program and funding for trail markers. The Nez Perce Tribe and nine partners conducted a cleanup on the Clearwater, removing rusting car chassis from the shore. The Army Corps of Engineers published a trail guide, visual aids, and bookmarks. Washington Water Trails Association (WWTA) members donated $25,000 to fund planning efforts for the water trail system that crosses the width of the state.

Joining Washington Water Trails Association as MOU signatories are the Army Corps of Engineers; US Forest Service, Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership, National Park Service, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, Idaho State Parks, Oregon State Parks, Oregon State Marine Board, U.S. Coast Guard, and Columbia Riverkeeper. "Each organization agreed that strategies should focus on what is best for the users of the water trail,” said Patricia Williams, Natural Resources Chief for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Portland. "That focus highlights the water trail and not the individual agencies' goals and supports what is important for the water trail's success."

The next steps are completing a multi-agency management plan, finishing marking the trail on riverbanks, and ground-truthing information collected during six years of planning. In September and October BLM and Army Corps employees placed signs on the Clearwater reach of the trail and mid-Columbia.

Posted in the November 2007 Earth Page

Native Plants go online

- By Catherine Hovanic of Earth Share organization Washington Native Plant Society

You definitely have a reason to check out the Washington Native Plant Society's (WNPS) website now where you will find some fabulous new content for those interested in gardening with native plants, for those working with school aged children and for those interested in habitat restoration using native plants.

For over a decade, Starflower Foundation partnered with community and school groups, city agencies, volunteer organizations, local businesses and landscape designers to create Pacific Northwest native plant communities. The foundation supported 18 urban habitat restoration projects, worked with schools developing native plant curricula for teachers, and kept a database of information on some 200 native plants including over 1000 photos.

Starflower Foundation will cease operations in December 2007 and it is their wish that their work and what they have learned be shared with others. Over the past six months they have contracted with web professionals to develop content for the Washington Native Plant Society's website.

Soon you will be able to look up over 200 native plant species in an Image Herbarium where you will find great photographs with identification aspects featured and be able to learn about their morphological characteristics, when they flower, what their fruits look like, and learn about their ecology, habitat preferences, wildlife and ethnobotanical values. But that's not all. There will also be web content on Quick and Easy Habitat Education Activities. Teachers and others will have access to a plethora of outdoor education activities for teaching children about the ecology of native plants, weeds and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. Grade-level appropriate lessons are arranged in sequential learning units. Activity sheets, identification cards, native plant of the month posters are all available for downloading and using in the classroom or with children at home.

Links to the Image Herbarium, the Quick and Easy Habitat Education Activities, and Native Plant Habitat Restoration Documentation will be featured on the WNPS home page: www.wnps.org

Posted in the November 2007 Earth Page

Conservation Group Works to Protect Mount St. Helen's National Monument

- Submitted by Kay Crider from Earth Share of Washington (ESW) organization Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics

The Mount St. Helen's National Monument, established by President Reagan in 1982, showcases the remarkable natural recovery of the landscape impacted by the famous May, 1980 eruption. The monument designation protects the cool, clean water that was choked by logs and sediment just two and a half decades ago.

The waters of the Mount St. Helen's Monument are threatened by a giant gold and copper mine recently proposed within the monument. The proposed mine site, located in the Green River Valley below Goat Mountain, was originally acquired by the Trust for Public Land as a conservation easement. The Trust later sold the land to the U.S. Forest Service, which purchased the site with money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. That Fund is intended to protect lands from resource extraction and create a legacy of high quality recreation areas. See http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/lwcf/

Mining in the Green River Valley risks impacts to threatened salmon and steelhead runs and drinking water for the nearby communities of Kelso, Longview and Castle Rock. The drainage methods proposed for this area also risk the release of toxins like sulfuric acid into rivers and streams. Mining activities, including truck traffic, will degrade popular recreation destinations like the Goat Mountain Trail and the Green River Horse Camp. Finally, the mine would spill over into the Tumwater roadless area, protected by the Clinton Roadless Rule.

The Green River Mine would be in operation for 5-30 years, but the potential environmental impacts could persist for more than a century, far longer than it took the forests and waters surrounding Mount St. Helen's to recover from a volcanic eruption.

Earth Share of Washington member group, Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE), recently filed detailed comments on the mining proposal, detailing the reasons why the mine does not conform to the National Monument Plan or the Northwest Forest Plan. In addition, FSEEE emphasized the primary purpose for the U.S. Forest Service’s acquisition of lands in the area: preservation of the integrity of the Green River and its recreation opportunities for Washington citizens.

Posted in the October 2007 Earth Page

Take a Hike for Washington Trails

What inspires you to go hiking? Many hikers are motivated by the rewards of going that "extra mile"... a breathtaking scenic vista, lunch at a lookout, a dip in a cool alpine lake. This summer, there is a new motivation for hikers to keep up the pace. Every single mile you hike can mean more money for our trails.

And with many backcountry trails still inaccessible or unsafe from recent storm damage, your miles could make a big difference.

Hike-A-Thon, an annual benefit for Washington Trails Association, kicks off August 1st and runs throughout the month. Participating hikers will collect pledges from friends, family and co-workers, then log their miles hiked all month long. Those pledged dollars go directly into programs to protect and maintain trails at Washington Trails Association.

"Hike-A-Thon connects hikers and their favorite pastime with the trails under their boots. It's a chance to give back to the trails you love," said Lace Thornberg, development director of Washington Trails Association. "The amount of money you raise for trails is up to you. Set a goal for yourself and a strategy to meet your goal. Ask everyone you know to help you help trails, and earn some new hiking gear along the way."

Anyone can participate, whether you hike little or a lot, up mountains or down valleys, in boots or in sandals! Hike-A-Thon participants will be eligible for great prizes, and have the satisfaction of knowing that each and every mile hiked goes towards protecting and maintaining trails.

Jan Harris of Vancouver is participating for the first time because she wants to support the maintenance and repair of trails in Washington, especially in light of federal funding shortfalls for trails. “I want to do my part to ensure the trails are there for future generations to enjoy,” she said

Laurie Hartshorn of Renton sees the Hike-a-thon as her way to give back. “I can’t seem to get myself to a trail work-party, so the least I can do is raise money,” she said. “I plan on doing easier hikes so that I can increase my mileage, increasing money for trails.”

How to Register
Interested hikers can register for Hike-A-Thon online at www.wta.org, or call (206) 625-1367.

Posted in the August 2007 Earth Page

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.

Posted in the June 2007 Earth Page

Hiking Trails Slow to Recover from 2006 Storm Damage

- By Lauren Braden of Earth Share organization Washington Trails Association

Massive storm damage to the backcountry washed out roads, trails and footbridges on National Forest and National Park lands throughout the Cascades and Olympics late last year, causing an estimated $67 million in damage. Hikers are being urged to use extreme caution when out on storm-damaged trails this spring and summer.

Storms destroyed dozens of bridges throughout backcountry parks and forests that carried hikers easily across creeks and rivers. Two hikers from Puyallup were killed in late March at Mount Rainier National Park after falling off a makeshift log bridge while trying to cross Ipsut Creek, which flows into the Carbon River.

Spring hiking often carries a unique set of dangers for hikers. Mild weather can turn cold and snowy in an instant. Winter storms can send huge trees down across trails, making passage dangerous or impossible. Streams that are mere trickles in late summer can be full, frothy and dangerously raging in spring when carrying early-season rainfall and snowmelt. Given the unprecedented extent of recent storm damage, the usual dangers to hikers this spring pose even more risk.

Hikers are advised to research conditions thoroughly ahead of time before setting out, and definitely carry the "ten essentials". Hiking poles can be of help on stretches of snow-covered patches, in crossing over downed logs, and in stream crossings. In addition, your car should include a safety kit with chains, warm clothes, radio, food, water, shovel, and first aid kit.

Hikers will have to do a fair amount of research before they set out on a trail this year, starting with whether or not the trailhead can even be accessed, because of all the washed-out access roads. As always, it’s crucial to check ahead with local ranger stations for current conditions on roads and trails, and closely watch weather forecasts. Hikers can find a contact list of ranger stations on the Washington Trails Association website section called "Whom to Ask." This year, WTA's trip report section of its website, www.wta.org, will be even more important than ever; if you’re out hiking on the trails, post a trip report to share with others what conditions are like.

Once hikers reach the trail, they can expect to encounter more damaged bridges, puncheons and trail structures than usual. There are ten known bridges out on the Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park. A suspension bridge was destroyed on the Buck Creek Trail over the White River in the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. Access to trailheads of the Green Mountain Trail, Downey Creek Trail, and Huckleberry Mountain Trail are inaccessible by car because of major washouts on the Suiattle River Road. The Big Four Ice Caves near Darrington are completely inaccessible due to the trail bridge over the south fork of the Stilliguamish broken in three places. The list goes on and on, and much of the specific damage to trails is unknown as it lies waiting to be discovered under a blanket of snow.

In response to the fall storms of 2006, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Student Conservation Association, the Washington Trails Association and the Washington National Park Fund have formed a coalition to facilitate the restoration of Northwest National Parks and Forests. Funded in part by REI, Inc., the groups will facilitate volunteer restoration of trails and bridges throughout the spring and summer. WTA will coordinate five volunteer work days a week from Memorial Day through to Labor Day at Mount Rainier. To volunteer call (206) 625-1367 or visit www.wta.org.

Securing federal funding to repair the estimated $67 million in storm damage to roads and trails is a top priority for Washington Trails Association. Eight member of Washington's congressional delegation have pulled together to draft a letter of support for damage repair funds to Congressman Norm Dicks, who chairs the Interior Appropriations Committee.

"The funds needed to repair this winter's storm damage dwarf the annual budgets of our local parks and forests," said Elizabeth Lunney, executive director of Washington Trails Association. "Washington's delegation must ensure that Congress provides the support necessary to fully address damage to roads, trails and other recreation facilities incurred during the storms of 2006."

Posted in the April 2007 Earth Page

Community Stewardship Along the Shores of the Duwamish

- By R.S. Mancuso, Earth Share of Washington Guest Author

R.S. Mancuso is participating in Earth Share of Washington’s Journalism Internship Program for Earth Share of Washington this winter. In addition to writing for Earth Share, she is a student at Prescott College in Arizona, working her way towards a degree in Marine Environmental Studies and Creative Writing.

I recently had the opportunity to visit a restoration site on the Duwamish River, organized by People for Puget Sound. Herring House Park in South Seattle is a lovely little park, formerly the site of Seaboard Lumber, one of the first and largest mills in Seattle from 1929 to the 1980's. When restoration commenced in 2000 the land was a barren dirt lot. With the help of the People for Puget Sound’s Sound Stewards, this park has been transformed into a lush haven for returning wildlife.

Eliza Ghitis, the Habitat Restoration Coordinator for People for Puget Sound, is proud of the fact that community members conduct the maintenance of each of the restoration sites. The volunteer Sound Stewards are responsible for maintenance, monitoring, and data collection from their adopted site. Eliza says, "One of the things that is helpful about the Sound Stewardship program, is it helps connect people to Puget Sound."

Sound Stewards, a program run by The People for Puget Sound, consists of ordinary - yet extraordinary – people who make this restoration possible by volunteering their time. When they sink their hands into dirt to plant grasses and trees, these volunteers are literally changing their world. Sound Stewards are trained by People for Puget Sound to care for shorelines and, in the process, they develop communities to help maintain and beautify the adopted shoreline.

Here at Herring House Park, little paths wind through grassy patches. Trees and assorted plants line the walkways. There are benches to sit on and watch the river drift by. The park is peaceful despite being situated in an industrial area. While I was visiting, quite a few people strolled through the park while others walked their dogs. This park held the feeling of community.

On the bank of the Duwamish River you can see a fenced area with strings running back and forth, cordoning off different sections where replanting of native grasses takes place. If you follow the path through Herring House Park, you walk through other restored sites, Terminal 107 and Puget Creek.

Eliza pointed out that Puget Creek was once a dumping ground for cement kiln dust. In 1999, it was prepared for restoration by excavating 5,000 cubic yards of contaminated soils.

As a visitor in 2007, I see no evidence of its polluted past. What I see is a place where squirrels and crows have a home. I was able to walk down to a section of beach, watch the birds, and listen to the water lap at the shore. While this shoreline will never be completely wild again, it has been reclaimed by nature with a little help from caring individuals.

With the largest percentage of shoreline property being privately owned, there is a great opportunity for individuals to contribute to improving the health of Puget Sound. Eliza hopes to help people understand how this benefits the community. "We are trying to draw attention to the fact it can raise property values," says Eliza. "There is wildlife returning to these areas - osprey and beavers have moved into the area. I was just at Puget Creek on Saturday and a bald eagle flew by."

Everyone at some point has picked up a newspaper, or magazine, and felt despair when reading about the environment. Puget Sound is in poor heath: orcas are endangered; invasive species have seized hold in waterways; stormwater pollutes the water, poisoning marine creatures.

Can you make a difference?

The answer I found: yes, one person can make a difference. The change one person can effect on his/her surrounding may be small, but with enough people doing something, the total outcome can be vast. Little things can help such as, such as safely disposing of prescription medication (not in toilets or down drains), washing the car at a facility that reuses water, avoiding chemical pesticides. Organizations like People for Puget Sound give everyone a way to get involved with the greater issues concerning our local communities, Puget Sound, and parks.

Posted in the March 2007 Earth Page

Volunteers for Outdoor Washington: Promoting environmental stewardship, one work party at a time

To celebrate Earth Share of Washington's 20th Anniversary (1987-2007), we plan to showcase 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 healthy planet. In 1989, Volunteers for Outdoor Washington joined a growing coalition of environmental organizations, known at the time as the Environmental Fund of Washington and later to become Earth Share. With the addition of VOW and one other organization that year, a young Earth Share of Washington grew to 12 organizations.

Nearly 25 years ago Volunteers for Outdoor Washington was established by outdoor enthusiasts who witnessed their beloved trail system fall into disrepair. The mix of ballooning trail use and shrinking budgets resulted in trails being loved to death. While that threat continues today, VOW is proud of what it’s accomplished since that first work party in 1983. There are 9,000 miles of trails in our state and we’ve been lucky to swing a Pulaksi on a range of efforts (trail building, trail restoration, invasive species removal, native plantings) and settings (both backcountry and frontcountry). On some 200 projects VOW has trained and supervised thousands of volunteers over the years--volunteers who have contributed hundreds of thousands of hours to our mission of promoting environmental stewardship.

Saturday, June 19th, 2004 was a sunny day, a perfect day for a ribbon cutting ceremony complete with trail tape and a trusty pair of loppers. The Bandera Mountain / Mason Lake Trail was re-opening after years of re-building and the Forest Service was officially re-naming the it the "Ira Spring Trail" after the famed author, mountaineer and photographer. Volunteers for Outdoor Washington, under the leadership of veteran crew leader Harold Buresh, tackled a two-mile re-route beginning in 2002. Hundreds of volunteers contributed over 4,000 hours on this challenging trail, dubbed by many to the best in the I-90 corridor.

In 2004 VOW also celebrated another trail christening, capping off years of hard work and a lot of fun. Steve Dean, a former VOW board member and longtime crew leader, convinced city and county officials, organized a team of volunteers and built a trail that brings history to the hiker. The Lime Kiln Trail, located near Granite Falls, opened in October 2004 and highlights the history of the Everett & Monte Cristo Railroad. Astride the detritus of another time--rusty saw blades, bits of leather hat, brake linkages--thunders the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River though the narrow Robe Canyon. The trail's name is from a kiln, now choked by Mother Nature who continues to reduce mortar to powder, used to cook limestone. The resulting lime was shoveled into railroad cars and carried off to a paper mill and a smelter in Everett. Why devote seven trail seasons and be a part of the over 10,000 hours it took to get the job done? "Some people do it for the satisfaction of the craftsmanship of the trail itself," says Dean. "Others just like being outdoors. And some of the volunteers have said this is their way of giving back--out of their sense of duty because they enjoy hiking trails so much."

Another trail that provides a window into another time is the Iron Goat Trail. This is VOW's signature project, and one that began in 1990. In partnership with the Forest Service, VOW dedicated the Martin Creek Trailhead and the first four miles of the trail in 1993. That first celebration was only the beginning. Volunteers continued to transform a long-abandoned Great Northern Railway bed into a hiking trail. In 2000 a second trailhead was completed at Wellington, and in the fall of 2006 the Iron Goat Interpretive Site was opened to the public. This combination Hwy 2 Rest Area/Iron Goat Trailhead/interpretive site features kiosk panels and a 29-ton all-steel bright red historic caboose. Check it out for yourself at milepost 58.3 and then walk into history along the trail. Learn about railway life in the early 1900s, including in 1910 when a massive slab of snow broke free from Windy Mountain and swept two trains off the tracks and into the canyon below. Ninety-six lives were lost in the deadliest avalanche in US history.

Today visitors know the trail as one of the kid-friendliest in the state, and over half of its now 10 miles is wheelchair accessible. It's called a lot of things—Cadillac of trails; best trail in the state; fun, factual, fantastic—and now it’s also known as "Ruth's place." A PBS documentary on the project, Back to Life: The Iron Goat Trail, showcased the volunteer effort lead by one of VOW's founders, Ruth Ittner, whose tenacity and spirit made it all happen. At the October 2006 dedication, WSDOT unveiled a sign at the new interpretive site that reads, “This site is dedicated to Ruth Ittner 'the keeper of the story of the Iron Goat Trail.' Her vision, leadership and steadfast enthusiasm continue to build alliances to provide outdoor education for future generations. Thank you Ruth!"

Like Ira Spring's legacy, Ruth Ittner, now 88 years young, continues to build trails and partnerships. The Iron Goat Trail project demonstrates partnering at all levels: the Forest Service, Washington State Department of Transportation, Great Northern Railway Historical Society, the Town of Skykomish, to name but a few of the dozens who brought Ruth's vision to life. And the work continues. In 2007 volunteers will complete the Windy Point Crossover between the upper and lower grades, and there are plans to extend the Iron Goat Trail one mile from the Martin Creek Trailhead to capture another key interpretive element in Great Northern Railway history, the Horseshoe Tunnel. You can join the Iron Goat's own history--over 800 work parties totaling 60,000 trail hours (with volunteer administrative hours that's an in-kind gift to the state worth more than $1,000,000)--by joining a work party!

These three projects provide a flavor of what we do and where we do it. In addition to these backcountry gems, Volunteers for Outdoor Washington has a long history of action in the frontcountry. We’re currently at Seattle’s Interlaken Park.

VOW is about the power of volunteering and the dedication of a core of volunteers who show us the way. The three examples above note Harold Buresh, Steve Dean and the remarkable Ruth Ittner. Citizen action is an inspiring but often under-tapped resource. It is needed now more than ever thanks to our recent record-breaking weather: heavy rains, floods and wind storms left in its wake a long list of damaged trails. Volunteers will be in great demand for maintenance work in 2007. View VOW’s entire work party schedule at trailvolunteers.org and sign up on a day that works for you. Or contact VOW’s office at info@trailvolunteers.org 206 517-3019.

Join a work party and be a part of VOW's work and long history of building trails, restoring habitat and preserving our state’s rich heritage. You just might have the same reaction as this first-time volunteer: “Within hours it was life-changing, the amount of time and energy that goes into three feet of trail--hours of human labor. I will never get on a trail again with the same consciousness I had before, just taking it for granted. It's an incredible labor of love."

Posted in the January 2007 Earth Page

Help Hiking Trails this August - Just Go Hiking!

- Submitted by ESW organization Washington Trails Association

Every hiker knows the rewards of hiking that "extra mile"... lunch at a cool alpine lake, a breathtaking scenic vista, or a bit more solitude. This August, there is a new motivation for hikers to keep up the pace. Every single mile you hike can mean more needed funds for protecting and maintaining Washington's hiking trails.

Hike-A-Thon, an annual benefit for Washington Trails Association, kicks off August 1st. Participating hikers will collect pledges from friends, family and co-workers, then log their miles hiked all month long. Those pledged dollars go directly into programs to protect and maintain trails at Washington Trails Association.

"Hike-A-Thon connects hikers with the trails under their boots in a really meaningful way," said Lace Thornberg, Development Coordinator for Washington Trails Association. "And it offers hikers the chance to give back to the trails they love."

"The amount you raise for trails is up to you!" she added. "Set a fundraising goal for yourself and a strategy to meet your goal. Ask everyone you know to help you help trails and earn some new hiking gear along the way."

Anyone can participate, whether you hike a lot or a little, uphill or downhill, in boots or in sandals! Hike-A-Thon participants will be eligible for cool prizes, and have the satisfaction of knowing that each and every mile hiked goes towards protecting and maintaining hiking trails.

To help you to go that extra mile, WTA and Hike-A-Thon's corporate sponsors are offering a few tantalizing incentives you can accumulate as you raise more and more money. Get a gorgeous nature poster from Good Nature Publishing if you raise $50 for trails. If you raise $100, you also earn a National Geographic Map for Washington State. Keep going to $400 and get a hiking guide book by Wilderness Press. Raise $500 and add a WTA logo T-shirt to the prize pile. Keep going to $600 and choose a Green Trails map pack, with several topo maps of your favorite area. The biggest Hike-A-Thon money raisers, those who bring in $1250 or more, are thanked with an Arc'teryx day pack.

WTA also has new Montrail Boots and Camelbak packs for winners in the following categories: Most Miles Hiked, Most Trails Traveled, Most Money Raised, and Most Pledges Collected, and Top Youth Hiker.

And, WTA's added two new prize categories this year - Most Miles Hiked and Most Trails Traveled on the Olympic Peninsula.

Interested hikers can register for Hike-A-Thon online at www.wta.org, or call (206) 625-1367. There is no fee to register for WTA's Hike-A-Thon. All Hike-A-Thon materials are available at the WTA website, or can be mailed to you. The Hike-A-Thon Sponsor Form makes it easy to gather and record pledges for your Hike-A-Thon, and the Mileage Log Form helps you keep track of your miles hiked throughout the month of August. Completed forms and donations should be turned into WTA by September 9, 2005, to be eligible for Hike-A-Thon prizes.

Posted in the August 2005 Earth Page

TrailsFest 2005 offers a whole summer of outdoor adventure - all in one day

The great outdoors of Washington is calling you! And for one whole day this summer, you can get outside and try it all - as much as you can fit in one day. It's called TrailsFest, and it is Saturday July 16, 9am-4pm on the shores of Rattlesnake Lake near North Bend.

Presented by Washington Trails Association, TrailsFest is a hands-on event for all ages, providing families and other adventurers with a fun and safe environment to explore the outdoors. The outdoor celebration features activities like guided hikes, fly-fishing, kayaking and canoeing. A variety of clinics run periodically throughout the day on everything from mountain weather to ultralite hiking. And, dozens of exhibitors from gear companies to non-profit outdoor organizations are on hand to talk with you and answer your questions.

"TrailsFest is about getting people outside to play and enjoy the opportunities in Washington's great outdoors," said Lauren Braden, Outreach Director for Washington Trails Association. "Outdoor exploration should be available to everyone, and it's a fantastic way to spend quality time with your family. TrailsFest takes the mystery out of it, and helps you get outside, doing the things that you love."

Have you always wanted to try fly casting? Learn how to cast a fly rod with Creekside Angling. Tired of plain old raisins and peanuts? Try out "Beyond Gorp," the backcountry cooking clinic sponsored by Mountaineers Books. Marmot will have a climbing wall for you to try. Wind down with smores by the campfire, then hike a small mountain to a beautiful viewpoint. Learn to identify native plants and birds. Check out the season's hottest outdoor gear, attend a workshop predicting mountain weather, and talk to forest rangers about where to camp and hike. Learn from local activists what you can do to protect our wild places. There is something for everyone at TrailsFest.

If you've got kids, don't leave them at home! They can paddle a canoe, try their hand at fly-fishing, take a hike with llamas or goats, and sing songs around the campfire. There will also be a treasure hunt for kids, and lots of kid-friendly booths and activities.

TrailsFest is jam-packed with fun things to do. The activities are designed to be fun and informative for everyone - from kids and families, to novice adventurers, to experienced hikers.

To get to TrailsFest, take I-90 east to exit 32, then turn right on 436th Ave SE. Follow this road 2.7 miles to Rattlesnake Lake. Parking is tight so carpooling is strongly encouraged.

TrailsFest is sponsored by Swedish Medical Center, Green Trails Maps, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Thorlo, Tecnica, Backpackers Supply, Seattle Public Utilities, Chaco, and Gregory.

TrailsFest is your passport to the great outdoors this summer, and admission is free! For more information on TrailsFest: (206) 625-1367 / www.trailsfest.org.

Posted in the July 2005 Earth Page

Back to Life: The Iron Goat Trail

- submitted by Todd Jennings from ESW organization Volunteers for Outdoor Washington

March 1, 1910, near Wellington. Two Great Northern Railway trains--a local passenger and a fast mail from the east--are delayed by snow slides just west of Stevens Pass. Snow plows are out of coal, food is scarce and the heavily falling has been joined by a tremendous lightning storm. Then, in the middle of the night, a huge section of snow on Windy Mountain breaks free and rushes down the mountainside, sweeping the cars into the Tye River Valley 150 feet below. Ninety-six souls are lost that night, the deadliest avalanche in American history.

The Wellington disaster of 1910 is just part of Back to Life: The Iron Goat Trail, a documentary to be premiered at the end of the month. This 30-minute film documents how thousands of volunteers have turned an abandoned railway bed into an interpretive trail that brings back to life the rich history of the Great Northern Railway.

Great Northern's line over Stevens Pass began as an intricate set of switchbacks cut into the mountainside. The switchbacks posed serious problems: steep slopes requiring lots of coal and water, plus the hazard of rock and snow slides. Then in 1900 a 2.6 mile-long tunnel was blasted through thanks to three years of three shifts of men working seven days a week. (During tunneling operations, the story goes, 800 men worked, while 800 slept and another 800 stood at the bar.)

Snow slides remained a problem, however. To address this danger, Great Northern built eight snowsheds; their sloped roofs created a continuous line with the mountainside to keep snow sliding over the sheds, thereby protecting the track and trains. But not all sections were covered and barren hillsides--often the result of fires sparked by passing trains--only increased the likelihood of avalanches. The Wellington disaster of 1910 closed the line for nearly three weeks.

Harsh winters continued to make it difficult to maintain the tracks and snowsheds and in 1929, following the completion of a new 7.8 mile-long tunnel, the Great Northern abandoned the section that is now the Iron Goat Trail. Camps were torn down, people moved on, and thick vegetation reclaimed the mountainside.

Since 1990, thousands of volunteers, led by Volunteers for Outdoor Washington, have contributed over one hundred thousand hours to turning the abandoned line into a historic recreational trail. Today the completed trail is over nine miles long; about half of it is wheelchair accessible. In 2006 a third trailhead--the Iron Goat Interpretive Site that will also serve as a Highway 2 rest area--will provide another point of access.

Back to Life: The Iron Goat Trail is from the lens of John de Graaf, a veteran filmmaker with a mantle full of awards. This 30-minute documentary showcases the area's natural beauty and remarkable history, and weaves the story of the volunteers and their labor of love. Moreover, Back to Life demonstrates the power of citizen action--led by the vision of 87 year-old Ruth Ittner--to preserve the past and the environment for future generations.

Look for the red carpet world premiere of Back to Life: The Iron Goat Trail on Wednesday, May 25th @ The Mountaineers Seattle Branch. (KCTS Channel 9, the local PBS-affiliate, will air Back to Life on Thursday, June 2nd at 10pm.) The premiere event is free and a wine and cheese affair. So they know how much wine and how much cheese, they're asking that people RSVP: info@trailvolunteers.org org 206-517-3019.

To join an Iron Goat Trail work party--every Wednesday and Saturday!--and experience the snow shed remnants and soul-refreshing scenery for yourself, please visit www.trailvolunteers.org and click on Events Calendar.

Posted in the May 2005 Earth Page

May is Washington Trails Association's Families Go Hiking Month

Why put your hiking gear away when you have kids? Bring the kids along on the trail and introduce them to the wonders of nature.

To children, the natural world is a place of wonder and curiosity, waiting to be explored. Hiking is a fantastic way to combine quality family time with exercise and exploration of the natural world.

To help families get on the trail to explore, Washington Trails Association (WTA) declares the month of May Families Go Hiking month. WTA is hosting two great family-friendly activities to get you started, and featuring family hiking info on its website (www.wta.org) and Washington Trails magazine for the month of May.

With Families Go Hiking month, WTA hopes to take the mystery out of hiking with small children, and provide a supportive way to help families get started hiking together.

One big stumbling block for new parents that are experienced hikers is learning to adjust goals like distance and altitude, and expectations of what the hike will be like. With kids along, you probably won't go as fast, or as far, or as high, but the experience has its own unique rewards.

WTA hosts a "Families Go Hiking" Clinic on Wednesday May 11th, 7pm at the Seattle REI store. The workshop covers the basics of hiking with kids of all ages, for both day hiking and overnight backpacking, and will include information on packs and gear, planning your trip, safety, food, and more. Find out the ten best trails for hiking with kids in Washington, plus how to choose your own hiking trail that is suited for small children. Also come to check out kid-friendly hiking gear from REI. The clinic is led by Joan Burton, author of Best Hikes with Children in the North Cascades.

The following Saturday, May 14th, WTA leads a Guided Hike for Families on the Lake Elizabeth Trail off Hwy 2 near Index. Bring the kids on this easy hike around a small mountain lake below high peaks. A scenic drive up Money Creek leads directly to the lake. The group will make frequent "energy stops" enjoy the plants and wildlife, and talk about what makes a great hike for kids. The hike is led by Joan Burton, author of Best Hikes with Children in the North Cascades, and Andrew Engelson, editor of Washington Trails magazine.

You can get more information on WTA's Families go Hiking month and RSVP to either of these events at www.wta.org or by calling (206) 625-1367.

Posted in the May 2005 Earth Page

State of the State Parks

- by Liz Banse from ESW organization Washington Foundation for the Environment

What state agency is one of the most well-known, used and loved, but receives less than a quarter of a penny on the dollar of state spending?

The answer is the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the agency which manages our 120 state parks.

The state park system is a total of 260,000 acres. This covers everything from ocean beaches, to historic sites and buildings to forest and lake recreation sites, camping sites and boat launches.

State parks are heavily used. They receive approximately 40 million visits per year. About half of Washington state residents have visited a state park in the previous two years.

While parks are heavily used, with Washington's state parks ranking fourth in the nation for day attendance and tenth for overnight visits, the state ranks 47th in the nation for state spending per visitor.

The state park system is moving toward a more revenue-supported system; in other words, fee-based, to support its lean and mean operating budget, as mandated by the Legislature in 1995. State parks now generate 36 percent of their own revenue through fees.

While the public has protested parking and other fees, many have welcomed other aspects of revenue generation, such as the rental cabins and yurts. After a successful venture with yurts at Cape Disappointment, the park system now has platform tents at Dosewallips, cabins at Battle Ground Lake and a village of yurts at Grayland Beach.

It should be a top priority to ensure that parks get the level of funding they need for a statewide system that citizens can take pride in as we near the centennial celebration in 2013.

It is an investment that will pay off. Trips to state parks generate approximately $34 million a year in state tax receipts. They are important contributors to our state's economy, particularly in the hard-hit rural areas.

Washington state is one of the most gorgeous and naturally diverse places in the country. Our parks should reflect that. They make our treasures accessible to the public and help preserve the variety of natural, cultural and historical places for future generations.

Posted in the March 2005 Earth Page

Stewardship has Big Paybacks for Public Shorelines

- by Sarah Krueger, from ESW organization Washington Water Trails Association

When Washington Water Trails Association (WWTA) volunteer Gail Wilcox, paddled her kayak to Kopachuck State Park last summer, she came armed with a camera and an eye for erosion. As a Cascadia Marine Trail Site Steward, Gail commits to monitoring one of the 53 campsites along the Cascadia Marine Trail, a National Recreation Trail in Puget Sound and a keystone of Earth Share organization Washington Water Trails Association's efforts to improve public access to the state's waterways for non-motorized boaters.

Less than 10% of Puget Sound's shore is in public ownership, leaving few opportunities for beach walks or places to land a kayak. Keeping a close eye on the condition of the public lands that do exist on the Puget Sound is critical, as these sites inevitably bear the impact of wind and wave and must accommodate high visitation. The task may seem overwhelming, but individual volunteers can and do make great strides in the stewardship of these lands. Gail Wilcox's effort to monitor the state of the shore at Kopachuck State Park, an idyllic Cascadia Marine Trail site, led to over 85 hours of volunteer power at a successful work party.

Gail documented the severe erosion of the park's banks and the perilous condition of the stairway leading from the beach to the campsite with photos of the park. Armed with Gail's photos, WWTA contacted Kopachuck State Park's manager to plan the best strategy for addressing the park's restoration needs.

Washington Water Trails Association partnered with the Hood Canal Watershed Project's AmeriCorps Team and held a work party at the state park on February 15th. Eleven volunteers from Hood Canal Watershed Project, as well as WWTA and Kopachuck State Park staff, rerouted the eroded trail to the restroom and transplanted ferns to restore the closed trail. The park plans to replace the hazardous wooden stairway with stone steps when funding becomes available.

Efforts like these from volunteer stewards help Washington Water Trails Association ensure that water trail sites are accessible and functioning for the people who visit them. To lend a hand at upcoming shoreline work parties, or to learn more about becoming a Cascadia Marine Trail Site Steward, visit: http://www.wwta.org/get_involved/

Posted in the March 2005 Earth Page

Picture the Earth a Better Place

Yahoo! Photos and Earth Share Team Up to Raise Awareness of Environmental Issues

Taking photographs of our surroundings is one of the most revealing art forms. Whether meticulously crafted or snapped hastily to preserve a moment in time, photos reflect how we view the world in all its beauty, sadness and vastness.

In celebration of Earth Day 2005, Yahoo! Photos and Earth Share are holding a national photo event to celebrate how we each see the Earth, while raising awareness of environmental issues worldwide. Beginning on March 10, 2005, you can submit photos through Yahoo! Photos that you believe best represent what Earth Day means to you. Visit http://photos.yahoo.com to submit your photo by March 30. In honor of the top photographer, Yahoo! Photos will donate $10,000 to the Earth Share member organization(s) of their choice.

"This is a positive way for people around the nation to capture their feelings about Earth Day through photography," said Kalman Stein, president and CEO of Earth Share (Earth Share of Washington is Earth Share's local affiliate). "We hope this contest will provide people with an opportunity to share their thoughts about the environment as communicated through the powerful visual medium of photography."

Photographs will be judged by a panel of experts, including professional photographers and representatives from leading environmental organizations and publications. Ten finalists, chosen by the panel of experts, will be posted on Yahoo! Photos, and users will then be able to vote for their favorite photograph beginning on April 11, 2005. The top photo will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, 2005, when the photo will be featured on the Yahoo! Earth Day web site.

"We are honored to work with Earth Share to further the appreciation for our environment during Earth Day and throughout the year," said Jeff Stoddard, director of Yahoo! Photos. "With this photo contest, we are elevating awareness for environmental causes by encouraging people to celebrate their natural surroundings through digital photography."

Many consumers don't realize it, but using digital photography greatly reduces the negative impact on the environment. Unlike film photography that requires chemical processing and printing, you can enjoy digital photos immediately on your camera, PC or a website. Plus with digital photos, you only print the pictures you want rather than an entire roll. And with the ability to share photos virtually via email and online, the need to print duplicate photos for friends and family goes away.

InfoTrends, a leading analyst firm, says that about 12-15% of digital camera users don't print photos at all, instead relying on digital files for viewing, sharing and archiving of photographs. Online photo sharing sites, such as Yahoo! Photos (photos.yahoo.com), provide consumers with the convenience of online storage and photo sharing, while also helping to preserve the environment by decreasing the overall quantity of photos printed.

Yahoo! Photos and Earth Share are dedicated to raising awareness of environmental issues and call upon everyone to submit photos to participate in this worthy event.

Posted in the March 2005 Earth Page

In Brief: Trumpeter Swams in peril, 1000 Friends becomes Futurewise, Volunteers honor MLK through service

Trumpeter Swans in peril
Over the past 5 winters more than 1,400 Trumpeter Swans have died from lead poisoning after inadvertently swallowing lead shot while feeding in Whatcom County, Washington and the adjacent Sumas Prairie area in British Columbia, Canada. Swan mortalities from lead poisoning have increased in this area in recent years, despite a longstanding ban on the use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting in the United States and Canada. Lead shot is still legal for upland birds, target practice and dog training in most areas. Over 400 dead swans were picked up last winter. The mortality has grown to such a magnitude that it is threatening the recovery of the Pacific Coast Population, the continent's largest population of Trumpeter Swans.

How can you help? ADOPT A SWAN -- While the wildlife agencies on both sides of the border are working on the problem, they cannot do it all. Funding is a major problem. The Trumpeter Swan Society is raising funds by asking everyone to sponsor a swan at some level. All of the funds will go toward the project for such things as spotting scopes for volunteers who monitor the swans movements during the winter, to help pay for radio transmitters and data collection, and to fund the effort to necropsy all lead poisoned swans to glean clues from the characteristics of the ingested lead and other digestive tract contents and help pay volunteer mileage expenses. For more information on issue or to Adopt a Swan please contact them at: www.swansociety.org swaninfo@swansociety.org or call 425-787-0258.

1000 Friends of Washington is now Futurewise
On February 1, Earth Share of Washington organization 1000 Friends of Washington changed its name to Futurewise. The name change corresponds with the organization's 15th anniversary of promoting healthy communities and protecting farmland and forests from the effects of sprawl development. The organization believes that the name Futurewise better evokes its positive vision of the future. And because it is a more unique name (there are over 300 "Friends of" groups in Washington), it will allow the group to build a stronger connection between people and its work over time. Other than the new name, Futurewise remains exactly the same group as it was under 1000 Friends of Washington. The staff, board and organizational mission and bylaws remain unchanged -- and work is as important as it ever has been. You can reach Futurewise at its new website at www.futurewise.org.

Volunteers Honor MLK through hands-on environmental service!
On Monday, January 17, 2004, Earth Share organization EarthCorps led 266 youth and adult volunteers in restoring Seattle's Mount Baker Park, part of Seattle's nationally renowned Olmsted-designed park and boulevard system. Despite record rain (2.39 inches), this muddy group worked to make Martin Luther King Day a day of action, "A Day On! Not a Day Off." King County Executive Ron Sims rallied volunteers under a cedar tree during lunch.

Simon, a three-year-old Mount Baker neighborhood resident, observed, "EarthCorps help[s] children, help[s] parks, and help[s] the salmon that swim by Mount Baker Beach."

MLK Day volunteers contributed 1,000 hours of service that resulted in:

• 30,035 square feet (2/3 of an acre) of ivy removed
• 2,868 square feet of blackberry removed
• 1,265 square feet of cherry laurel removed
• 818 square feet of holly removed
• 9 tree survival rings installed
• 21,773 square feet of woodchips applied

Posted in the February 2005 Earth Page

Birding Trail Brings Birders and Business

- submitted by Hilary Hilscher from ESW organization Audubon Washington

The next route of Audubon's Great Washington State Birding Trail will beckon nature tourists from around the state and country to visit the Olympic Peninsula and Southwest Washington. Local residents have nominated 250 sites from Port Townsend to Neah Bay, from Long Beach to Stevenson, according to Birding Trail Director Christi Norman.

Birding Trails, now found in 20 states, are self-guided driving tours with stops at places to see birds. Bird watching has become the fastest growing outdoor recreation in the U.S., with more than 46 million Americans traveling to watch special birds such as the Olympic Peninsula's Tufted Puffin, Harlequin Duck and Northern Goshawk.

Together with public and private partners, Audubon Washington published the Washington's first route, the Cascade Loop, in 2002 and the second, the Coulee Corridor, in 2003. The new route maps are scheduled for publication in 2005.

Birding Trails are big business in the U.S. They attract visitors to primarily rural areas, which spurs economic development and gives residents increased incentive to safeguard natural areas around their communities and region.

Bird watchers spend upwards of $30 billion annually, including $10 billion on travel. Texas' birding trail, for example, annually attracts more than 1.4 million birders who spend $155 million; on the local level, every 100 new bird watchers generate one full-time job, $2,500 in business income, and $2,000 in tax revenue.

Posted in the September 2004 Earth Page

In Brief: Wildfire Coalition formed in Eastern Washington, No-Shooting Zone Expanded, Northwest Exposure Photo Contest

Wildfire Coalition formed in Eastern Washington
Concerns about wildfire continue to drive management of National Forests in Eastern Washington. The passage of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act has given the green light to the Forest Service to move forward on fuel reduction projects.

The Lands Council's (TLC) work on wildfire education issues has led to a collaborative effort known as the Colville Community Forestry Coalition. TLC Executive Director Mike Petersen sits on the Board of this diverse rural group - along with timber companies, a ski area owner, and fire protection agencies. The Coalition will help establish community wildfire plans which provide opportunities to build cooperation with local government, fire districts, public agencies, and community organizations. Community fire plans identify and prioritize hazardous fuels treatment projects, which make it important for the conservation community to be involved. The Lands Council helped create a template for wildfire planning that is being used throughout Oregon and Washington, contributing to the effort to encourage rural communities to co-exist with the forest around them.

No-shooting Zone Expanded
Firearm use is often overlooked as a form of environmental degradation, but in Sultan Basin, it is a major environmental and safety hazard. Wade Holden, founder of Friends of the Trail, a group that cleans up public lands, has asked for more land to be restricted from gun enthusiasts. "The shooters have been using dumped trash for target practice, creating environmental hazards for nearby Olney Creek, and endangering people in the woods," according to Holden. Department of Natural Resources officials said as much as 80 percent of the logs sold by the state several years ago had bullet holes in them. The Snohomish County Council passed the expanded ban unanimously.

Northwest Exposure Photo Contest
Washington Trails Association (WTA) is hosting its annual photo contest called Northwest Exposure. The contest seeks to exhibit the splendor of Washington's wild areas while providing a forum for both aspiring and experienced nature photographers. This annual outdoor photo contest has four unique categories: People in the Wild, Washington Landscapes, Flora & Fauna, and Offbeat Outdoors. So hit the trail with your camera or gather together those images -- a deer on the trail at Mount Townsend, that amazing sunset from Skyline Divide, or hikers in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. WTA will award a grand prize (which will be pictured on the cover of the January/February 2005 issue of Washington Trails) plus first, second, and third prizes in the four categories. You can submit up to one photo in each of the four categories.

For more information, entry forms, and submission guidelines, call (206) 625-1367 or visit www.wta.org. The submission deadline is Sunday, October 31, 2004.

Posted in the September 2004 Earth Page

Trail Dedicated to Late Author, Photographer, and Advocate Ira Spring

- submitted and authored by Todd Jennings from ESW member Volunteers for Outdoor Washington

News from the trail isn't always cheery with Mother Nature eroding here, heavy foot traffic there, and not so friendly budgets and policies. So it's good to stop now and then, put down the Pulaski (trail restoration tool), breathe in the fresh air and remember why we're on the trail in the first place. June 19th was such a time to rest and celebrate the grand opening of the Ira Spring Trail.

Through his books, photographs and advocacy, Ira Spring encouraged generations to explore and preserve Northwest wilderness. He died in June of 2003. Recognizing his dedication - including the rehabilitation of the Bandera Mountain / Mason Lake Trail - the Forest Service renamed this popular trail in his honor. Earth Share of Washington organization Volunteers for Outdoor Washington (VOW), with support from the Forest Service and state agencies, reconstructed this route over the past two years. Hundreds of volunteers on 77 work parties contributed over 4,000 hours toward rebuilding this Northwest gem.

Saturday, June 19th was ribbon cutting day - for this setting that meant trail tape and a trusty pair of loppers wielded by Ira's wife, Pat. The morning trailhead celebration was attended by representatives from the Forest Service and state agencies, members of the Spring family and VOW volunteers. Throughout the day the public hiked the trail, talked with trail hosts from VOW, learned more about conservation and trails at trailhead information tables, enjoyed the stunning wildflowers and views during the nearly (gasp!) 2,000 ft elevation gain, admired the newly installed bronze plaque at the Wilderness boundary that commemorates Ira's lifelong commitment to our state's wild areas, and finally cooled off on top at scenic Mason Lake.

Come and experience this trail for yourself: take I-90 east to Exit No. 45, signed USFS Road No. 9030. At the stop sign turn left, go under the freeway to Road 9030 and at a split in about a half mile continue straight on Forest Service Road No. 9031 (follow the new Ira Spring Trail sign!). Continue about 3.5 miles to the Ira Spring trailhead, parking, and facilities. Elevation 2280 feet.

VOW will remain active on the Ira Spring Trail with occasional maintenance parties. The Forest Service notes that trailhead counts, i.e., the number of trail users, is much higher than in years past. "It seems that the trail has gained almost instant fame," they report. To join a work party and carry on Ira's legacy please visit the Earth Share of Washington website for volunteer opportunities or contact VOW at info@trailvolunteers.org or 206-517-3019.

Posted in the August 2004 Earth Page

In Brief: Native Plant Appreciation, Trout Unlimited Events, Toxic Body Burden, & Wildlife Volunteers Needed

Native Plant Appreciation
The results are in from the Native Plant Appreciation Week that we mentioned in the May Edition of The Earth Page. Over 70 activities in 19 counties were organized by Washington Native Plant Society Chapters and others throughout the state. People could participate in cleaning up a native prairie in Port Townsend, visit a Native Plant Stewardship project, learn about beach plants, tour a native plant garden, take a lichen walk, identify native plants in one of our state parks, visit a prairie on a military base, or listen to some great talks on shrub-steppe, ethnobotany and pollination ecology. At least thirty-eight cities and three counties declared May 24-30 Native Plant Appreciation Week, along with Governor Locke and the State of Washington. It may have been mostly symbolic, but it's nice to know that cities and counties throughout the state took the time during a council meeting to proclaim: native plant species are an important part of Washington's heritage ... our state enjoys an amazing diversity of over 3,000 native plant species ... preserving native plant ecosystems is critical to the long-term health and use of our natural resources ... over 360 of our native plant species are listed as rare ... invasive plant species present a threat to sustaining Washington's native ecosystems ... and urge all our citizens to learn more about our native plants, their habitats, and how to protect them.

Trout Unlimited Activities Around the State
The Des Moines Salmon Chapter of Trout Unlimited is actively working on stream restoration, including projects intended to improve in-stream habitat and produce high-quality riparian zones along these severely impacted urban salmon streams. To date, nearly a half-acre of invasive plants have been removed and more than 400 native plants have been planted near Sea-Tac Airport.

The Tacoma Chapter of Trout Unlimited has sponsored and assisted eight kids' fishing events this year, along with their fish-ins for disabled veterans at the American Lake Veterans' Hospital. Recently, the Army National Guard joined Trout Unlimited in their effort to restore Murray Creek, joining the battle against invasive plant species. Work continues and, thanks in large part to Trout Unlimited, the creek will continue to be an angling destination.

The Rainshadow Chapter of Trout Unlimited, in cooperation with the Greywolf Fly Fishing Club and Jefferson County Parks & Recreation, sponsored its fourth annual kids' fishing day at Lake Leland in June. Rainbow trout at the derby ranged from frying pan size to more than five pounds. The Rainshadow Chapter also supervised another year of the Salmon in the Classroom program at Grant Street Elementary School in Port Townsend.

Toxic Body Burden
Many U.S. residents carry toxic pesticides in their bodies above government assessed "acceptable" levels, according to a report released today in May by Earth Share of Washington organizations Pesticide Action Network North America (PAN) and Washington Toxics Coalition. Chemical Trespass: Pesticides in Our Bodies and Corporate Accountability, presents a first-time analysis of information on pesticides in the bodies of more than 2,000 people, collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Washington State Department of Ecology has a program to eliminate persistent toxic chemicals, but the 2004 legislature exempted pesticides from the program. The Toxic Free Legacy Coalition, which includes the Washington Toxics Coalition, is using the study results to urge the Department of Ecology to include pesticides in its program to eliminate persistent toxic chemicals.

PAWS Wildlife Seeks Volunteers
Every summer the PAWS Wildlife Center receives hundreds of sick, injured and orphaned baby songbirds. Their goal with each of these animals is to restore them to full health, raise them until they are old enough to fend for themselves, and return them to suitable habitat in the wild. Reaching this goal is extremely challenging and labor intensive. During the months of May, June, and July they may have 100 or more young birds in the center at once. The majority of these birds require hand feeding once every half hour for 12 hours per day. 100 birds X 2 feedings per hour X 12 hours = 2,400 feedings per day! This quickly adds up to hundreds of hours of care given to ensure that these young birds have the best possible chance for survival when they are released. If you would like to receive training and firsthand experience in the field of Wildlife Rehabilitation, volunteering is an excellent way to do so. More information on volunteering with PAWS can be found at this link: www.paws.org/help/vol/

Posted in the August 2004 Earth Page

Lower Columbia River Water Trail Opens With Fanfare

The Lower Columbia River Water Trail opened with ceremonies at Vancouver, Cathlamet, and Skamokawa, Washington and St. Helens and Astoria, Oregon the first week in June. The final ceremony coincided with National Trails Day and the inauguration of Fort Clatsop National Memorial's Netul Landing, near the site of Lewis and Clark's winter camp in 1805/06.

Hundreds of citizens participated in the water trail launch events, with 45 at Vancouver's Marine Park, over 70 at Skamokawa, and busloads at Fort Clatsop. Guides from Alder Creek Canoe and Kayak, Skamokawa Paddle Center, and Columbia River Kayaking provided safety and years of river knowledge on paddles that accompanied the events. Mountain runoff and spring tides had kayaks speeding along at over 5 knots on some portions of the Columbia. Shorter big canoes trips were lively and moved at expedition speeds with up to 17 persons on board.

Local dignitaries and Lower Columbia River Water Trail Committee members spoke briefly at each mid-morning event. The opening of the water trail is a milestone on the way to providing safe publicly accessible facilities on the 146 mile trail on the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to the Pacific. This effort began a meeting in Longview, Washington on August 27, 2001 when the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership convened a meeting to explore interest in a water trail. Ceremonies on both riverbanks honor years of previous water trail work and thousands of years of human use and appreciation of the Columbia River.

Many Water Trail Committee members and partner agencies attended. Among them were representatives of Washington and Oregon State Parks, National Park Service, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, local city and county park, economic development, and community agencies, local paddlers, businesses, Lewis and Clark aficionados, and Washington Water Trails Association, an Earth Share of Washington member agency, instrumental in working on the water trail.

Over 80 sites have been identified as public launch and landing sites. More info available at the WWTA Lower Columbia River Water Trail page.

Posted in the July 2004 Earth Page

EarthCorps Helps Launch the Mayor's "Green Seattle Initiative"

- submitted by Steve Dubiel from ESW member EarthCorps

Seattle, WA - On Saturday, April 17, 2004, hundreds of volunteers, led by Earth Share of Washington member group EarthCorps, pitched in to restore local parks including Magnuson, Seward, and Cheasty Greenspace. Following last year's effort to restore Seattle's urban jewel, Seward Park in celebration of 100th Anniversary of Seattle's nationally renowned Olmsted-designed park and boulevard system, EarthCorps continues to lead volunteers in an effort to leave a legacy that will last the next 100 years.

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and Councilmember David Della were at Cheasty recently to announce the "Green Seattle Initiative," an ambitious effort to restore Seattle's 3,700 acres of forested park lands over the next 20 years using a combination of public and private funding. 60-70% of this land is infested with invasive plants like English ivy. If nothing is done, these forests will die over the next 20 years.

Restoring the health of urban forests is a wise investment for many reasons, including:

• Enhanced quality of life and recreational benefits in urban neighborhoods which will encourage people to live in the City and reduce pressure on sprawl;
• Improved air quality resulting from the natural air filtration role of trees; and
• Reduced storm water run-off, saving the need to build millions of dollars of infrastructure to capture additional run-off.

EarthCorps extended Earth Day to Earth Month 2004 because "one day just isn't enough." Earth Day is a fitting opportunity for each of us to work with nature to make sure that we leave a legacy of a healthy environment to our children. To volunteer with EarthCorps throughout the year, visit the Earth Share of Washington website - www.esw.org/help/ - hundreds of opportunities with EarthCorps and other Earth Share of Washington members are updated daily.

Posted in the May 2004 Earth Page

Wind Causes Blowdowns, Closes Popular Winter Hiking Trails in I-90 Corridor

- submitted by Lauren Braden from ESW member Washington Trails Assocation

Washington Trails Association seeks volunteers for trail cleanup response

A major windstorm in early December wreaked havoc on some popular low-elevation trails along the I-90 corridor. Washington Trails Association (WTA) and other groups are working diligently to clear the debris as quickly as possible, but some trails are closed, and may remain so for the rest of winter.

"In a single day, last week's storm set us back years," said Elizabeth Lunney, Executive Director of Washington Trails Association. "It's like working for years to pay off your mortgage, only to see your home destroyed the day before your last payment."

Some of the more popular trails, such as the Rattlesnake Ledges Trail, are still passable, but sustained significant damage from debris and downed trees and should be hiked with caution. On Tiger Mountain, WTA crews have cleared the Around the Lake Trail, Bus Trail and West Tiger #3 Trail of downed trees, and they are open to hikers. However, some trails are closed, and many have yet to be evaluated, so please hike with caution. Trail Closure signs are posted on several trails at Tiger Mountain: Adventure Trail, Section Line Trail, Poo Poo Point Trail, Big Tree Trail, and Swamp Trail.

Unfortunately, our parks and forests don't have an insurance policy to cash in on. The scope of the recent windstorm will not be fully known until the snow melts next spring, yet it is already clear that the damage toll will be in the millions of dollars, on top of an already stretched trail budget. "It will be up to Congress to help make up the difference so that local residents and tourists from around the world can once again visit these special places," said Lunney.

Washington Trails Association has added special work parties over the next month to clean up damage and debris from the windstorm. WTA also needs hikers to help identify what trails are impacted and how badly so they can get out there and repair them. To join a work party or file a trip report of the trail damage you observed on a recent hike, please visit www.wta.org, or call (206) 625-1367.

Posted in the January 2004 Earth Page

Partnership Leads to Hood Canal Shoreline Protection

- submitted by Reed Waite from ESW member Washington Water Trails Association

Earth Share of Washington members Washington Water Trails Association (WWTA) and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) opened a Cascadia Marine Trail campsite on the eastern shore of the Hood Canal on Thursday, September 11. It was the third public campsite opened this year by WWTA on the Hood Canal, the 44th site for the 10-year-old Cascadia Marine Trail, and the first with a non-governmental owner. WWTA and TPL have worked previously on protecting many natural Puget Sound sites.

Laughlin Cove is a secluded, 20-acre waterfront property with a nearly 1,200 feet long shoreline and tidelands. The new camping site is located strategically between Guillemot Cove Nature Preserve and Dewatto Bay, on an 11-mile stretch of Hood Canal that currently has no public pullouts. It is a fine spot for camping and picnicking. The property has spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains and is protected by nearby Chinom Point. WWTA will handle reservations for campers arriving in non-motorized boats for overnight stays and perform light maintenance.

The value of protected shoreline for the public and the environment is becoming more and more apparent. Recent reports of diminished oxygen levels in Hood Canal waters highlight the impact of human development in the watershed. Preserving open space is of vital importance for TPL, WWTA, and everyone in the Puget Sound estuary.

For more information visit www.wwta.org/trails/laughlin.html.

Posted in the October 2003 Earth Page

Boeing Awards EarthCorps $15,000 to support Urban Forest Stewardship

The Boeing Company granted EarthCorps, an Earth Share of Washington member group, a gift of $15,000 to support a community effort to remove English ivy from our urban forests. EarthCorps is a community-based environmental restoration organization that fosters youth leadership and brings people together to take concrete action for tangible change in our forests, wetlands and streams.

"The health of our community is largely dependent on a healthy environment," remarks Anne Farrell, former President/CEO of The Seattle Foundation. "While many King County residents voice concern for preserving the environment, there is often a disconnect in understanding how to become actively engaged in the process. EarthCorps' community-based approach makes it easy and fun."

Ivy is an invasive plant that slowly kills native plants and trees and provides excellent rat habitat. In Seattle alone, almost 70% of our 4,000 acres of public urban forest are invaded by ivy! With Boeing's support, EarthCorps is working to engage the community in stewarding these forests and to make Seward Park "Ivy-Free in 2003." They plan to lead 5,000+ volunteers in removing 40+ acres of ivy over the next 12 months. Ivy removal provides an important opportunity for volunteers to take part in local environmental service, creating a community solution to a major environmental problem.

The goal of this project is to:

• Increase community awareness of the problem of invasive English Ivy and conduct community education about native species.
• Inspire broad community action to remove this noxious plant from local parks and open spaces.
• Celebrate the Centennial of Seattle's Olmsted-designed park system.

To learn more about EarthCorps, visit www.earthcorps.org or contact joanna@earthcorps.org to get a team of your coworkers and friends out to pull ivy! You can find out more about English ivy and link to their project partners at www.ivyout.org.

Posted in the August 2003 Earth Page

Learning to Leave No Trace on Puget Sound Shorelines

- by Indi McCasey from ESW member Washington Water Trails Association

In an effort to promote low impact sea kayak camping, the Washington Water Trails Association (WWTA) offered a Leave No Trace (LNT) Trainer Workshop to members and volunteers on June 14th and 15th. Nine kayakers earned certifications as LNT Trainers during a two-day, overnight course at the Cascadia Marine Trail Site on Blake Island. This followed the spring release of the booklet and curriculum by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics on skills and ethics specific to sea kayaking.

Ranging in age from 25 to 65, the group taught each other the seven Leave No Trace Principles: Plan Ahead and Prepare, Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces, Dispose of Waste Properly, Leave What You Find, Minimize Campfire Impacts, Respect Wildlife and Be Considerate of Other Visitors. Connie Davis, the LNT State Advocate for Washington, fielded questions such as: What do we do with the drained spaghetti water? Answer: Strain it with a screen to be packed out, then disperse the remaining liquid below the high tide line.

WWTA plans to offer future LNT trainings to spread the word about how paddlers can reduce their impact on our local aquatic environments.

For more information visit www.lnt.org and www.wwta.org.

Posted in the July 2003 Earth Page

Bringing History to the Hiker

- Submitted by Todd Jennings, Executive Director for ESW member group Volunteers for Outdoor Washington

You never know what to expect when you put a call out for trail volunteers on a weekday in March. The forecast, naturally, called for rain. Lots of it. But this is Robe Canyon, and people are drawn to its rugged beauty and rich history. Since 1995, 400 volunteers, led by Earth Share of Washington member Volunteers for Outdoor Washington, have invested more than 9,000 hours constructing a window into another time.

The Everett & Monte Cristo Railroad was built in the late 1800s to transport gold and silver ore from mines deep in the Cascades to a new smelter in Everett. In the fall the Stillaguamish River swells into roaring whitewater, and maintaining the line required yearly battles to repair damage from rockslides and flooding. Before its demise in 1933, the railway was also used to transport limestone, timber, and even tourists seeking views of the wild beauty.

A stroll along the Stillaguamish gives clues to this past: bits of a leather hat, a rusty saw blade, the brake linkage from an old rail car. The gem of Robe Canyon Historic Park is the soon-to-be-completed Lime Kiln Trail, named after a lime kiln built into the south side of the canyon that burned some 30,000 tons of limestone.

This March morning the rain clouds can't make up their minds, and the nine volunteers are greeted with drizzle. It lingers all day, providing a cool contrast to the huff and puff of tackling a thorny thicket at the site of the future trailhead. Other work parties will focus on construction of the Lime Kiln Trail, tracing the abandoned railway route along the South Fork of the Stillaguamish.

While leading the charge is Steve Dean, it is truly a community effort, led by Volunteers for Outdoor Washington and bringing together Boy Scout Troops, Rotarians, The Mountaineers, the Snohomish County Juvenile Program, the Stillaguamish Citizens Alliance, and other groups. The 3.5-mile Lime Kiln Trail should be completed in late 2003 or early 2004.

Do you like to hike? Do you want to build new trails - and trailheads - or maintain existing ones? Do you want to learn what a pulaski is? Join Earth Share of Washington member Volunteers for Outdoor Washington for another fun and challenging season of trail work. For more information, please visit www.trailvolunteers.org/.

Posted in the April 2003 Earth Page

EarthCorps Awarded $100,000 to Restore an Urban Forest in South Seattle

The Seattle Foundation announced that it is awarding the 2002 Leadership Grant to EarthCorps for their Cheasty Greenspace Project. The organization will receive the $100,000 grant for their efforts to improve the quality of the environment by engaging diverse communities in their work.

EarthCorps' youth-driven, two-year project to restore Cheasty Greenspace, a 43-acre urban forest in South Seattle, will bring together neighborhood youth through schools and community-based organizations to work to restore this neighborhood park.

"We are thrilled to receive The Seattle Foundation's Leadership Grant," says EarthCorps Executive Director Steve Dubiel. "The goal of our project is to engage young people from Beacon Hill and the Rainier Valley in their community by restoring Cheasty Greenspace, originally designed as part of the Olmsted Boulevard Plan for Seattle's park system. The Olmsted plan for Cheasty was never fully developed and natural areas of the park have been highly neglected. In the process of transforming this space to one that invites community use, our goal is to inspire in young people a lifetime of civic engagement."

Established in 1995, the Leadership Grant is awarded annually by The Seattle Foundation to recognize an organization using innovative methods to address a pressing community need. To ensure the award is relevant to the region's shifting needs, the Foundation targets the $100,000 grant to a different community issue each year.

EarthCorps is a Seattle-based environmental non-profit organization that teaches children and young adults environmental restoration, teamwork and leadership. EarthCorps field projects are located throughout King County and involve invasive plant removal, planting of native trees, trail construction and maintenance.

Posted in the February 2003 Earth Page

Audubon Washington Unveils First Birding Trail in State

Audubon Washington Unveils First Birding Trail in State
- submitted by ESW member group National Audubon Society, Washington State Office

Washington State and the National Audubon Society are proud to announce the first of six planned birding trails for Washington State. Birding Trails are actually driving trips with stops at special places where birds are most likely to be seen. Each stop describes the habitat, the birds you are likely to see in a particular season, where to look, and how to get from a main road to the location.

With 71 million people in America describing themselves as interested in bird watching, Birding Trails in other states have become big business. The Trails and their birds attract visitors to primarily rural locations, which spurs economic development and gives local residents increased incentive to safeguard the natural areas around their communities and region.

The first map of the Great Washington Birding Trail, the Cascade Loop, has just rolled off the presses. The full-color, fold-out map features original art work of birds and descriptions of 68 sites from Edmonds to the Skagit, across the mountains to Lake Chelan and back through Leavenworth. The first of six planned routes, the Cascades Loop features 225 of Washington's 365 bird species.

To order a copy of the Great Washington Birding Trail map, call 1-866-WA-BIRDS.

Posted in the December 2002 Earth Page