THE STILLWATERS WETLANDS

The Stillwaters wetlands are part of a larger system that includes forested, freshwater and emergent, salt marsh communities.  The salt marsh is part of the Appletree Cove Estuarine wetland system, which flows into Puget Sound. Carpenter Lake is just up the hill from here, and we are part of  the Carpenter Creek riparian zone. 

Wetlands perform many functions for the larger ecosystem, including humans. They control floods, recharge the ground water, filter and clean the fresh water before it reaches the sea, support hundreds of different plant species and provide a home for all kinds of wildlife. 

The wetlands here are able to give very high levels of support to plant and wild life because of having both the Estuarine and Palustrine systems together.  The Estuarine portion contains mudflats, low and high salt marsh, and a direct connection to the open water of Puget Sound.

The Palustrine portion provides a source of freshwater for the Estuarine system, and habitat for nesting, reproduction, and protection for many birds, mammals and fish.

Wetlands are a laboratory where we can make the vital connection between the species and their habitat. Frequent resident species here  include the great blue heron, eagles, osprey, belted kingfisher, river otter, salmon, wood ducks, mergansers, mallard ducks, geese, frogs, salamanders, dozens of song birds, deer, black bear, and many more.

The natural vegetation supporting the wildlife includes spruce, alder, cedar, hemlock, fir, salmonberry, ferns, red osier dogwood, crabapple, rushes, sedges and blackberries, among others.  And, of course, the birds, deer and bears also enjoy the domestic plants of our vegetable garden and fruit trees!