Photo by Terry Pereida; Administrative Director
COVID-19 Update
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Thanks to Stillwaters volunteer, John Ellsworth, the Tree House has a convenient hot-water washing station just outside the door!
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How You Can Help!
While we are well-stocked on hand sanitizer, we are in need of the elusive disinfectant wipes, paper towels, and disinfectant spray cleaner. If you have any to spare, we would greatly appreciate your donation. Please just drop items off at the Tree House porch, and don't forget to sign your name so we can properly thank you!
Green Crab Monitoring Continues
Green Crab Monitoring continues through August. Pictured here, Stillwaters' Green Crab Team member, Nancy Karle, measures crabs one at a time. For each species of crabs found, the team is required to accurately measure ten of each sex, and sex and count the rest. Data is carefully recorded from the six crab traps - three Fukui traps and three Minnow traps.
WWU Environmental Science Intern
Jenna Wright Joins Stillwaters
This summer, our newest intern from Western Washington University, Jenna Wright, is looking at how plant distributions and communities in the salt marsh have changed since surveys in 2006 and 2016. After helping with the third year of our random plot survey, she will be walking more than a mile of established transect line from the edges to interior of the salt marsh, and using a point-intercept method to document the occurrence of various plant species every meter along the way. She hopes to also generate a more accurate GIS map of plant community boundaries that will allow us to better document future changes.
Pore Water Sampling at Stillwaters
Hydric and Hydrologic Conditions for Salt Marsh Vegetation
A companion monitoring effort to our vegetation survey is a pore-water survey in the same vegetation plots. Pore water is the water than can be extracted from the soil at root depth, specifically from between the soil particles. It is a sample of the water that the plants are growing in at a given time, and an observer may be surprised at how clear the water sample appears upon extraction.
The idea is to measure salinity, pH, and other water quality attributes to determine how much salt water vs. fresh water the plants are experiencing during different phases of their growth cycle.
The idea is to measure salinity, pH, and other water quality attributes to determine how much salt water vs. fresh water the plants are experiencing during different phases of their growth cycle.
Vegetation Surveys - Documenting the restoration
All wearing masks, Melissa, Kit, and Jenna venture out to the salt marsh.
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Intern Jenna Wright calls out the names of each plant species touching the stake at measured increments.
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Monitoring Secretary, Kit Ellsworth, completes the data chart.
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Stillwaters has been highly productive in generating data tracking the recovery of Carpenter Creek Salt Marsh and Appletree Cove Estuary. We are particularly interested in how the plant composition of the salt marsh is changing with the removal of the undersized culvert at West Kingston Road that was restricting the flow of salt water into the marsh and fresh water down Carpenter Creek.
Prior to the new West Kingston Bridge being finished in February of 2018, we know from monitoring water levels in the salt marsh and estuary, that fresh water was backing up behind the culvert during our rainiest months, restricting and diluting tidal influences.
Prior to the new West Kingston Bridge being finished in February of 2018, we know from monitoring water levels in the salt marsh and estuary, that fresh water was backing up behind the culvert during our rainiest months, restricting and diluting tidal influences.
Fall Event - Silent Auction/Informal Happy Hour
The Events Committee has been busy adapting to the realities of the global pandemic. The Spring Dinner was canceled, and in its place, an informal Happy Hour with Silent Auction is scheduled for November 8th at the Schorn Barn.
How you can help!
We are excited to announce a variety of opportunities to support Stillwaters AND your favorite local businesses at the same time. We hope our fall fundraiser will be a cascade of generosity and community support.
Please consider buying gift cards or certificates from your favorite local businesses and donating them to Stillwaters for our silent auction. You can also sponsor a platter of appetizers, a pony keg, or a case of wine from your favorite restaurant, brewery, or winery. As always, memberships and cash donations are appreciated. Gift cards/certificates can be mailed to Stillwaters at 26059 Barber Cutoff Rd. NE, Kingston, WA 98346.
We are excited to announce a variety of opportunities to support Stillwaters AND your favorite local businesses at the same time. We hope our fall fundraiser will be a cascade of generosity and community support.
Please consider buying gift cards or certificates from your favorite local businesses and donating them to Stillwaters for our silent auction. You can also sponsor a platter of appetizers, a pony keg, or a case of wine from your favorite restaurant, brewery, or winery. As always, memberships and cash donations are appreciated. Gift cards/certificates can be mailed to Stillwaters at 26059 Barber Cutoff Rd. NE, Kingston, WA 98346.
Join our staff!
Part-time Administrative Assistant needed at Stillwaters
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Start Date: Mid-August
(COVID-19 may impact start date) Deadline for Applications: August 15, 2020 Located at Stillwaters Environmental Center in Kingston, WA 15 hrs/week $15-16/hr depending on experience 2 weeks paid vacation |
Send the following to
info@stillwatersenvironmentalcenter.org • Resume • Cover Letter • Any other pertinent information you choose |
