Island Guardian

Tuesday, March 13th

Bluebirds Re-Introduced To San Juan County

ig_Audubon_BB_Release-1 (66k image) While Western Bluebirds were once common in San Juan County, the population all but disappeared in the 1960s..Now there is a serious and coordinated effort to re-introduce the birds into the county, and over the weekend four pairs of Bluebirds were released (photo left) on San Juan island.

Four partners are working to re-introduce these beautiful birds by trapping mated pairs living at Fort Lewis, bringing them to San Juan Island, and after a couple of days living and eating in an aviary, the top of the aviary is opened, freeing the birds into their new territory. Hopefully the birds will adapt to their new surroundings, and to make it as easy as possible, nesting boxes have been built for the birds.

The SJ Island Audubon society -as well as others in the community- have placed boxes designed and constructed specifically for Bluebirds.. The box sites they have placed will be monitored for signs of occupancy, and they are asking others who may have installed boxes to contact SJI Audubon ( skylark@rockisland.com ), so that they may include the locations into a data base of nesting information.

[more..]

Monday, March 12th

A Personal Account Of 2004 Tsunami

Dr. Mark Oberle will giving a personal account of the 2004 tsunami in Thailand at 7pm on Monday night at the FH Grange. Dr. Oberle is a physician, and Dean at the UW School of Public Health. He and his family had just begun a vacation in Phuket, Thailand when the 2004 Sumatra earthquake struck and caused a tsunami throughout the Indian Ocean.

Dr. Oberle was put in the position of being a medical professional amidst the chaos that followed the tsunami. His unique perspective on the aftermath is a remarkable tale. A selection of his photos and a highlight of his account is available online at: http://faculty.washington.edu/moberle/Tsunami/Tsunami.htm

Dr. Oberle's talk is free and open to the public. This lecture is part of a series sponsored by the SJ County Department of Emergency Management. More info on the entire lecture series at www.sanjuandem.net/Mondays

[more..]

Saturday, February 17th

Successful Open House at the Whale Museum

ig-Whale_Muesum_OpenHs-1 (77k image)
(Museum director Jenny L. Atkinson talks with Dr. Tina Wyllie-Echeverria and artist Kathy Shaw; photo by Amy Traxler)

Friday Harbor, Wash. – The Whale Museum's Open House held Tuesday, February 13, was a big success. More than 70 people (including residents from area islands, Lopez, Orcas, San Juan, Shaw, and Yellow, as well as Seattle) attended to get a sneak peak at the exhibit hall. Attendees also enjoyed delicious refreshments prepared by The Doctor's Office. "We are pleased that so many people could attend. It was wonderful to meet members of our community and hear their stories. The Museum has a great history with contributions from so many community members. It is great to know that the Museum has an exciting future backed by so many caring individuals and organizations," said museum director Jenny Atkinson.

[more..]

Thursday, February 15th

Nearshore Restoration Workshop In FH

A workshops will be held in Friday Harbor (Feb 20th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m , Community Room, Islander's Bank Administrative Offices) for individuals and organizations interested in sponsoring nearshore habitat restoration and preservation projects.

The workshop will be hosted by the Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and is designed to provide potential project sponsors with up-to-date information and guidance on nearshore restoration and familiarize them with the state's Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (Warning: Large File), established by the Legislature in 2006 as part of Gov. Chris Gregoire's Puget Sound Initiative .

WDFW, which manages the program, awarded $2.5 million to ESRP projects last year, and Gov. Gregoire has proposed $7.5 million for additional grants in 2007-09. Final funding amounts will be determined by the Legislature.

"A great deal of new information has come to light on the science of nearshore restoration and preservation in recent years," said Curtis Tanner, WDFW restoration project manager. "We want to make sure those interested in sponsoring a project have the information and tools they need to develop successful proposals."

Workshop topics include the grant-award timetable, project-selection criteria, reports on 2006 ESRP projects and an update on the General Investigation Study for the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project. Facilitators will be available to answer questions following the workshops.

A workshops will be held in Friday Harbor (10 a.m. to 2 p.m , Community Room, Islander's Bank Administrative Offices) for individuals and organizations interested in sponsoring nearshore habitat restoration and preservation projects.

The workshop will be hosted by the Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and is designed to provide potential project sponsors with up-to-date information and guidance on nearshore restoration and familiarize them with the state's Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (ESRP), established by the Legislature in 2006 as part of Gov. Chris Gregoire's Puget Sound Initiative .

WDFW, which manages the program, awarded $2.5 million to ESRP projects last year, and Gov. Gregoire has proposed $7.5 million for additional grants in 2007-09. Final funding amounts will be determined by the Legislature.

"A great deal of new information has come to light on the science of nearshore restoration and preservation in recent years," said Curtis Tanner, WDFW restoration project manager. "We want to make sure those interested in sponsoring a project have the information and tools they need to develop successful proposals."

Workshop topics include the grant-award timetable, project-selection criteria, reports on 2006 ESRP projects and an update on the General Investigation Study for the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project. Facilitators will be available to answer questions following the workshops.

The preliminary agenda for the workshop is as follows:
• 10:00 a.m.-10:15 a.m.: Greetings and introductions
• 10:15 a.m.-noon: Staff presentations
o Emerging lessons from the Nearshore General Investigations Study
o Results of the 2006 ESRP program
o Schedule and criteria for the 2007-09 program
o Questions and answers
• Noon-12:30 p.m.: Lunch on your own
• 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m.: Individual work sessions
o Staff available for discussion of individual projects and proposals.

To reserve space at a workshop location, send an email to ESRP@dfw.wa.gov .

[more..]