WA DNR News

Toutle Lake Middle School students are introduced to the work of researchers seeking to identify the best location for a wildlife crossing during the fall of 2023. Photo: Clare Sobetski, DNR

It’s a Monday afternoon in late January 2024. Bailee Perleberg’s classroom at Toutle Lake Middle School is abuzz with nervous energy as students put final touches on presentations and finish illustrating their wildlife crossing designs.

The students are about to share their final projects with a panel of experts including Glen Kalisz and Anna Arensmeyer from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Brian Stewart from Conservation Northwest, Fraser Shilling from UC Davis, and Clare Sobetski from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The students have spent the first part of the 2023-2024 academic year participating in a research project to identify the best location and design for a wildlife crossing over or under Interstate 5. The classroom projects are inspired by the ongoing work of the Washington Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Working Group. Comprised of government, nonprofit, tribal, and academic partners, the group is working to identify undeveloped areas along I-5 that are heavily trafficked by wildlife.

The southern linkage, a priority area of study near the Cowlitz and Toutle rivers, is only 20 minutes by bus from Toutle Lake Middle School. This makes it an ideal location to bring students out for hands-on educational activities associated with ongoing research. Including students in the research was a priority for Shilling, a professor at UC Davis and a lead researcher on the project.

“Including students in environmental research like the I-5 Wildlife Connectivity Project helps empower them to make a difference,” Shilling said. “It helps them understand the problems that wildlife face as they move through the landscapes around us … For their families and communities, student inclusion in research helps demystify the scientific process, reducing barriers and making scientific knowledge accessible to more people.”

Art created by Toutle Middle School student Corban depicting a group’s design for a wildlife crossing over the highway. Photo: Will Rubin, DNR

The multi-partner collaboration with Toutle Lake Middle School is an ideal example of project-based learning DNR looks to support with its Youth Education and Outreach Program (YEOP). Connecting Washington students with natural resource professionals for outdoor, educational activities related to authentic land management needs is a growing point of emphasis for the agency.

Quality project-based learning starts with a great launch event. For these students, that event took place in October of 2023 when students met with professionals on DNR-managed land to learn about the research project, install their own wildlife cameras, and practice identifying animal signs like tracks and scat.

The students impressed the professionals by demonstrating how much they already knew about local wildlife and how quickly they could interpret camera images. The four cameras the students installed during the field trip weren’t just for show – they are part of the larger, ongoing research project. 

They returned to the site about six weeks later to retrieve the memory cards from their cameras and learn how to translate images into a data sheet for analysis. There was a good deal of enthusiasm as students pulled up the images on tablets to see what exciting wildlife their cameras captured.   

“Of the four cameras installed by the students, one documented an elk, which was only the second camera of over 40 in the study area to do so,” said WSDOT Habitat Connectivity Biologist Glenn Kalisz. “Another camera documented a cougar, which was the second cougar documented west of I-5 out of over 20 cameras and many monitoring days. We’re getting good data out of it!”  

As part of this second field experience, students also toured infrastructure that local wildlife is currently using to traverse I-5, including the underpass at the Toutle River bridge. This information informed their final presentations, as all students chose an overpass design because of the drawbacks of a dark and loud underpass.   

Students visit the Toutle River bridge site to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the current infrastructure wildlife uses to cross the highway. Photo: Clare Sobetski, DNR

Students who participated in this hands-on learning module were all enrolled in Perleberg’s natural resources class at the middle school. The class is part of the school’s Career and Technical Education offerings. Perleberg designed curriculum and facilitated classroom learning about local wildlife species, population dynamics, and human impacts to support the outdoor experience. Perleberg also worked with YEOP staff to develop a plan for students to deliver final presentations to project partners before the end of the semester.

Presentation groups sorted by the four cameras installed by the students created slides addressing three key topics: why a wildlife crossing on I-5 is necessary; what the data from their wildlife camera revealed and what limitations the data carried; how the data students gathered should inform the design of a wildlife crossing. Each group was responsible for the creation of charts and graphs to visualize their data, as well as an artistic rendering of a wildlife crossing.

A prolonged snow and ice storm in January threw a wrench into the project timeline, but the students pushed through to finish their work in time for final presentations. All the partner organizations agreed the multi-pronged effort was a roaring success. 

“I saw the students light up,” Perleberg said. “They were excited to have an experience outside and to participate in hands-on learning. As a teacher, I am trying to create functional members of society. In this project, my students had a chance to learn about things that matter to their community and that have real-life applications.” 

This initial collaboration went so well, in fact, that all of the partners committed to a second iteration this spring for students in Perleberg’s second semester natural resources class. That project will adopt a similar structure but include more resources for students to learn about considerations in wildlife crossing design and more data analysis of the tracks and scat they observe.   

“I hope these field trips inspire the students to get outside and start making observations about wildlife,” Arensmeyer said. “Engaging students in this manner can also be beneficial for kids that don’t thrive in a traditional classroom setting and provides them with a learning experience that might be more conducive to their learning style.” 

Toutle Lake Middle School students are introduced to the work of researchers seeking to identify the best location for a wildlife crossing during the fall of 2023. Photo: Clare Sobetski, DNR

It’s a Monday afternoon in late January 2024. Bailee Perleberg’s classroom at Toutle Lake Middle School is abuzz with nervous energy as students put final touches on presentations and finish illustrating their wildlife crossing designs.

The students are about to share their final projects with a panel of experts including Glen Kalisz and Anna Arensmeyer from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Brian Stewart from Conservation Northwest, Fraser Shilling from UC Davis, and Clare Sobetski from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The students have spent the first part of the 2023-2024 academic year participating in a research project to identify the best location and design for a wildlife crossing over or under Interstate 5. The classroom projects are inspired by the ongoing work of the Washington Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Working Group. Comprised of government, nonprofit, tribal, and academic partners, the group is working to identify undeveloped areas along I-5 that are heavily trafficked by wildlife.

The southern linkage, a priority area of study near the Cowlitz and Toutle rivers, is only 20 minutes by bus from Toutle Lake Middle School. This makes it an ideal location to bring students out for hands-on educational activities associated with ongoing research. Including students in the research was a priority for Shilling, a professor at UC Davis and a lead researcher on the project.

“Including students in environmental research like the I-5 Wildlife Connectivity Project helps empower them to make a difference,” Shilling said. “It helps them understand the problems that wildlife face as they move through the landscapes around us … For their families and communities, student inclusion in research helps demystify the scientific process, reducing barriers and making scientific knowledge accessible to more people.”

Art created by Toutle Middle School student Corban depicting a group’s design for a wildlife crossing over the highway. Photo: Will Rubin, DNR

The multi-partner collaboration with Toutle Lake Middle School is an ideal example of project-based learning DNR looks to support with its Youth Education and Outreach Program (YEOP). Connecting Washington students with natural resource professionals for outdoor, educational activities related to authentic land management needs is a growing point of emphasis for the agency.

Quality project-based learning starts with a great launch event. For these students, that event took place in October of 2023 when students met with professionals on DNR-managed land to learn about the research project, install their own wildlife cameras, and practice identifying animal signs like tracks and scat.

The students impressed the professionals by demonstrating how much they already knew about local wildlife and how quickly they could interpret camera images. The four cameras the students installed during the field trip weren’t just for show – they are part of the larger, ongoing research project. 

They returned to the site about six weeks later to retrieve the memory cards from their cameras and learn how to translate images into a data sheet for analysis. There was a good deal of enthusiasm as students pulled up the images on tablets to see what exciting wildlife their cameras captured. According to Glen Kalisz, Habitat Connectivity Biologist for WSDOT,  

“Of the four cameras installed by the students, one documented an elk, which was only the second camera of over 40 in the study area to do so, said WSDOT Habitat Connectivity Biologist Glenn Kalisz. “Another camera documented a cougar, which was the second cougar documented west of I-5 out of over 20 cameras and many monitoring days. We’re getting good data out of it!”  

As part of this second field experience, students also toured infrastructure that local wildlife is currently using to traverse I-5, including the underpass at the Toutle River bridge. This information informed their final presentations, as all students chose an overpass design because of the drawbacks of a dark and loud underpass.   

Students visit the Toutle River bridge site to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the current infrastructure wildlife uses to cross the highway. Photo: Clare Sobetski, DNR

Students who participated in this hands-on learning module were all enrolled in Perlberg’s natural resources class at the middle school. The class is part of the school’s Career and Technical Education offerings. Perleberg designed curriculum and facilitated classroom learning about local wildlife species, population dynamics, and human impacts to support the outdoor experience. Perlberg also worked with YEOP staff to develop a plan for students to deliver final presentations to project partners before the end of the semester.

Presentation groups sorted by the four cameras installed by the students created slides addressing three key topics: why a wildlife crossing on I-5 is necessary; what the data from their wildlife camera revealed and what limitations the data carried; how the data students gathered should inform the design of a wildlife crossing. Each group was responsible for the creation of charts and graphs to visualize their data, as well as an artistic rendering of a wildlife crossing.

A prolonged snow and ice storm in January threw a wrench into the project timeline, but the students pushed through to finish their work in time for final presentations. All the partner organizations agreed the multi-pronged effort was a roaring success. 

“I saw the students light up,” Perlberg said. “They were excited to have an experience outside and to participate in hands-on learning. As a teacher, I am trying to create functional members of society. In this project, my students had a chance to learn about things that matter to their community and that have real-life applications.” 

This initial collaboration went so well, in fact, that all of the partners committed to a second iteration this spring for students in Perlberg’s second semester natural resources class. That project will adopt a similar structure but include more resources for students to learn about considerations in wildlife crossing design and more data analysis of the tracks and scat they observe.   

“I hope these field trips inspire the students to get outside and start making observations about wildlife,” Arensmeyer said. “Engaging students in this manner can also be beneficial for kids that don’t thrive in a traditional classroom setting and provides them with a learning experience that might be more conducive to their learning style.” 

“It’s the enabling ingredient to everything!”

Dan Kipervaser, shared stewardship coordinator for the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBS), shared the above “sediment” recently about a core material for forest restoration: rock.

In adequate amounts and convenient locations, rock is a necessary lifeline for timber operations, as well as countless other activities on a national forest. Many rock pits across the national forests in Oregon and Washington (also known as U.S. Forest Service Region 6) were abandoned at the turn of the century following several years of budget cuts.

Santino Pascua, a zone engineer for the south zone of the MBS, shared that while MBS staff would ideally maintain as much as 920 miles of forest roads annually, budget restrictions have compressed this number all the way down to just 168 miles in 2023. There are 2,390 road miles weaving through the MBS. As unfinished projects have piled up, the MBS has racked up an estimated $5 million in deferred road maintenance.

Erosion events like the one pictured at left have become increasingly frequent on western WA forestlands. Photo courtesy Santino Pascua.

Pascua explained that due to current costs and timber markets, some timber sales barely break even, much less generate enough funds to cover the high upfront costs of investing in rock pit re-development.

Stockpiles of crushed rock produced by the now-shuttered pits had been used up long before the summer of 2023. Region 6 forests could no longer afford to crush and stockpile new rock; the MBS had not produced any rock through a public works contract for 20 years. Without active rock pits, rocks had to be shipped in from outside sources, which increased the financial and time costs of most projects and made some projects financially infeasible. Important projects languished on the shelf for years while safe public access and forest health continued to decline.

The tide began to turn over the summer, however, as one key rock pit came back online thanks to a partnership between the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and DNR. The Forest Resilience Division at DNR provided a total of $150,000 for rock-pit redevelopment in the south zone of the MBS. The Region 6 office saw an opportunity to leverage their funds and added an additional $300,000 to make the project a reality at the scale needed to make a difference on the ground.

After a USFS geologist tested several abandoned pits for rock feasibility, one pit located a few miles east of Greenwater was chosen as the clear winner. The reborn rock pit is located near popular recreation areas for camping, hiking, fishing, and target shooting, as well as several potential future timber sales. Crews started cutting and crushing rock at the end of May of 2023, and completed work by mid-August. In total, the project produced 34,000 cubic yards of rock.

Rock being crushed for future use on projects across the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Photo courtesy Santino Pascua.

The cost savings were almost immediate. Taking advantage of economies of scale and a central location, the MBS crushed rock cost $13 per cubic yard. For comparison, rock shipped in from off-forest can cost more than five times as much. Local contractors have already started using the rock – they had placed more than 2,000 tons of fresh gravel on local roads by the end of August. Staff believe this new rock stockpile can support projects for the next 15 years.

While rock is most obviously needed for the creation, repair, and maintenance of forest roads, it opens new possibilities for so much more:

Rock means timber and restoration

Most timber sales are put out to bid with the condition that the contractor “rock the roads” to the sales. This not only ensures that the roads are safe for timber hauling, but also protects nearby streams from erosion caused by traffic and rain. This same rock is also needed when installing a fish passage to remove barriers to salmon migration. The price of purchasing and hauling tons of rock to repair road infrastructure is one of the most significant pain points on the MBS and can often determine whether a contractor bids on a project, let alone whether a timber sale is profitable.

With a new rock source now located in a central spot within the on the south zone of the MBS, area projects will cost less both in terms of time and resources. This also means timber sales are more likely to sell, and thus generate revenues that the MBS uses to fund habitat and watershed improvement projects – a compounding benefit to the forest.

Rock means match

While the rock itself does not equate to dollars, it can serve the same purpose as direct funds, acting as a matching contribution in grant applications. For example, according to Pascua, the MBS can now offer materials to offset the costs of repairing damaged roads after a significant flood event through the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) program. Similarly, rock can be used as in-kind match for an agreement with Weyerhaeuser to share maintenance and repair costs for roads used by both the company and the public.

Rock means partnerships

Over the years, MBS staff have had to turn down many excellent offers of support from groups and individuals due to tight budgets and a lack of staff capacity. Thanks to the newly available rock, many of these collaborative projects will become a reality. For example, a horseback riding group in the area has wanted for several years to help improve trails in the region. While the group is willing to volunteer their time and equipment to make improvements, rock was never available for the projects. The MBS can now provide the rock for those, and many other projects driven by volunteer- based recreation organizations.

Left: a road in the Olympic National Forest covered with debris and eroded materials. Right: The same road after repairs and the addition of new rock. Photos courtesy Bret McNamara. Rock means roads

With a limited budget, the MBS has had to take a triage approach to forest road maintenance – putting funds only toward roads that receive the greatest public use and delaying maintenance and repair for all others. Some roads have been left unmaintained for years, or even decades as a result. Thanks to the shared investment in redeveloping a rock pit, staff can begin working through the backlog, which means safer roads and more comfortable rides for the visiting public, a reduced risk of washouts and riparian habitat damage, and improved access to restoration project areas.

Rock means safer and more effective wildland fire operations

Wildland firefighters use networks of forest roads to access and fight wildfires. Well-maintained roads are required for large engines to utilize these direct access points to emerging incidents. Rock and gravel are also a non-combustible material used by wildland firefighting teams to build fire control lines, which help to contain or redirect an active fire. Gravel can also be used to build control lines for potential future fire operations.

Well-rocked roads help wildland fire teams complete their operations safely and efficiently. Photo courtesy Kate Williams. Rock means recreation

Roads carry visiting recreators to trailheads, lakes, vistas, and campgrounds throughout a forest. Without a rugged, high- clearance vehicle, visitors are taking chances with their suspensions when traveling anywhere off the main road system. The roads leading to and around the Ranger Creek Campground, for example, are considered some of the worst on the south zone of the MBS. For the first time in 30 years, the MBS has rock to repair those and other roads.

Long-term planning to maintain network of national forest roads

“We’re still actively looking for partners that can help us unlock this critical resource that supports everything from recreation to restoration,” Kipervaser said.

In addition to years of delayed maintenance on the MBS, all western Washington national forests, including the Olympic and Gifford Pinchot, are experiencing more frequent large erosional debris events on an annual, if not seasonal, basis. These emergency events cost each forest huge amounts of time and resources when they are already low on funds.

As overdue challenges collide with new crises, the need for innovative partnerships and creative solutions is greater now than it has ever been. The MBS is working to develop its own long-term, sustainable solutions. For example, the MBS is examining how best to secure a road maintenance crew, as well as the heavy equipment needed to do much of the roadwork and maintenance, rather than contracting out the work. Staff with the MBS are also researching how to procure mobile rock crushing equipment.

“The MBS has a reputation in the Pacific Northwest region as a national forest that can put funds to good use,” further explains Pascua. “When there are additional funds to spend, we know we can spend it, and spend it well.”

“It’s the enabling ingredient to everything!”

Dan Kipervaser, shared stewardship coordinator for the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBS), shared the above “sediment” recently about a core material for forest restoration: rock.

In adequate amounts and convenient locations, rock is a necessary lifeline for timber operations, as well as countless other activities on a national forest. Many rock pits across the national forests in Oregon and Washington (also known as U.S. Forest Service Region 6) were abandoned at the turn of the century following several years of budget cuts.

Santino Pascua, a zone engineer for the south zone of the MBS, shared that while MBS staff would ideally maintain as much as 920 miles of forest roads annually, budget restrictions have compressed this number all the way down to just 168 miles in 2023. There are 2,390 road miles weaving through the MBS. As unfinished projects have piled up, the MBS has racked up an estimated $5 million in deferred road maintenance.

Erosion events like the one pictured at left have become increasingly frequent on western WA forestlands. Photo courtesy Santino Pascua.

Pascua explained that due to current costs and timber markets, some timber sales barely break even, much less generate enough funds to cover the high upfront costs of investing in rock pit re-development.

Stockpiles of crushed rock produced by the now-shuttered pits had been used up long before the summer of 2023. Region 6 forests could no longer afford to crush and stockpile new rock; the MBS had not produced any rock through a public works contract for 20 years. Without active rock pits, rocks had to be shipped in from outside sources, which increased the financial and time costs of most projects and made some projects financially infeasible. Important projects languished on the shelf for years while safe public access and forest health continued to decline.

The tide began to turn over the summer, however, as one key rock pit came back online thanks to a partnership between the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and DNR. The Forest Resilience Division at DNR provided a total of $150,000 for rock-pit redevelopment in the south zone of the MBS. The Region 6 office saw an opportunity to leverage their funds and added an additional $300,000 to make the project a reality at the scale needed to make a difference on the ground.

After a USFS geologist tested several abandoned pits for rock feasibility, one pit located a few miles east of Greenwater was chosen as the clear winner. The reborn rock pit is located near popular recreation areas for camping, hiking, fishing, and target shooting, as well as several potential future timber sales. Crews started cutting and crushing rock at the end of May of 2023, and completed work by mid-August. In total, the project produced 34,000 cubic yards of rock.

Rock being crushed for future use on projects across the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Photo courtesy Santino Pascua.

The cost savings were almost immediate. Taking advantage of economies of scale and a central location, the MBS crushed rock cost $13 per cubic yard. For comparison, rock shipped in from off-forest can cost more than five times as much. Local contractors have already started using the rock – they had placed more than 2,000 tons of fresh gravel on local roads by the end of August. Staff believe this new rock stockpile can support projects for the next 15 years.

While rock is most obviously needed for the creation, repair, and maintenance of forest roads, it opens new possibilities for so much more:

Rock means timber and restoration

Most timber sales are put out to bid with the condition that the contractor “rock the roads” to the sales. This not only ensures that the roads are safe for timber hauling, but also protects nearby streams from erosion caused by traffic and rain. This same rock is also needed when installing a fish passage to remove barriers to salmon migration. The price of purchasing and hauling tons of rock to repair road infrastructure is one of the most significant pain points on the MBS and can often determine whether a contractor bids on a project, let alone whether a timber sale is profitable.

With a new rock source now located in a central spot within the on the south zone of the MBS, area projects will cost less both in terms of time and resources. This also means timber sales are more likely to sell, and thus generate revenues that the MBS uses to fund habitat and watershed improvement projects – a compounding benefit to the forest.

Rock means match

While the rock itself does not equate to dollars, it can serve the same purpose as direct funds, acting as a matching contribution in grant applications. For example, according to Pascua, the MBS can now offer materials to offset the costs of repairing damaged roads after a significant flood event through the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) program. Similarly, rock can be used as in-kind match for an agreement with Weyerhaeuser to share maintenance and repair costs for roads used by both the company and the public.

Rock means partnerships

Over the years, MBS staff have had to turn down many excellent offers of support from groups and individuals due to tight budgets and a lack of staff capacity. Thanks to the newly available rock, many of these collaborative projects will become a reality. For example, a horseback riding group in the area has wanted for several years to help improve trails in the region. While the group is willing to volunteer their time and equipment to make improvements, rock was never available for the projects. The MBS can now provide the rock for those, and many other projects driven by volunteer- based recreation organizations.

Left: a road in the Olympic National Forest covered with debris and eroded materials. Right: The same road after repairs and the addition of new rock. Photos courtesy Bret McNamara. Rock means roads

With a limited budget, the MBS has had to take a triage approach to forest road maintenance – putting funds only toward roads that receive the greatest public use and delaying maintenance and repair for all others. Some roads have been left unmaintained for years, or even decades as a result. Thanks to the shared investment in redeveloping a rock pit, staff can begin working through the backlog, which means safer roads and more comfortable rides for the visiting public, a reduced risk of washouts and riparian habitat damage, and improved access to restoration project areas.

Rock means safer and more effective wildland fire operations

Wildland firefighters use networks of forest roads to access and fight wildfires. Well-maintained roads are required for large engines to utilize these direct access points to emerging incidents. Rock and gravel are also a non-combustible material used by wildland firefighting teams to build fire control lines, which help to contain or redirect an active fire. Gravel can also be used to build control lines for potential future fire operations.

Well-rocked roads help wildland fire teams complete their operations safely and efficiently. Photo courtesy Kate Williams. Rock means recreation

Roads carry visiting recreators to trailheads, lakes, vistas, and campgrounds throughout a forest. Without a rugged, high- clearance vehicle, visitors are taking chances with their suspensions when traveling anywhere off the main road system. The roads leading to and around the Ranger Creek Campground, for example, are considered some of the worst on the south zone of the MBS. For the first time in 30 years, the MBS has rock to repair those and other roads.

Long-term planning to maintain network of national forest roads

“We’re still actively looking for partners that can help us unlock this critical resource that supports everything from recreation to restoration,” Kipervaser said.

In addition to years of delayed maintenance on the MBS, all western Washington national forests, including the Olympic and Gifford Pinchot, are experiencing more frequent large erosional debris events on an annual, if not seasonal, basis. These emergency events cost each forest huge amounts of time and resources when they are already low on funds.

As overdue challenges collide with new crises, the need for innovative partnerships and creative solutions is greater now than it has ever been. The MBS is working to develop its own long-term, sustainable solutions. For example, the MBS is examining how best to secure a road maintenance crew, as well as the heavy equipment needed to do much of the roadwork and maintenance, rather than contracting out the work. Staff with the MBS are also researching how to procure mobile rock crushing equipment.

“The MBS has a reputation in the Pacific Northwest region as a national forest that can put funds to good use,” further explains Pascua. “When there are additional funds to spend, we know we can spend it, and spend it well.”

National Public Lands Day 2022

If you are looking to get outdoors, a great opportunity to hit the trails is National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 24. Each year the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) organizes this event to inspire people to learn about and volunteer on public lands. National Public Lands Day, the largest volunteer day of the year, encourages people to connect with the outdoors in the spirit of volunteerism.

Giving Back Together

For many people, the COVID-19 pandemic strengthened their connection with the outdoors. At a time when many were confined to their homes, the outdoors acted as a safe haven and outlet for curiosity and relaxation. That is why this year’s theme is “Giving Back Together,” so we can return the favor and appreciate the important role the outdoors play in our lives. By volunteering, we are not only creating a positive effect on our planet now, but also for future generations to come.

Fee-Free Day

National Public Lands Day is one of 12 fee-free days, meaning a Discover Pass is not needed on lands managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), State Parks, or the Department of Fish & Wildlife. Entrance fees are also waived at National Parks and other federal public lands in Washington, including sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Defense.

How Volunteers Give Back to DNR

Hundreds of volunteers roll up their sleeves and contribute their time and energy year-round to help preserve, restore and improve DNR-managed lands.

In the first eight months of 2022, more than 1,000 volunteers logged an estimated 12,000 hours. Work parties across the state worked on numerous projects like building fences, cleaning up trash and clearing overgrown areas. If you want to get involved and make an impact on our lands, visit our website to find a volunteer party near you.

DNR Volunteer Projects

Striped Peak Trail Expansion

Striped Peak is a 7.5-mile trail on the Olympic Peninsula. Dozens of volunteers, along with six Washington Trails Association staff, logged more than 11,000 hours from 2018 to spring of 2022. The finished product was a 4.5-mile extension to the existing trail that created a loop and provided access to Striped Peak itself.

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers

The Backcountry Hunters and Anglers hosted a clean-up event in July at a recreation site popular for target shooting in Snohomish County. Fourteen volunteers logged a combined 80 hours picking up trash and speaking with target shooters about responsible practices. In one day, they collected two tons of garbage.

BBQ Flats Volunteer Project

In May and June of 2015, volunteers contributed 762 hours of their time to help with access and maintenance of BBQ Flats, a popular spot for camping and horseback riding in Yakima County. The majority of the volunteers were from Back Country Horsemen of Washington.

Volunteers built elk fence and field fence along a new road to help funnel the public accessing BBQ Flats through private land onto state land. They also helped place and install three vault toilets and improve the water trough for equestrian use. This project provides long-term public access to BBQ Flats.

Green Dot Roads

A majority of our Green Dot Road sign maintenance and litter control is done by volunteers. Before COVID-19, they would donate over 1,000 volunteer hours annually in Yakima and Kittitas counties.

BCHW Skagit Chapter

The Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) in the Skagit Chapter offer 10 to 20 volunteers each month for various projects, mostly focusing on rerouting trails out of the drainage and side hill for easier riding and more efficient drainage.

National Trails Day
For National Trails Day, one-day projects like trail maintenance are created to accomplish a task and bring the sense of ownership and success to the day. Volunteers from WTA and other volunteer groups were able to contribute to inclusive projects that impact our trails. Trail maintenance is important to keep hikers safe while exploring public lands.

Article by Britnie Monaghan, communications intern.

National Public Lands Day 2022

If you are looking to get outdoors, a great opportunity to hit the trails is National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 24. Each year the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) organizes this event to inspire people to learn about and volunteer on public lands. National Public Lands Day, the largest volunteer day of the year, encourages people to connect with the outdoors in the spirit of volunteerism.

Giving Back Together

For many people, the COVID-19 pandemic strengthened their connection with the outdoors. At a time when many were confined to their homes, the outdoors acted as a safe haven and outlet for curiosity and relaxation. That is why this year’s theme is “Giving Back Together,” so we can return the favor and appreciate the important role the outdoors play in our lives. By volunteering, we are not only creating a positive effect on our planet now, but also for future generations to come.

Fee-Free Day

National Public Lands Day is one of 12 fee-free days, meaning a Discover Pass is not needed on lands managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), State Parks, or the Department of Fish & Wildlife. Entrance fees are also waived at National Parks and other federal public lands in Washington, including sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Defense.

How Volunteers Give Back to DNR

Hundreds of volunteers roll up their sleeves and contribute their time and energy year-round to help preserve, restore and improve DNR-managed lands.

In the first eight months of 2022, more than 1,000 volunteers logged an estimated 12,000 hours. Work parties across the state worked on numerous projects like building fences, cleaning up trash and clearing overgrown areas. If you want to get involved and make an impact on our lands, visit our website to find a volunteer party near you.

DNR Volunteer Projects

Striped Peak Trail Expansion

Striped Peak is a 7.5-mile trail on the Olympic Peninsula. Dozens of volunteers, along with six Washington Trails Association staff, logged more than 11,000 hours from 2018 to spring of 2022. The finished product was a 4.5-mile extension to the existing trail that created a loop and provided access to Striped Peak itself.

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers

The Backcountry Hunters and Anglers hosted a clean-up event in July at a recreation site popular for target shooting in Snohomish County. Fourteen volunteers logged a combined 80 hours picking up trash and speaking with target shooters about responsible practices. In one day, they collected two tons of garbage.

BBQ Flats Volunteer Project

In May and June of 2015, volunteers contributed 762 hours of their time to help with access and maintenance of BBQ Flats, a popular spot for camping and horseback riding in Yakima County. The majority of the volunteers were from Back Country Horsemen of Washington.

Volunteers built elk fence and field fence along a new road to help funnel the public accessing BBQ Flats through private land onto state land. They also helped place and install three vault toilets and improve the water trough for equestrian use. This project provides long-term public access to BBQ Flats.

Green Dot Roads

A majority of our Green Dot Road sign maintenance and litter control is done by volunteers. Before COVID-19, they would donate over 1,000 volunteer hours annually in Yakima and Kittitas counties.

BCHW Skagit Chapter

The Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) in the Skagit Chapter offer 10 to 20 volunteers each month for various projects, mostly focusing on rerouting trails out of the drainage and side hill for easier riding and more efficient drainage.

National Trails Day
For National Trails Day, one-day projects like trail maintenance are created to accomplish a task and bring the sense of ownership and success to the day. Volunteers from WTA and other volunteer groups were able to contribute to inclusive projects that impact our trails. Trail maintenance is important to keep hikers safe while exploring public lands.

Article by Britnie Monaghan, communications intern.

Interns from different regions and offices met each other and exchanged stories of the diverse experiences that had brought them all to the same agency. DNR hosts a variety of different interns across divisions each year, allowing them to learn about the responsibilities of those in other positions. Instead of just working at a desk, DNR interns gain exposure to forest roads, bridge engineering, seedling nurseries, and more. The event allowed attendees to gain a better understanding of the agency’s work and what other fields exist in land management.

The desire to move across the country, a lifelong interest in forestry, the start of a career switch, and post-bachelor’s degree panic brought together an array of interns at DNR this year. On July 27, 2023 these interns gathered in Olympia to celebrate National Intern Day and explore the possibilities of their work experiences at DNR. Workplace Culture and Development organized the event and helped interns network, develop their resumes, and solicit wisdom from DNR staff.

After getting to know each other, the interns enjoyed several activities including a resume workshop, a social media briefing, and two panels with DNR staff explaining their roles in the agency, the issues they work on, and advice on seeking jobs in the natural resources sector. The advice from these professionals was tailored for its influential audience.

Some guest speakers focused on concrete professionalism skills. Joseph Flores from Human Resources told the group about the importance of creating a succinct story on their resumes. Having valuable previous experience is important, and he explained the best ways to demonstrate that value to a job recruiter, especially one hiring for state government positions.

Other guest speakers told the interns about what it takes to be good at their job. DNR’s Social Media Managers, Rachel Terlep and Mary Watkins, explained how they use passion and strategy to boost the public’s interaction with the agency. While the link clicks and the ability to create educational memes might not be a part of every attendee’s future natural resource management duties, the brains behind DNR’s popular social media pages demonstrated how to grow in a position.

Past interns also provided their perspective. Garren Andrews, a Natural Resource Specialist in the Forest Practices Division told attendees about his own nerves entering the workforce after college. He was worried about settling down into a career after the freedom of his school years, but he has found that DNR never gets boring. There are always changing projects and new roles to take on, he told the group as the panel nodded along. This was reassuring for many attendees who are just now starting their career paths.

Finally, the interns heard from a leadership panel. One particularly inspiring panelist was Candace Montoya, Uplands Budget Manager, who has built a career at DNR after her own internship. She detailed her path to her current leadership role which included a steep learning curve at every new position. Her story showed the interns how they can develop within the agency, and how a DNR internship can be a career defining opportunity.

The Annual Intern Day event is just one of the many ways that DNR supports its interns. Every staff member involved in the event urged the attendees to reach out and continue to network within the agency. Interns also receive incredible mentorship and hands-on experience in their field.

When interns begin their careers, many feel intimidated and inexperienced. The DNR Intern Event worked to combat these feelings and build stronger professional foundations. Interns left the event more capable of reflecting on how they want their careers to progress, bringing with them lessons the day had taught them.

Find out more about internship opportunities at DNR.

For job postings, visit here.

Story by Zoe Love, communications consultant

Annual Intern and Fellow Network Day 2022

It can be difficult to navigate the world during a pandemic, especially for college students. However, that did not stop nine Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) interns to persevere through the challenging times and move closer to their goals. DNR held their annual Intern and Fellow Network Day virtually on July 28 for a day to connect and learn more about DNR.

The event took place to celebrate National Intern Day, a day created to encourage future leaders. A total of nine interns, based in areas from the PNW to the east coast, attended the event. Interns ranged from communications, forestry, aquatics, engineering, and workplace culture and development. The all-day event began with opening acknowledgements from Chase Rother, a DNR outreach and development specialist, to thank WCD employees who planned the event and to welcome the interns. The day then kicked off with an icebreaker activity for interns to meet one another and to create a comfortable environment. After the opening statements and icebreaker, Eliseo Juarez, DNR director of equity and environmental justice, was the “Brunch and Learn” speaker. Juarez gave a presentation on environmental justice and environmental trauma, explained and how to identify the difference between the two in the workplace.

Next, former DNR interns who are now DNR staff provided current interns professional advice and knowledge about how to make their internship beneficial, and gave them the opportunity to ask questions regarding their careers.

The afternoon concluded with a leadership panel. During this portion of the day, DNR managers shared their story about the path they took to attain their position and also shared advice for going into the workforce.

Advice from the leadership panel included:

•  It’s important to not lose sight of your soft skills and continue to develop them, they are just as important to have as the knowledge you’ve gained. Soft skills can be described as communication skills, work ethic, critical thinking, and much more.

•  Don’t stress too much about the future. It’s important to be where you are now, and not worry about where you think you are supposed to be.

•  You don’t have to be like everyone else.

Staff participants for Intern and Fellow Network Day included: Dale Mix, division manager for engineering and general services; Kristen Ohlson-Kiehn, conservation recreation and transactions manager; Jesse Steele, district manager for Pacific Cascade and Northwest regions; Thomas Gorman, aquatics resource manager; Andra Nordin, property and acquisition specialist; Kayla Swerin, natural resource specialist; Lucky Sisouvong, internal communications and employee engagement specialist; Garren Andrews, natural resource specialist.

Find out more about internship opportunities at DNR.

For job postings, visit here.

Article by Britnie Monaghan, communications intern.

It can be difficult to navigate the world during a pandemic, especially for college students. However, that did not stop nine Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) interns to persevere through the challenging times and move closer to their goals. DNR held their annual Intern and Fellow Network Day virtually on July 28 for a day to connect and learn more about DNR.

The event took place to celebrate National Intern Day, a day created to encourage future leaders. A total of nine interns, based in areas from the PNW to the east coast, attended the event. Interns ranged from communications, forestry, aquatics, engineering, and workplace culture and development. The all-day event began with opening acknowledgements from Chase Rother, a DNR outreach and development specialist, to thank WCD employees who planned the event and to welcome the interns. The day then kicked off with an icebreaker activity for interns to meet one another and to create a comfortable environment. After the opening statements and icebreaker, Eliseo Juarez, DNR director of equity and environmental justice, was the “Brunch and Learn” speaker. Juarez gave a presentation on environmental justice and environmental trauma, explained and how to identify the difference between the two in the workplace.

Next, former DNR interns who are now DNR staff provided current interns professional advice and knowledge about how to make their internship beneficial, and gave them the opportunity to ask questions regarding their careers.

The afternoon concluded with a leadership panel. During this portion of the day, DNR managers shared their story about the path they took to attain their position and also shared advice for going into the workforce.

Advice from the leadership panel included:

•  It’s important to not lose sight of your soft skills and continue to develop them, they are just as important to have as the knowledge you’ve gained. Soft skills can be described as communication skills, work ethic, critical thinking, and much more.

•  Don’t stress too much about the future. It’s important to be where you are now, and not worry about where you think you are supposed to be.

•  You don’t have to be like everyone else.

Staff participants for Intern and Fellow Network Day included: Dale Mix, division manager for engineering and general services; Kristen Ohlson-Kiehn, conservation recreation and transactions manager; Jesse Steele, district manager for Pacific Cascade and Northwest regions; Thomas Gorman, aquatics resource manager; Andra Nordin, property and acquisition specialist; Kayla Swerin, natural resource specialist; Lucky Sisouvong, internal communications and employee engagement specialist; Garren Andrews, natural resource specialist.

Find out more about internship opportunities at DNR.

For job postings, visit here.

Washington state agencies collaborate on first-of-its-kind economic study

In 2021, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington State Parks and Washington Recreation and Conservation Office partnered with Earth Economics to determine public visitation and the economic contribution of outdoor recreation on state-managed public lands and measure how spending circulates within the state’s economy. The study, among the first of its kind outside academia, resulted in a final report “Outdoor Recreation on State Lands in Washington.”

Researchers conducted an economic contribution analysis that used mobile device data to estimate visitation and average visitor spending to determine the economic contribution of state lands, including value added to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), full- and part-time jobs supported, labor income, and tax revenue generated.

Visitation increases on Washington state-managed public lands

As many who spend time outdoors likely know, tracking visitation on state-managed lands is difficult. Many state-managed properties have multiple access points, and agencies have limited resources to track visitation over long periods of time. To address this issue, Earth Economics gathered anonymized, aggregated mobile device data from more than 150 million mobile device apps. People using these apps were included in the dataset if they opted in for data sharing. These mobile data were added to a data model that incorporated control variables such as time of year, weather, and air quality to produce a more accurate visitation estimate.

According to the report, state-managed public lands supported 78 million unique visitor days* in 2019 and 87 million unique visitor days in 2020, a 12% increase. These data align with observations from state employees that recreation activity increased on public lands in 2020. This increased visitation includes a dramatic rise in day use in 2020, and a decline in overnight use. The public land closures in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the ongoing pandemic itself, likely impacted visitation, though the magnitude of this impact is unknown.

*Each visitor day represents one person present at a state recreation land area for one day. Multi-day or multi-member trips translate to a higher number of visitor days. For example, two people visiting a wildlife area for two days is counted as four visitor days.

Agency Visitor Days 2019 Visitor Days 2020 Change Department of Fish and Wildlife 27,230,000 29,069,000 +7% Department of Natural Resources 16,572,000 20,080,000 +21% State Parks 34,239,000 37,991,000 +11% All State-Managed Lands 78,041,000 87,139,000 +12%

Estimated visitor days to state recreation lands, 2019 to 2020

State-managed public lands support local economies

Visitation estimates provide the foundation for calculating visitor spending. Visitors to state-managed recreation lands supported $5.9 billion in spending on goods and services (direct and indirect). This means that for every $1 spent by recreational users, $1.80 in economic activity is generated within the state economy. This spending supports more than 37,000 full- and part-time jobs, $1.65 billion in labor income (wages), and more than $435 million in local and state tax revenue.

New tools allow state land managers to see on a unit-by-unit basis what counties and states people are traveling from—the below image highlights visitors to Lake Sammamish.

The anonymized mobile device data also give state land managers a better understanding of where visitors are coming from at county, national, and international levels. Washington’s state public lands had visitors from all over the United States, as well as from more than 150 countries, making it very clear that Washington’s state-managed lands are a major draw for outdoor recreation enthusiasts.

Washington’s state-managed public lands host visitors from all over the world.

Using data to better serve the public

The information and tools provided by the report mark a huge improvement in state agency collaboration and understanding of visitation. State land managers will be able to work together in ways not realized before, improving recreational experiences for people and prioritizing resources to monitor recreational impacts, manage wildlife species, and identify areas for growth.

Land managers will also be able to use new economic development tools that allow them to work closely with local leaders to determine economic contributions from local public lands and measure how spending circulates within local economies.

The study and resulting report mark an exciting leap forward in how Washington’s natural resource agencies manage state public lands in Washington. Using these new adaptive management tools, agencies will be able to further enhance outdoor recreational experiences for Washington’s residents and visitors, while also protecting the state’s natural places so people can enjoy them for generations to come.

Washington state agencies collaborate on first-of-its-kind economic study

In 2021, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington State Parks and Washington Recreation and Conservation Office partnered with Earth Economics to determine public visitation and the economic contribution of outdoor recreation on state-managed public lands and measure how spending circulates within the state’s economy. The study, among the first of its kind outside academia, resulted in a final report “Outdoor Recreation on State Lands in Washington.”

Researchers conducted an economic contribution analysis that used mobile device data to estimate visitation and average visitor spending to determine the economic contribution of state lands, including value added to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), full- and part-time jobs supported, labor income, and tax revenue generated.

Visitation increases on Washington state-managed public lands

As many who spend time outdoors likely know, tracking visitation on state-managed lands is difficult. Many state-managed properties have multiple access points, and agencies have limited resources to track visitation over long periods of time. To address this issue, Earth Economics gathered anonymized, aggregated mobile device data from more than 150 million mobile device apps. People using these apps were included in the dataset if they opted in for data sharing. These mobile data were added to a data model that incorporated control variables such as time of year, weather, and air quality to produce a more accurate visitation estimate.

According to the report, state-managed public lands supported 78 million unique visitor days* in 2019 and 87 million unique visitor days in 2020, a 12% increase. These data align with observations from state employees that recreation activity increased on public lands in 2020. This increased visitation includes a dramatic rise in day use in 2020, and a decline in overnight use. The public land closures in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the ongoing pandemic itself, likely impacted visitation, though the magnitude of this impact is unknown.

*Each visitor day represents one person present at a state recreation land area for one day. Multi-day or multi-member trips translate to a higher number of visitor days. For example, two people visiting a wildlife area for two days is counted as four visitor days.

Agency Visitor Days 2019 Visitor Days 2020 Change Department of Fish and Wildlife 27,230,000 29,069,000 +7% Department of Natural Resources 16,572,000 20,080,000 +21% State Parks 34,239,000 37,991,000 +11% All State-Managed Lands 78,041,000 87,139,000 +12%

Estimated visitor days to state recreation lands, 2019 to 2020

State-managed public lands support local economies

Visitation estimates provide the foundation for calculating visitor spending. Visitors to state-managed recreation lands supported $5.9 billion in spending on goods and services (direct and indirect). This means that for every $1 spent by recreational users, $1.80 in economic activity is generated within the state economy. This spending supports more than 37,000 full- and part-time jobs, $1.65 billion in labor income (wages), and more than $435 million in local and state tax revenue.

New tools allow state land managers to see on a unit-by-unit basis what counties and states people are traveling from—the below image highlights visitors to Lake Sammamish.

The anonymized mobile device data also give state land managers a better understanding of where visitors are coming from at county, national, and international levels. Washington’s state public lands had visitors from all over the United States, as well as from more than 150 countries, making it very clear that Washington’s state-managed lands are a major draw for outdoor recreation enthusiasts.

Washington’s state-managed public lands host visitors from all over the world. Using data to better serve the public

The information and tools provided by the report mark a huge improvement in state agency collaboration and understanding of visitation. State land managers will be able to work together in ways not realized before, improving recreational experiences for people and prioritizing resources to monitor recreational impacts, manage wildlife species, and identify areas for growth.

Land managers will also be able to use new economic development tools that allow them to work closely with local leaders to determine economic contributions from local public lands and measure how spending circulates within local economies.

The study and resulting report mark an exciting leap forward in how Washington’s natural resource agencies manage state public lands in Washington. Using these new adaptive management tools, agencies will be able to further enhance outdoor recreational experiences for Washington’s residents and visitors, while also protecting the state’s natural places so people can enjoy them for generations to come.

Eelgrass in the San Juan Islands is declining, according to a newly-published DNR report and story map, prompting concern for the health of one of Washington’s most diverse and pristine marine areas.

Widespread local declines

Based on a random sample, DNR documented 4 times more sites with long-term declines than increases in eelgrass cover in the San Juan Islands over the last 2 decades. In recent years, eelgrass losses have been even more pronounced. One third of all eelgrass beds sampled near the San Juan Islands between 2015 and 2020 showed signs of declines, and there were no increases. Additional sites sampled as part of targeted studies confirm this pattern. The long-term losses in the San Juan Islands contrast starkly with monitoring results from the rest of greater Puget Sound, where long-term site trends are more balanced between increases and declines.

Trends in eelgrass area at randomly selected sites in the San Juan Islands and Cypress Island. Losses, shown in red, greatly outnumber gains. Long-term trends span the period between 2000 and 2020, short term trends are based on data collected between 2015 and 2020.

Eelgrass losses occurred in a wide variety of habitat types, spread throughout the San Juan Islands. Spatial patterns of loss varied at sites; along the shallow edge, the deep edge or throughout the entire eelgrass bed. The timing of losses also varied among sites. At some sites, eelgrass was lost relatively early in the monitoring period, while at other sites declines occurred later on.

Change in eelgrass area at all sites sampled in the San Juan Islands, both on longer term (left) or in recent years (right).

Potential Causes

The pattern of eelgrass declines in the San Juan Islands is surprising because this location is often seen as one of the pristine areas within greater Puget Sound. While we are not sure what caused these declines, there are some indications to what may have happened.

One potential stressor is eelgrass wasting disease. This disease causes dark lesions on the leaves, and lowers how much carbon is stored in the rhizomes of the plants, which limits plant growth and survival. Dr. Drew Harvell and other researchers from the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Laboratories have found high levels of eelgrass wasting disease near the San Juan Islands. After the 2015-2016 marine heat wave, an increase in prevalence and severity of disease coincided with declines in eelgrass shoot density at their study sites.

Losses could be due in part to human activities. DNR documented declines at several embayments that are popular destinations for recreation. Eelgrass can be damaged through trampling, anchoring, prop scars or water quality degradation. Recent efforts by local resource managers to create voluntary no-anchor zones in sensitive embayments may reduce some of the impact on eelgrass at these locations.

Environmental conditions could have exacerbated the loss of eelgrass in recent years. Puget Sound experienced two marine heat waves in 2015-16 and 2019. Warmer water temperatures can change the metabolic balance in seagrasses, increasing their light requirements. This could have contributed to loss inside embayments, which are often warmer than the surrounding waters.

Ongoing decline of eelgrass in Shallow Bay on Sucia Island. The map on the left shows transects sampled in 2016 and 2019. Blue colors indicate where eelgrass was present in both years, red indicates where it was lost. The plot on the right shows the decline in eelgrass area over time at this location.

Eelgrass in greater Puget Sound

Eelgrass meadows grow along many of Washington State’s shorelines, where they provide essential food, nursery and shelter for a rich community of animals, including forage fish, Dungeness crab, and salmon. In addition to providing critical habitat, these meadows are a good indicator of the health of Puget Sound.

Since 2000, DNR has monitored eelgrass populations in greater Puget Sound as part of its stewardship responsibilities. Every year, a research vessel collects hundreds of hours of underwater footage at sites throughout the region to see how eelgrass meadows are changing. This footage is scored at one second intervals for presence of eelgrass, and combined with location and depth data to estimate how much eelgrass was present at each of these sites. Over time, this dataset has grown to almost 40,000 transects, spread over 867 sites in greater Puget Sound. A subset of 214 randomly selected sites is sampled regularly to assess regional changes in eelgrass area. Other sites were visited as part of targeted studies, often in collaboration with local governments and Tribes.

Monitoring results are used to calculate soundwide eelgrass area, which is one of the indicators for the health of nearshore ecosystems by the Puget Sound Partnership. Soundwide eelgrass area has remained relatively stable between 2000 and 2020. This suggests that eelgrass populations in greater Puget Sound are in good condition.

Eelgrass beds are dynamic on smaller spatial scales, and often change in response to local and regional stressors. Some changes are likely due to human activities, while others are driven by natural processes. One dramatic example is the recent decline in Skagit Bay. In recent years, the North Fork of the Skagit River diverted from its established channel, and formed a major new outflow channel into the bay. The new channel is progressively eroding a large eelgrass bed in the center of the bay, causing a loss of more than 200 hectares since 2004.

Eelgrass beds provide habitat for Dungeness crabs and many other animals.

DNR will further explore losses in the San Juans and compare results to other areas

DNR’s findings raise a red flag – widespread eelgrass losses have occurred in the San Juan Islands, raising concerns about both the causes of decline and the ramifications for species that rely on this critical habitat. The study also reports good news – soundwide eelgrass area did not change significantly between 2000 and 2020. To further explore these findings, DNR is seeking to expand its surveys in the San Juan Islands. DNR will also continue to monitor eelgrass throughout greater Puget Sound in order to track this critical resource.

For more information: see our story map or download the report

Eelgrass in the San Juan Islands is declining, according to a newly-published DNR report and story map, prompting concern for the health of one of Washington’s most diverse and pristine marine areas.

Widespread local declines

Based on a random sample, DNR documented 4 times more sites with long-term declines than increases in eelgrass cover in the San Juan Islands over the last 2 decades. In recent years, eelgrass losses have been even more pronounced. One third of all eelgrass beds sampled near the San Juan Islands between 2015 and 2020 showed signs of declines, and there were no increases. Additional sites sampled as part of targeted studies confirm this pattern. The long-term losses in the San Juan Islands contrast starkly with monitoring results from the rest of greater Puget Sound, where long-term site trends are more balanced between increases and declines.

Trends in eelgrass area at randomly selected sites in the San Juan Islands and Cypress Island. Losses, shown in red, greatly outnumber gains. Long-term trends span the period between 2000 and 2020, short term trends are based on data collected between 2015 and 2020.

Eelgrass losses occurred in a wide variety of habitat types, spread throughout the San Juan Islands. Spatial patterns of loss varied at sites; along the shallow edge, the deep edge or throughout the entire eelgrass bed. The timing of losses also varied among sites. At some sites, eelgrass was lost relatively early in the monitoring period, while at other sites declines occurred later on.

Change in eelgrass area at all sites sampled in the San Juan Islands, both on longer term (left) or in recent years (right).

Potential Causes

The pattern of eelgrass declines in the San Juan Islands is surprising because this location is often seen as one of the pristine areas within greater Puget Sound. While we are not sure what caused these declines, there are some indications to what may have happened.

One potential stressor is eelgrass wasting disease. This disease causes dark lesions on the leaves, and lowers how much carbon is stored in the rhizomes of the plants, which limits plant growth and survival. Dr. Drew Harvell and other researchers from the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Laboratories have found high levels of eelgrass wasting disease near the San Juan Islands. After the 2015-2016 marine heat wave, an increase in prevalence and severity of disease coincided with declines in eelgrass shoot density at their study sites.

Losses could be due in part to human activities. DNR documented declines at several embayments that are popular destinations for recreation. Eelgrass can be damaged through trampling, anchoring, prop scars or water quality degradation. Recent efforts by local resource managers to create voluntary no-anchor zones in sensitive embayments may reduce some of the impact on eelgrass at these locations.

Environmental conditions could have exacerbated the loss of eelgrass in recent years. Puget Sound experienced two marine heat waves in 2015-16 and 2019. Warmer water temperatures can change the metabolic balance in seagrasses, increasing their light requirements. This could have contributed to loss inside embayments, which are often warmer than the surrounding waters.

Ongoing decline of eelgrass in Shallow Bay on Sucia Island. The map on the left shows transects sampled in 2016 and 2019. Blue colors indicate where eelgrass was present in both years, red indicates where it was lost. The plot on the right shows the decline in eelgrass area over time at this location.

Eelgrass in greater Puget Sound

Eelgrass meadows grow along many of Washington State’s shorelines, where they provide essential food, nursery and shelter for a rich community of animals, including forage fish, Dungeness crab, and salmon. In addition to providing critical habitat, these meadows are a good indicator of the health of Puget Sound.

Since 2000, DNR has monitored eelgrass populations in greater Puget Sound as part of its stewardship responsibilities. Every year, a research vessel collects hundreds of hours of underwater footage at sites throughout the region to see how eelgrass meadows are changing. This footage is scored at one second intervals for presence of eelgrass, and combined with location and depth data to estimate how much eelgrass was present at each of these sites. Over time, this dataset has grown to almost 40,000 transects, spread over 867 sites in greater Puget Sound. A subset of 214 randomly selected sites is sampled regularly to assess regional changes in eelgrass area. Other sites were visited as part of targeted studies, often in collaboration with local governments and Tribes.

Monitoring results are used to calculate soundwide eelgrass area, which is one of the indicators for the health of nearshore ecosystems by the Puget Sound Partnership. Soundwide eelgrass area has remained relatively stable between 2000 and 2020. This suggests that eelgrass populations in greater Puget Sound are in good condition.

Eelgrass beds are dynamic on smaller spatial scales, and often change in response to local and regional stressors. Some changes are likely due to human activities, while others are driven by natural processes. One dramatic example is the recent decline in Skagit Bay. In recent years, the North Fork of the Skagit River diverted from its established channel, and formed a major new outflow channel into the bay. The new channel is progressively eroding a large eelgrass bed in the center of the bay, causing a loss of more than 200 hectares since 2004.

Eelgrass beds provide habitat for Dungeness crabs and many other animals.

DNR will further explore losses in the San Juans and compare results to other areas

DNR’s findings raise a red flag – widespread eelgrass losses have occurred in the San Juan Islands, raising concerns about both the causes of decline and the ramifications for species that rely on this critical habitat. The study also reports good news – soundwide eelgrass area did not change significantly between 2000 and 2020. To further explore these findings, DNR is seeking to expand its surveys in the San Juan Islands. DNR will also continue to monitor eelgrass throughout greater Puget Sound in order to track this critical resource.

For more information: see our story map or download the report

With the arrival of fall, many Washington climbers curse the rain that settles over the crags west of the Cascade Crest — but good climbing can still be had on the odd dry day or two. The cooler temperatures and beautiful autumn foliage make for good friction and a scenic day out.

If you’re looking to sneak in some days on the rock this fall and winter, there are many places to climb on DNR land, including some of the best bouldering western Washington has to offer.

The basics

For those who are brand new to climbing, first things first: what the heck is bouldering, anyway?

Bouldering is a distinct form of climbing. Boulderers don’t use a rope, relying on crash pads to break their falls, and they climb large boulders (shocking, I know) instead of cliffs. Most routes — which boulderers call “problems” — are between 10 ­­­­and 20 feet high.

Every boulder problem has a rating that tells you how difficult it is. In North America, the most common rating system is the V scale, which gets its name from boulderer John Sherman, one of the people who created the scale in the 1980s. Sherman’s friends nicknamed him “Vermin,” and the moniker was immortalized as the “V” that comes before each number grade on the scale. This scale starts at VB (for beginner), then goes from V0 to V17 — the grade for what is currently the hardest problem in the world. 

Bouldering is one of the fastest growing styles of climbing, and if you’re just getting into bouldering outdoors, these five simple tips should help you enjoy a fun and safe day out.

1) Know before you go

Doing a little bit of research before going to a new area will save you from many potential headaches.

Know where to park your vehicle and how to access the boulders, and download a map of the area before you leave home. The Avenza app gives you offline access to maps of DNR land, and the Mountain Project app can provide information on specific boulder problems.

It’s also worth doing some googling to see if where you’re going has cell reception, but when in doubt, it’s safer to assume you won’t have service. Not being able to find the crag because you didn’t do enough research and have no reception to figure out where to go is a real bummer (ask me how I know).

If you’re new to bouldering outdoors, consider going with someone more experienced who can give you pointers on things like pad placement, spotting, how to move on the rock and how to fall safely. There are also many classes and climb nights out there (including programs that are geared towards women and people of color) if you don’t know anyone who could mentor you.

2) Be prepared

While bouldering is one of the most casual kinds of climbing you can do outdoors, you should still be prepared in case things don’t go to plan.

Always bring the 10 essentials and anything else you would pack for a day in the woods.

One vital essential is a first-aid kit and knowing how to use it. Lower limb injuries are the most common way boulderers get hurt, so at the very least it’s a good idea to have the materials and knowledge to deal with a sprained ankle or broken bone.

Tell someone where you’re going and what time you’ll be back so first responders can find you more easily if you have an accident and aren’t able to call for help (a personal locator beacon like an InReach can let you get in touch with authorities in areas with no service).

The 10 essentials will prepare you well for any outdoor activity. 3) Boulder with a buddy

Some problems require a spotter — someone who can help direct your body to a crash pad — to keep you from hitting a rock or anything else that’d hurt to fall on.

Other problems might require multiple crash pads for a safe landing. When you go out with partners, everyone can bring one to create bigger landing zones.

Partners can also call for help, give you first aid if you’re injured and help you get back to your vehicle or the hospital if you need it. Plus, unless they’re total jerks, spending the day outside with your friends is just plain fun.  

Bouldering with a buddy keeps you safe and having fun. 4) Climb with the conditions you find

No one likes having their plans rained out, but given that we live in the Pacific Northwest, you can probably guess what I’m going to say next.

Keep an eye on the forecast and remember that the rock can take time to dry out after a storm. Many boulders are in wooded areas, and the lack of direct sunlight combined with dripping trees can keep things slippery well after the rain has stopped falling.

Overhanging problems may have stayed dry, but if the rock is still damp, use your best judgement in deciding whether to climb or not. Sometimes it’s just too slippery for bouldering to be fun or safe, so it’s good to have some nearby backup activities in mind so you can still enjoy a day outdoors.

5) Minimize your impact

As with any outdoor activity, take care to respect the land and other people’s ability to recreate on it.

Familiarize yourself with the Leave No Trace principles if you haven’t already, keep to established trails, and pack out everything you pack in. Be aware of where you park so you’re not blocking roads or gates.

With the increasing popularity of climbing, more and more people are getting outside, so expect to make some new friends, especially on a nice day. Many bouldering areas are also near other outdoor recreation opportunities, and being courteous with other land users will go a long way toward improving everyone’s experiences.

Remember to pack out all your trash. Get out there

If you like to climb, bouldering can be a great way to take advantage of some dry weather during the fall and winter, and with the right know-how, you can be confident that you’ll enjoy a great day out on the rock.

With the arrival of fall, many Washington climbers curse the rain that settles over the crags west of the Cascade Crest — but good climbing can still be had on the odd dry day or two. The cooler temperatures and beautiful autumn foliage make for good friction and a scenic day out.

If you’re looking to sneak in some days on the rock this fall and winter, there are many places to climb on DNR land, including some of the best bouldering western Washington has to offer.

The basics

For those who are brand new to climbing, first things first: what the heck is bouldering, anyway?

Bouldering is a distinct form of climbing. Boulderers don’t use a rope, relying on crash pads to break their falls, and they climb large boulders (shocking, I know) instead of cliffs. Most routes — which boulderers call “problems” — are between 10 ­­­­and 20 feet high.

Every boulder problem has a rating that tells you how difficult it is. In North America, the most common rating system is the V scale, which gets its name from boulderer John Sherman, one of the people who created the scale in the 1980s. Sherman’s friends nicknamed him “Vermin,” and the moniker was immortalized as the “V” that comes before each number grade on the scale. This scale starts at VB (for beginner), then goes from V0 to V17 — the grade for what is currently the hardest problem in the world. 

Bouldering is one of the fastest growing styles of climbing, and if you’re just getting into bouldering outdoors, these five simple tips should help you enjoy a fun and safe day out.

1) Know before you go

Doing a little bit of research before going to a new area will save you from many potential headaches.

Know where to park your vehicle and how to access the boulders, and download a map of the area before you leave home. The Avenza app gives you offline access to maps of DNR land, and the Mountain Project app can provide information on specific boulder problems.

It’s also worth doing some googling to see if where you’re going has cell reception, but when in doubt, it’s safer to assume you won’t have service. Not being able to find the crag because you didn’t do enough research and have no reception to figure out where to go is a real bummer (ask me how I know).

If you’re new to bouldering outdoors, consider going with someone more experienced who can give you pointers on things like pad placement, spotting, how to move on the rock and how to fall safely. There are also many classes and climb nights out there (including programs that are geared towards women and people of color) if you don’t know anyone who could mentor you.

2) Be prepared

While bouldering is one of the most casual kinds of climbing you can do outdoors, you should still be prepared in case things don’t go to plan.

Always bring the 10 essentials and anything else you would pack for a day in the woods.

One vital essential is a first-aid kit and knowing how to use it. Lower limb injuries are the most common way boulderers get hurt, so at the very least it’s a good idea to have the materials and knowledge to deal with a sprained ankle or broken bone.

Tell someone where you’re going and what time you’ll be back so first responders can find you more easily if you have an accident and aren’t able to call for help (a personal locator beacon like an InReach can let you get in touch with authorities in areas with no service).

The 10 essentials will prepare you well for any outdoor activity. 3) Boulder with a buddy

Some problems require a spotter — someone who can help direct your body to a crash pad — to keep you from hitting a rock or anything else that’d hurt to fall on.

Other problems might require multiple crash pads for a safe landing. When you go out with partners, everyone can bring one to create bigger landing zones.

Partners can also call for help, give you first aid if you’re injured and help you get back to your vehicle or the hospital if you need it. Plus, unless they’re total jerks, spending the day outside with your friends is just plain fun.  

Bouldering with a buddy keeps you safe and having fun. 4) Climb with the conditions you find

No one likes having their plans rained out, but given that we live in the Pacific Northwest, you can probably guess what I’m going to say next.

Keep an eye on the forecast and remember that the rock can take time to dry out after a storm. Many boulders are in wooded areas, and the lack of direct sunlight combined with dripping trees can keep things slippery well after the rain has stopped falling.

Overhanging problems may have stayed dry, but if the rock is still damp, use your best judgement in deciding whether to climb or not. Sometimes it’s just too slippery for bouldering to be fun or safe, so it’s good to have some nearby backup activities in mind so you can still enjoy a day outdoors.

5) Minimize your impact

As with any outdoor activity, take care to respect the land and other people’s ability to recreate on it.

Familiarize yourself with the Leave No Trace principles if you haven’t already, keep to established trails, and pack out everything you pack in. Be aware of where you park so you’re not blocking roads or gates.

With the increasing popularity of climbing, more and more people are getting outside, so expect to make some new friends, especially on a nice day. Many bouldering areas are also near other outdoor recreation opportunities, and being courteous with other land users will go a long way toward improving everyone’s experiences.

Remember to pack out all your trash. Get out there

If you like to climb, bouldering can be a great way to take advantage of some dry weather during the fall and winter, and with the right know-how, you can be confident that you’ll enjoy a great day out on the rock.

Volunteers gathered early in the morning on Saturday, Sept. 25, as part of a joint DNR and Keep Nature Wild cleanup at Dougan Falls in Washougal, close to DNR’s Dougan Creek Campground and the Yacolt Burn State Forest.

“Dougan Falls is one of our very, very popular sites in the Pacific Cascade Region, with people going down by the waterfalls,” Pacific Cascade Region Recreation Manager Sharon Steriti said. “But, as DNR, we can’t maintain it all ourselves.”

Dougan Falls in Washougal, Washington.

The assembled group cleaned up trash of all sizes, ranging from cigarette butts to shoes, diapers and bottles.

When Keep Nature Wild, an outdoor clothing brand that cleans up two pounds of trash for every item purchased, reached out to DNR to set up a cleanup, Steriti could not have been more excited to welcome the help.

“I thought it was a really good opportunity to incorporate another partnership, get some people out here, and focus on picking up some of the micro-trash that people leave,” Steriti said.

Two volunteers and their dog cleaning up trailside trash.

Micro-trash refers to small pieces of garbage that enter the environment, such as cigarette butts, bottle caps, broken glass and other small pieces of plastic. While one piece may not seem to do much, micro-trash can have significant environmental impact when it accumulates.

Steriti explained that while most people don’t mean to litter, trash that enters the Washougal River can work its way into the Columbia River, and then the ocean and the fish we eat. When you help pick up micro-trash, you can help prevent this from happening.

Pacific Cascade Region Recreation Manager Sharon Steriti showcasing DNR’s heavy-duty trash bags.

“DNR benefits from the efforts of volunteers in many ways. They help out with our forest watch program, are our eyes and ears out in our forests, and also help out in recreation. It’s essential to have the public involved because they and many other groups across the state help us maintain many of our recreation areas,” Steriti said.

In addition to helping keep Washington’s trust lands clean, volunteers can also earn a complimentary Discover Pass through their volunteer efforts. Once a volunteer accrues 24 hours or more of volunteer time on certain projects managed by DNR, State Parks or WDFW in a 12-month period, they can earn a complimentary Discover Pass. Click here to learn more.

During the event, volunteers helped clean up 200 pounds of trash in total. To learn more about volunteer opportunities with DNR, visit dnr.wa.gov/volunteer.

Volunteers gathered early in the morning on Saturday, Sept. 25, as part of a joint DNR and Keep Nature Wild cleanup at Dougan Falls in Washougal, close to DNR’s Dougan Creek Campground and the Yacolt Burn State Forest.

“Dougan Falls is one of our very, very popular sites in the Pacific Cascade Region, with people going down by the waterfalls,” Pacific Cascade Region Recreation Manager Sharon Steriti said. “But, as DNR, we can’t maintain it all ourselves.”

Dougan Falls in Washougal, Washington.

The assembled group cleaned up trash of all sizes, ranging from cigarette butts to shoes, diapers and bottles.

When Keep Nature Wild, an outdoor clothing brand that cleans up two pounds of trash for every item purchased, reached out to DNR to set up a cleanup, Steriti could not have been more excited to welcome the help.

“I thought it was a really good opportunity to incorporate another partnership, get some people out here, and focus on picking up some of the micro-trash that people leave,” Steriti said.

Two volunteers and their dog cleaning up trailside trash.

Micro-trash refers to small pieces of garbage that enter the environment, such as cigarette butts, bottle caps, broken glass and other small pieces of plastic. While one piece may not seem to do much, micro-trash can have significant environmental impact when it accumulates.

Steriti explained that while most people don’t mean to litter, trash that enters the Washougal River can work its way into the Columbia River, and then the ocean and the fish we eat. When you help pick up micro-trash, you can help prevent this from happening.

Pacific Cascade Region Recreation Manager Sharon Steriti showcasing DNR’s heavy-duty trash bags.

“DNR benefits from the efforts of volunteers in many ways. They help out with our forest watch program, are our eyes and ears out in our forests, and also help out in recreation. It’s essential to have the public involved because they and many other groups across the state help us maintain many of our recreation areas,” Steriti said.

In addition to helping keep Washington’s trust lands clean, volunteers can also earn a complimentary Discover Pass through their volunteer efforts. Once a volunteer accrues 24 hours or more of volunteer time on certain projects managed by DNR, State Parks or WDFW in a 12-month period, they can earn a complimentary Discover Pass. Click here to learn more.

During the event, volunteers helped clean up 200 pounds of trash in total. To learn more about volunteer opportunities with DNR, visit dnr.wa.gov/volunteer.

Volunteers set off through the Olympic Experimental State Forest in Jefferson County as part an Earthwatch Institute group aiding Washington State Department of Natural Resources staff in forestry research.

The old-growth western hemlocks tower over a hillside in the Olympic Experimental State Forest southeast of Forks. There’s not a cloud in the sky on the beautiful summer day – not that you would be able to see one through the lush, green canopy anyway.

Gingerly descending the steep hillside, a group of 10 citizen scientists follows the footsteps of DNR forest ecologist Daniel Donato toward a research plot.

 There, they will spend the day assessing the habitat characteristics of this patch of forest as part of an ongoing experiment to determine how land management affects wildlife use in working forests.

From sociologists to software engineers, from schoolkids to senior citizens, these citizen scientists were just some of the nearly 50 people who got to explore the OESF and assist DNR scientists conducting research this summer through the environmental nonprofit Earthwatch.

Among the nearly 50 research volunteers who aided DNR this summer were a group of high school students from New York.

Evan Williams made the trek to the Olympic Peninsula from Lawrence, Kansas, seeing the weeklong experience as both an opportunity to meet new people and to get outdoors. She was initially nervous about meeting the physical requirements – clambering over downed logs, climbing down hillsides, navigating through the thick rainforest undergrowth – but she realized she could keep up and quickly came to appreciate both what she was learning and the company of the other volunteers.

“I’m learning everything from flora and fauna to history – it’s fascinating,” she said. “There’s nothing like this where I’m from and I’ve never been to this part of the nation. It’s fabulous.”

That learning opportunity is one of the most important things that OESF Research and Monitoring Manager Teodora Minkova set out to provide to the Earthwatch volunteers. Minkova, the co-principal investigator of the experiment with Donato, said she saw an opportunity to expose people to the importance of sustainable forestry – “forest management with a clear objective of environmental wellbeing and human wellbeing.”

An acoustic monitoring device sits strapped to the broken-off stump of a rotting tree.

The experiment – which uses the activity of different birds to measure how habitat quality, diversity, and function change after different types of forest management – is a part of the 20,000-acre T3 Watershed Experiment in the OESF that DNR and University of Washington researchers are undertaking to examine new methods for sustainable forestry.

“Forestry isn’t about cutting every tree and leaving a moonscape, and it is not about leaving every tree. There are many ways to manage a forest, and many people do not know that there is a middle ground,” Minkova said. “I wanted to show people that DNR is doing an array of activities just in our standard forest management practices – and we’re experimenting with even more novel ideas.”

A volunteer measures the diameter of a downed tree as part of DNR’s research measuring habitat use in the Olympic Experimental State Forest.

The volunteers took on several tasks in the field throughout the summer, performing habitat surveys to measure forest characteristics such as tree diameter and ground cover, as well as installing and retrieving audio recording units that allow researchers to determine what birds used the forest when people were not present.

The immersive experience went beyond the days of fieldwork, with staff and guest lecturers from the Makah Tribe and the University of Washington educating the volunteers about how forestry and ecology fit within the human geography of the Olympic Peninsula.

For Rohit Kothur of New York, he was drawn to Earthwatch after reading about the nonprofit in a memoir a friend had given him for Christmas.

Rohit Kothur came from New York to participate in the weeklong volunteer experience in the Olympic Experimental State Forest.

“In one of the chapters, she described an Earthwatch project she did in Australia where she was basically tracking emus and I thought that sounded awesome, so I found the organization, looked around for projects, and this was the coolest one that I saw that was available,” he said.

Kothur quickly took to learning about the experiment and appreciated the guidance of Donato and field supervisors Lauren Kuehne and Laura Giannone. But spending a week in and around Forks also afforded the Queens resident an in-depth opportunity to learn about the contentious legacy of forestry and conservation throughout the Pacific Northwest.

“I actually didn’t know anything about any of the timber wars stuff – it was kind of before my time – so coming out here and learning about all this stuff and how it affected the people around here and the people’s attitudes toward preservationists and the owl and the preservationists’ attitude toward the logging industry, it’s super fascinating,” Kothur said. “It’s just really cool just seeing this side of the country, this very small – I mean, it’s not small, it’s huge – this huge part of the culture that I wasn’t exposed to before.”

Where Kothur had a surprise sociology lesson, Irene Fiala volunteered so that she could learn about things outside the field. The Ashtabula, Ohio, resident is a sociology professor when she’s not traveling the world, and she, too, had never been to the Olympic Peninsula.

“This is like heaven,” Fiala said.

For Fiala, the weeklong expedition was a “really enlightening experience” – in part from the diverse group of participants being brought together through common interests, and also because of the opportunity to help science better the world around us.

“I teach a course called ‘Animals and Society.’ We focus on the animal side of it and we talk a little bit about conservation versus preservation, but to actually be here and to see how the forests are being managed and what kind of research is going on has for me both professionally and personally been something I find very valuable,” Fiala said.

A pair of volunteers measure the diameter of a large western redcedar.

For many of the volunteers, the experiment was an opportunity to explore a part of the world they had never visited before, even if it meant the occasional slog across hills thick with head-high hemlock understories.

But for Jeannette Franks, the Olympic rainforests have been a part of her life forever.

The Bainbridge Island resident has volunteered with Earthwatch regularly since 1996, the first time as a present to celebrate the completion of her doctoral degree. But this tour provided her with a unique opportunity to learn more about how the public lands in her own backyard are managed.

“I’ve been all over the world doing Earthwatch or other service projects, and this was the first time it was really in my neighborhood – it was like, ‘Yes, of course I’ll do that,’” Franks said. “I didn’t have to get on an airplane during COVID, which was also a bonus, and I love the Olympic rainforests, which I’ve been coming to since I was a child, so it just seemed like a good combination of components.”

The gratification that the volunteers found in the Olympic Experimental State Forest is one Minkova shared in organizing the experience – one of the few Earthwatch projects able to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic – and she specifically noted the volunteers’ generosity, determination, curiosity, and passion for a common cause in donating nearly 1,800 hours of their time.

“It was challenging – it was a lot of work for the project staff,” Minkova said. “However, it turned out to be quite rewarding seeing the lightbulbs that go off with the volunteers as they go through the forest and learn what we do and why.”

Volunteers set off through the Olympic Experimental State Forest in Jefferson County as part an Earthwatch Institute group aiding Washington State Department of Natural Resources staff in forestry research.

 There, they will spend the day assessing the habitat characteristics of this patch of forest as part of an ongoing experiment to determine how land management affects wildlife use in working forests.

From sociologists to software engineers, from schoolkids to senior citizens, these citizen scientists were just some of the nearly 50 people who got to explore the OESF and assist DNR scientists conducting research this summer through the environmental nonprofit Earthwatch.

Among the nearly 50 research volunteers who aided DNR this summer were a group of high school students from New York.

Evan Williams made the trek to the Olympic Peninsula from Lawrence, Kansas, seeing the weeklong experience as both an opportunity to meet new people and to get outdoors. She was initially nervous about meeting the physical requirements – clambering over downed logs, climbing down hillsides, navigating through the thick rainforest undergrowth – but she realized she could keep up and quickly came to appreciate both what she was learning and the company of the other volunteers.

“I’m learning everything from flora and fauna to history – it’s fascinating,” she said. “There’s nothing like this where I’m from and I’ve never been to this part of the nation. It’s fabulous.”

That learning opportunity is one of the most important things that OESF Research and Monitoring Manager Teodora Minkova set out to provide to the Earthwatch volunteers. Minkova, the co-principal investigator of the experiment with Donato, said she saw an opportunity to expose people to the importance of sustainable forestry – “forest management with a clear objective of environmental wellbeing and human wellbeing.”

An acoustic monitoring device sits strapped to the broken-off stump of a rotting tree.

The experiment – which uses the activity of different birds to measure how habitat quality, diversity, and function change after different types of forest management – is a part of the 20,000-acre T3 Watershed Experiment in the OESF that DNR and University of Washington researchers are undertaking to examine new methods for sustainable forestry.

“Forestry isn’t about cutting every tree and leaving a moonscape, and it is not about leaving every tree. There are many ways to manage a forest, and many people do not know that there is a middle ground,” Minkova said. “I wanted to show people that DNR is doing an array of activities just in our standard forest management practices – and we’re experimenting with even more novel ideas.”

A volunteer measures the diameter of a downed tree as part of DNR’s research measuring habitat use in the Olympic Experimental State Forest.

The volunteers took on several tasks in the field throughout the summer, performing habitat surveys to measure forest characteristics such as tree diameter and ground cover, as well as installing and retrieving audio recording units that allow researchers to determine what birds used the forest when people were not present.

The immersive experience went beyond the days of fieldwork, with staff and guest lecturers from the Makah Tribe and the University of Washington educating the volunteers about how forestry and ecology fit within the human geography of the Olympic Peninsula.

For Rohit Kothur of New York, he was drawn to Earthwatch after reading about the nonprofit in a memoir a friend had given him for Christmas.

Rohit Kothur came from New York to participate in the weeklong volunteer experience in the Olympic Experimental State Forest.

“In one of the chapters, she described an Earthwatch project she did in Australia where she was basically tracking emus and I thought that sounded awesome, so I found the organization, looked around for projects, and this was the coolest one that I saw that was available,” he said.

Kothur quickly took to learning about the experiment and appreciated the guidance of Donato and field supervisors Lauren Kuehne and Laura Giannone. But spending a week in and around Forks also afforded the Queens resident an in-depth opportunity to learn about the contentious legacy of forestry and conservation throughout the Pacific Northwest.

“I actually didn’t know anything about any of the timber wars stuff – it was kind of before my time – so coming out here and learning about all this stuff and how it affected the people around here and the people’s attitudes toward preservationists and the owl and the preservationists’ attitude toward the logging industry, it’s super fascinating,” Kothur said. “It’s just really cool just seeing this side of the country, this very small – I mean, it’s not small, it’s huge – this huge part of the culture that I wasn’t exposed to before.”

Where Kothur had a surprise sociology lesson, Irene Fiala volunteered so that she could learn about things outside the field. The Ashtabula, Ohio, resident is a sociology professor when she’s not traveling the world, and she, too, had never been to the Olympic Peninsula.

“This is like heaven,” Fiala said.

For Fiala, the weeklong expedition was a “really enlightening experience” – in part from the diverse group of participants being brought together through common interests, and also because of the opportunity to help science better the world around us.

“I teach a course called ‘Animals and Society.’ We focus on the animal side of it and we talk a little bit about conservation versus preservation, but to actually be here and to see how the forests are being managed and what kind of research is going on has for me both professionally and personally been something I find very valuable,” Fiala said.

A pair of volunteers measure the diameter of a large western redcedar.

For many of the volunteers, the experiment was an opportunity to explore a part of the world they had never visited before, even if it meant the occasional slog across hills thick with head-high hemlock understories.

But for Jeannette Franks, the Olympic rainforests have been a part of her life forever.

The Bainbridge Island resident has volunteered with Earthwatch regularly since 1996, the first time as a present to celebrate the completion of her doctoral degree. But this tour provided her with a unique opportunity to learn more about how the public lands in her own backyard are managed.

“I’ve been all over the world doing Earthwatch or other service projects, and this was the first time it was really in my neighborhood – it was like, ‘Yes, of course I’ll do that,’” Franks said. “I didn’t have to get on an airplane during COVID, which was also a bonus, and I love the Olympic rainforests, which I’ve been coming to since I was a child, so it just seemed like a good combination of components.”

The gratification that the volunteers found in the Olympic Experimental State Forest is one Minkova shared in organizing the experience – one of the few Earthwatch projects able to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic – and she specifically noted the volunteers’ generosity, determination, curiosity, and passion for a common cause in donating nearly 1,800 hours of their time.

“It was challenging – it was a lot of work for the project staff,” Minkova said. “However, it turned out to be quite rewarding seeing the lightbulbs that go off with the volunteers as they go through the forest and learn what we do and why.”

Applications are now open for fire districts 

2021 Calendar

October 1 – Application process opens for districts to apply for surplus engines.

October 31 – Application window closes and selections are made.

November 15 – DNR will begin to notify districts of the results.

DNR will surplus 10 fire engines as well as four fire decks to eligible Washington Fire Districts this year. RCW 76.04.135(4) authorizes DNR to transfer ownership of surplus DNR engines to Fire Districts in wildfire prone areas. These Districts need to have a median income level below the state average. Interested Districts can submit a request for an engine by completing the “Surplus Engine Request Form.” Requests must be received by DNR no later than October 31, 2021.

View the PowerPoint with photos and more information on each fire engine. Districts can view the engines in person October 1 through the 29 (Mon-Fri) at the DNR Compound located at 801 88th Avenue SE, Tumwater, WA. To schedule a viewing of engines, please contact Nick Cronquist DNR Fire District Assistance at 360-480-2700. 

DNR will consider the following when prioritizing applications for engines:

• Wildfire Prone Area
• Mutual aid response agreements with DNR
• Volunteer firefighter membership           
• District Budget
• Average Annual Wildfire Responses
• Districts that have not received an engine in the last 3 years are first priority. *Decks are excluded*
• Additional criteria may also be utilized

Requests must be received no later than October 31, 2021 and DNR will begin to notify districts of the results as soon as November 15, 2021.

NOTE: All surplus fire engines are offered “AS IS.” DNR makes no warranty of condition or operability. Fire districts are encouraged to complete their own due diligence to determine vehicle condition and operability, including tanks, pumps, and other vehicle accessories during the application window.

Questions regarding the transfer process should be directed to DNR Fire District Assistance at 360-902-1300.

Applications are now open for fire districts 

2021 Calendar

October 1 – Application process opens for districts to apply for surplus engines.

October 31 – Application window closes and selections are made.

November 15 – DNR will begin to notify districts of the results.

DNR will surplus 10 fire engines as well as four fire decks to eligible Washington Fire Districts this year. RCW 76.04.135(4) authorizes DNR to transfer ownership of surplus DNR engines to Fire Districts in wildfire prone areas. These Districts need to have a median income level below the state average. Interested Districts can submit a request for an engine by completing the “Surplus Engine Request Form.” Requests must be received by DNR no later than October 31, 2021.

View the PowerPoint with photos and more information on each fire engine. Districts can view the engines in person October 1 through the 29 (Mon-Fri) at the DNR Compound located at 801 88th Avenue SE, Tumwater, WA. To schedule a viewing of engines, please contact Nick Cronquist DNR Fire District Assistance at 360-480-2700. 

DNR will consider the following when prioritizing applications for engines:

• Wildfire Prone Area
• Mutual aid response agreements with DNR
• Volunteer firefighter membership           
• District Budget
• Average Annual Wildfire Responses
• Districts that have not received an engine in the last 3 years are first priority. *Decks are excluded*
• Additional criteria may also be utilized

Requests must be received no later than October 31, 2021 and DNR will begin to notify districts of the results as soon as November 15, 2021.

NOTE: All surplus fire engines are offered “AS IS.” DNR makes no warranty of condition or operability. Fire districts are encouraged to complete their own due diligence to determine vehicle condition and operability, including tanks, pumps, and other vehicle accessories during the application window.

Questions regarding the transfer process should be directed to DNR Fire District Assistance at 360-902-1300.