Environmental Science Center and Puget Soundkeeper have partnered for International Coastal Cleanup since 2018. So far, ESC has removed over 530 pounds of trash from Seahurst Beach in Burien. This year Soundkeeper is branching out, or rather, taking flight, as we join ESC for Bird Fest!
Bird Fest
Bird Fest is part of the Great Backyard Bird Count, which brings communities together in service of our avian neighbors. You don’t need to register to attend this free, family-friendly event, but registration is required to join guided bird walks. Look for Puget Soundkeeper’s booth and a pop-up cleanup opportunity.
You’d be right to associate Soundkeeper with salmon and orcas, coasts and shorelines. We often focus our efforts on trash removal and pollution prevention.
But birds connect the Puget Sound watershed in unique and incredible ways. They transfer nutrients and seeds and act as health indicators. Many of the birds in our region play a similar role on a global scale through their unbelievable migratory flyways. They’re also vulnerable to plastic trash and other forms pollution.
“ESC and PSK share similar goals: educating our community about the issues facing our shared waterways,” says Education and Stewardship Manager Aarin Wilde. “We’re excited to deepen our partnership and support their work with the Great Backyard Bird Count and Bird Fest.”
Partner Focus
ESC recently received funding through the Rose Foundation for People and the Environment, made possible in part by Puget Soundkeeper’s Clean Water Act settlements. ESC expanded its Salmon Heroes program in 2023, providing a unique opportunity for 4th- through 8th-grade students in south King County. They learned to test water quality and map key habitat characteristics at a local salmon-bearing stream near their school. The program reached almost 3,000 students!
“During Salmon Heroes, students are investigating the questions, ‘Is this a healthy watershed for salmon survival?’ and ‘How do human activities impact the watershed?’ says Environmental Science Center Executive Director Joanna Stodden. Teachers participating in the Salmon Heroes program receive training and materials to increase their confidence in outdoor education. Students and families leave the program ready to participate in local stormwater stewardship. “ESC teacher workshops provide assistance with planning and materials to execute a schoolyard stewardship project and contribute to a healthy watershed for all,” Stodden says.
Soundkeeper is incredibly proud to help support educators as they nurture the next generation of clean water stewards.
Puget Sound Bird Facts
- The Western grebe, which can be found along the entire coast of Washington in winter, breeds east of the Cascades.
- Tufted puffins breed off the Washington coast after spending the winter on the open ocean.
- Snow geese visit the Skagit Valley from Wrangel Island in the remote Russian Arctic.
- The Western tanager spends the winter in Mexico and migrates as far north as Northern Canada to breed.