June is Orca Month in the Pacific Northwest. For the whole month, we celebrate one of our region’s most iconic wildlife species — and work to make sure that they will still be here in the future. Come together for a family-friendly outdoor picnic and community event to protect our Southern Resident orca whales and the Salish Sea! Join a group to walk, bike or paddle to Boulevard Park for kite building and other activities, refreshments, live music and a short program of incredible speakers.
When: June 25th, 12pm – 3pm (paddle will begin at 11am)
Where: Boulevard Park, Bellingham, 470 Bayview Dr, Bellingham, WA 98225
Increased oil transport in the Salish Sea is an unacceptable threat to our waterways, communities, and endangered Southern Resident orca population. Pipelines, oil trains, and increased tanker traffice all put our shared resources in danger. The proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion in BC would exponentially increase shipping of crude oil through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Salish Sea and risk the safety of drinking water and fisheries. Puget Sound is already one of the leading petroleum refining centers in the country, putting us at risk for a catastrophic oil spill. A large spill would devastate the marine environment and most likely push the already struggling Southern Resident orca population over the brink. Together we can say no to a dirty and dangerous future for our shared waterways.
For Paddlers:
Paddlers will congregate at three locations at 11:00am on the day of the event.
1. The Fairhaven boat launch is located off the 400 block of Harris Avenue, Bellingham. This is an official boat launch with restrooms nearby.
2. “Glass Beach” at the terminus of Cornwall Avenue (401 Cornwall Avenue), an unimproved launch, great for canoes and kayaks. Free parking along Cornwall Avenue.
3. North end of Boulevard Park, 470 Bayview Drive. This is the location of the event. Parking is very tight, but there’s a sandy beach at the north end of the park.
This event is co-hosted by Sierra Club, Washington Environmental Council, North Sound Baykeeper, and Friends of the San Juans. For updates, and to RSVP, please visit the Facebook event page.