Salish Sea

  May 2022

Salish Sea Facts

Salish Sea Facts • Shoreline length, including mainland and island shores: 5,850 miles • Number of islands: about 400 • Estuarine waters: 6,874  miles • Watersheds: about 45 • Watershed land area: 124,000 miles • Fraser River freshwater contribution: 50 percent • Strait of Georgia surface area: … Continue reading

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  May 2022

Charting a Hopeful Course for Salish Sea

by Ken Brusic Second of two parts Ginny Broadhurst has a superpower. “My friends and I have a funny conversation sometimes about what’s your superpower,” she said. Her son, Ethan, maintains that a superpower is akin to what one percent … Continue reading

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  May 2022

The Oregon Coast

by Joe Meche A quick scan of the Oregon coastline, from the Columbia River to the California state line, leaves no doubt as to the potential for access to a myriad of opportunities for all recreational pursuits. The stunning beauty … Continue reading

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  May 2022

Fairhaven Needs an Updated Village Plan

by Barbara Clarke Seven years ago, my daughter and I moved to Bellingham and settled on the outskirts of Fairhaven. Some of the persuasive features were an affordable apartment, the beautifully maintained trails, Fairhaven Park nearby, the exciting daylighting of … Continue reading

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  May 2022

Wild Lawns, Home-Brewed Fertilizer, Overwintered Kale, Avoiding Neonics

by Elisabeth Marshall The news from the wider world is decidedly discouraging this spring, even as flowers brighten our gardens and frogs have begun their nightly song in the slough out in back of the house. Ukraine spring wheat planting … Continue reading

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  May 2022

Natural Climate Solutions: Maybe Not What You Think

by Stevan Harrell Technology can save us from climate change, or so goes the hope and hype in today’s media. Clean, smart grid, electric vehicles, all-electric buildings, green hydrogen, carbon capture and storage — if we just get off fossil … Continue reading

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  May 2022

The Quality of Our Drinking Water Continues to Decline

Editor’s Note: The Lake Whatcom Monitoring Project was initiated in the 1980s to measure and track long-term lake data for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity, and nutrients, including nitrogen and phosphorus. The work is performed by WWU’s Institute for … Continue reading

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  May 2022

Marine Mammal Predation Is Out of Control

by Ed Johnstone  Our tribal fishermen are being out-fished by marine mammals. When I was growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, it was rare to see a sea lion at the mouth of the Quinault or Hoh rivers. But … Continue reading

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  May 2022

Reports Show Declining Quality

Three recent reports examine the health of parts or all of the Salish Sea. • “State of the Salish Sea,” May 25, 2021 — Report by the Salish Sea Institute of Western Washington University examines the most pervasive and damaging impacts … Continue reading

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  May 2022

State Plans to Save Trees, Reduce Carbon

by Tyler Brown The Washington Department of Natural Resources is making strides to lead the country in reducing carbon emissions and slowing global warming by setting aside public land and selling carbon credits to generate money for schools, hospitals and … Continue reading

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