Washington DNR

Here are links to some articles about science and the environment published elsewhere in the past week:

Green (Blog from the New York Times)
Europe’s New Wind Power Rivals Gas

Science Daily
Gulf Oil Spill: Mississippi River Hydrology May Help Reduce Oil Onshore

Scientific American
Do Green Building Standards Minimize Human Health Concerns?

Scientific American
Predictive Modeling Warns Drivers One Hour before Jams Occur

Mt. Si Natural Resource Conservation Area

Many of you are probably among the 80,000-100,000 who visit Mt. Si Natural Resource Conservation Area (NRCA) near North Bend every year.  Mt. Si is special to Puget Sound natives for its convenient location and stunning views of the Snoqualmie valley and nearby Cascades.  Hikers and rock climbers use Mt. Si to train year-round, especially in winter-time, when other Cascades hiking trails close for snow.

One of the keys to keeping Mount Si’s trails user-friendly year-round comes from a longstanding partnership between DNR and the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. The Greenway has worked to improve quality of life in the Puget Sound region for nearly 20 years through its emphasis on conserving forests, wildlife and outreach. 

This Saturday, June 19th, in celebration of Natural Areas Appreciation Day, Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust invites volunteers to sign up for trail maintenance and be treated to a tour!

Community outreach really makes a difference—earlier this month, the last phase of a major two-year, trail improvement project at Mt. Si was finished thanks to the help of the Greenway.  Volunteers contributed an inspiring 19,000 hours to make extensive repairs to 2.2 miles of existing trails, including building retaining walls, steps, and drainage to prevent erosion. Volunteers also helped build a new trail between the new Little Si parking lot and trailhead to give better access to visitors. 

DNR manages a little more than 130,000 acres of Natural Resource Conservation Area statewide. NRCAs like the one at Mt. Si help protect native ecosystems and the plant and animal species that depend on them.  They also provide opportunities for low-impact public recreation and environmental education programs.   

And that's why they call it 'Table Mountain' - a key feature at Table Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Area. Photo: Stephanie Zurenko/DNR

Governor Chris Gregoire has proclaimed June as Great Outdoors Month in Washington State and with warming weather you may want to visit state trust lands. Find out what’s open and what’s there by viewing our continuously updated list of recreation and public access opportunities for 2.2 million acres of state trust lands. 

Oh, and don’t forget that this Saturday, June 19, is Natural Areas Appreciation Day all across Washington. You are always welcome to visit any of these exquisite native ecosystems that are open to the public, but time is running short for the special tours and volunteer work parties this weekend. [The idea is that you help us do a few hours of light work to maintain a trail and one of our natural areas experts will give you a special guided tour of the site.] See if you can still sign up now. 

Table Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Area, Camas Meadows Natural Area Preserve, Mima Mounds are among the DNR-managed natural areas hosting events this Saturday. 

Washington’s tourism office also can help you locate things to do outside this summer, including festivals and other outdoor recreation opportunities.

Tommy Thompson Trestle - Photo/Anacortes Parks Foundation

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in partnership with the Anacortes Park Foundation is excited to announce the grand re-opening of the Tommy Thompson Trestle in Anacortes. After a fire burned nearly 300 feet of the half-mile trestle, the structure has gone through massive repair, clean-up and restoration over the past few months. It is now re-open for public enjoyment.

DNR assisted the project by funding the removal of more than 90 creosote pilings that were leaching toxic chemicals into the surrounding bay. The trestle is a popular public access route to recreation sites and is located within the DNR-managed Fidalgo Bay Aquatic Reserve.

Scenes from Reiter Foothills Forest work parties. Top: Volunteers strike a pose. Middle: Volunteer Scott Davidson provides his welding expertise to fix a gate. Bottom: A volunteer plants a Douglas fir seedling.

For the past nine months, scores of volunteers have pitched in at Reiter Foothills Forest to help get the area reopened for recreation. Here’s rundown on what’s been done to date:

• DNR has sponsored 12 volunteer work parties (with ongoing opportunities every first Saturday and third Sunday of each month).
• Decommissioned unauthorized trails.
• Stabilized stream banks at May, Hogarty, and Austin creeks and other tributaries and unnamed streams.
• Planted native vegetation in areas being restored.
• Installed signs and a kiosk.
• Started a forest watch patrol with trained volunteers.
• Trained volunteer crew leaders to help DNR staff with work parties.
• Helped design and lay out potential trails for motorized and non-motorized recreation, both in focus group sessions and out in the field.

It’s impressive to see the progress at Reiter Foothills Forest. We have come this far, thanks to the dedicated volunteers and user groups who show up—rain or shine—for work parties or give up their evenings to participate in focus group strategy sessions. And we’ve completed work on a recreation plan for Reiter.

As for the $64,000 question: When will Reiter reopen? Our original intent was to open sections of the existing forest roads this month. But we heard loud and clear from the recreation community that opening the roads—without the restoration and trail system completed—would not be the best approach.

In fact, a coalition of leaders and members of off-road vehicle groups and a mountain bike organization met last week with Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark to express their concerns about opening Reiter before trail systems are in place.

“We told the commissioner that opening just the forest roads would encourage and facilitate illegal use of the area and compromise the entire project,” said Neil Stamp, member of the Northwest Motorcycle Association and a Reiter forest watch volunteer. “We would like DNR to focus their resources on completing the restoration work and getting the trail systems developed before reopening the area.”

Stephen Morris, a volunteer with the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, agrees. He also attended the meeting with Commissioner Goldmark.

“There’s very little value to opening just a few miles of forest roads,” said Stephen Morris, member and advocate for the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance. “We can ride on roads anywhere. So much is at stake for doing this right the first time.”

“I really appreciate DNR’s vision and their approach to listening to all the different users about the future of Reiter Foothills,” Morris added.

So what needs to happen before Reiter will reopen? DNR will need to apply for various permits, and many of the trails must undergo site-specific review through the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) process. You can learn more about the steps to reopen Reiter Foothills Forest from a fact sheet we prepared in March.

Two Tenino High School students conduct a stream assessment for a small forest landowner. Photo: Janet Pearce/DNR.

Two Tenino High School students are part of a team effort to help improve salmon habitat in a local stream system, which runs behind their high school.

For their 2010 senior culminating project, Justin Hiatt and Jarran Harris of Tenino participated in a pilot project to evaluate the general stream and riparian health of a tributary, which flows into Scatter Creek in south Thurston County. The different types of tests the high school students performed will play a key role in providing baseline data for long-term monitoring.

Earlier, in the fall of 2009, adult salmon were observed trying unsuccessfully to get through a undersized culvert to reach spawning areas. Undersized culverts, as seen at this project site, prevent salmon from reaching natural spawning grounds and limit their life cycle. Reconnecting habitat by removing or correcting these fish passage barriers is key in restoring access to salmon habitat. What is a fish passage barrier? It’s any artificial (human-caused) structure in a stream that impedes free passage of any fish species to up and downstream habitat.

Thanks to the Washington State Society of American Foresters, the Heernett Environmental Foundation received a grant of $250 to purchase water quality testing materials for students to continue with future monitoring projects. Chanele Holbrook, with the foundation, has been instrumental in getting students out to the site, teaching them how to perform the tests, and record the data from the water quality samples.

Justin and Jarran visited the site several times throughout the spring quarter to assess and perform tests to document the baseline data for water quality of the stream. Some of the tests performed were for: dissolved oxygen, temperature, nitrates, phosphates, and turbidity. Amazingly enough, what they found was a fairly healthy tributary with very low nitrates and phosphorus.

Overall, the high school students learned about the importance of proper fish habitat, and the essential role managed forest riparian areas play in enhancing, protecting, and aiding in the recovery of salmon species. This project is a great example of high school students applying the science skills they learned in school to real world activities in natural resources.

Later in the fall of 2010 Tenino Elementary School students will participate in planting native trees within the newly re-established riparian area, further promoting the recovery of a sustainable healthy salmon habitat.

Administered through DNR’s Small Forest Landowners Office, the Family Forest Fish Passage Program is a cost-sharing program that helps small forest landowners correct fish barriers on their property. The program provides 75 to 100 percent of the cost of correcting a barrier; it also provides technical assistance.

DNR Law Enforcement Service officers patrol forest roads and trails on state trust land to protect the public and their lands. Photo: DNR

Sometimes, a little web surfing pays off. Law enforcement officers are finding sites like YouTube and Facebook can provide useful leads. KUOW News interviewed DNR’s Law Enforcement Chief Larry Raedel about using social media to police outdoor crimes, such vandalism on state trust land.

View a transcript of Chief Raedel’s interview on KUOW.

Volunteers of all ages clear invasive species from Mima Mounds to create habitat for native plants. Photo: Nancy Charbonneau/DNR

The day-to-day eyes and ears at Mima Mounds are Cliff Snyder and Barry Bidwell — volunteer site stewards at this DNR-managed area. At Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve (NAP), one of South Puget Sound’s largest and most well-preserved prairies, they devote their time to a range of duties: from checking site conditions, to mapping and controlling weeds, to monitoring butterfly species for data collection. Importantly, Cliff and Barry also help tell visitors the story of the prairie ecology here, and the curious and mysterious history of the mounds. 

This Saturday, June 19, spend a day outside with Cliff and Barry as a volunteer on Natural Areas Appreciation Day! The beginning of June is one of the peak seasons to view colorful prairie flowers and butterfly species, so don’t miss this opportunity to see Mima Mounds at its most beautiful time! Call to sign up today.

You will find what so many others have found… that Cliff and Barry’s work is deeply valuable to the Washingtonians who visit and experience Mima Mounds every year. And equally valuable is the impact their volunteering has on supporting the continued protection of prairie habitat. Throughout their time at Mima Mounds, they have helped establish native plants by removing invasive species, and provide habitat for animals, including nesting prairie birds.

Mima Mounds NAP is one of the 53 preserves and other areas that are part of more than 130,000 acres of state-owned land conserved forever and managed by DNR’s Natural Areas Program.

Volunteers install a new kiosk at the Les Hilde Trailhead near Hamilton at a National Trails Day work party. Photo: Chuck Turley/DNR

Last Saturday, in the week following the official June 5 National Trails Day, several DNR staff, 43 volunteers, and 15 horses celebrated with their own work party and trail ride at the Les Hilde trailhead and trails near Hamilton in Skagit County. Several chapters of the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) donated funds for a new kiosk, which the volunteers helped install.

Volunteers at the event also replaced old highline posts, and cleared and brushed four miles of trail. One volunteer provided a tractor and a small excavator to help with the kiosk and post installations. The BCHW chapter members made sure the volunteers were well fed: coffee and muffins in the morning and a barbecue lunch in the afternoon. The kiosk was built by inmates at the Cedar Creek Corrections Center.

Thanks to all the volunteers who put in a good day’s work, and a special thanks to the participating BCHW chapters: Cascade Horse Club, Skagit, Traildusters, and Whatcom.

The Les Hilde trail system is part of the 18,600-acre Harry Osborne State Forest, managed by DNR for natural resources revenue to state trust beneficiaries (such as public school construction), wildlife habitat and public recreation. The trail system there is popular with horseback riders and hikers. 

A view of the Columbia River from the trail just east of Table Mountain in southwest Washington State. Photo: Stephanie Zurenko/DNR.

This week volunteers will eagerly sign up (we hope), and this Saturday, June 19, these hearty souls will don hiking and outdoor working gear, bring their ‘canteens,’ and join DNR and our partners in cleaning up and readying trails on Table Mountain. The 8-mile round trip has some very steep and rocky sections, but the Natural Resources Conservation Area’s two peaks provide spectacular views of Mount Adams, Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge.

Saturday, June 19, 2010, is Natural Areas Appreciation Day.

Located within the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area, this 2,837-acre area has generally undisturbed dry and wetland forests, mountain meadows, and rare plant populations. Two types of old growth forests appear — noble fir on the slopes of Table Mountain and old growth cedar in a wetland mosaic in Greenleaf Basin. 

A large, fine population of Howell’s daisy, a Columbia Gorge species, is found on Table Mountain. This habitat is enjoyed by mountain lion, bear, and deer, to osprey, bald eagles and peregrine falcons. The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the western portion of the area. Beacon Rock State Park corners the NRCA on the southwest.

This fairly strenuous hike will start at Bonneville Hot Springs and volunteers and staff will do some trail clearing and other light trail work along the way. But, what better way to appreciate some of the most exquisite native ecosystems in Washington State than to improve a trail, and join in the comradely effort. The bonus is that volunteers will learn about rare plant communities on balds, and rare plant and animal species.

Call now and sign up today… for Natural Areas Appreciation Day.

Find out more about the many natural areas managed by DNR.

A guided tour of Camas Meadows Natural Area Preserve will follow a work party for volunteers this Saturday at the site in north-central Washington.

The namesake for “Camasland ” is the beautiful blue camas plant that burst into bloom throughout the meadow at the Camas Meadows Natural Area Preserve (NAP) from late May through early-mid June. 

The shallow basin and large, flat grassy floor of the Preserve, located in the Wenatchee Mountains of north-central Washington, is dotted with aspen groves and surrounded by a mixed ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forest. The NAP contains most of the world’s population of the Wenatchee Mountains checkermallow and almost half of the Wenatchee larkspur. It’s also home to a variety of wildlife species including elk and mountain lion. Birds such as the red-headed golden Western tanager nest and feed in the various habitats within the preserve. 

On Natural Areas Appreciation Day June 19, volunteers will be treated to the preserve in full spring bloom, as they are led into the Camas Meadows preserve to help keep the habitat in good condition by helping DNR pull out competing tree starts and do other hands-on care for this site. Come, sign up and join in the fun of helping to sustain part of the state’s valuable natural heritage.

 In the 1980s, the discovery of the camas and other plants common in the area: the Wenatchee Mountains checker-mallow (Sidalcea oreganavar. calva) and the Wenatchee larkspur (Delphinium viridescens) led The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to seek protection for the lush meadow just ten miles north of Blewett Pass. The state DNR’s Natural Areas Program acquired the site from TNC in 1989. Today, more than 1,300 acres are protected at Camas Meadows NAP. 

Here’s how to sign up for the Camas Meadows workparty and wildflower walk

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is responsible for more than 2.6 million acres of aquatic lands, lands that are submerged under Puget Sound, and lands of navigable lakes and rivers. As land steward, DNR manages and protects aquatic resources to benefit the people of Washington by providing sustainable opportunities to generate revenue while protecting fish and wildlife.

In order to balance public benefits of state-owned aquatic lands, DNR established the Aquatic Reserves Program, which promotes the protection of important native ecosystems and aquatic habitats. Currently, DNR has four designated aquatic reserves and three more that have been selected for protection.

Cherry Point, an aquatic reserve that was designated for protection in 2000, is currently undergoing the final steps of public comment before the  management plan for the area is finalized. Cherry Point hosts a robust aquatic ecosystem that houses one of the largest herring spawning grounds in Puget Sound. The site is also home to migratory salmon, birds and orca whales – species that thrive on the abundance of pacific herring in the area.

The Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve Management Plan recognizes the importance of keeping these species and landscapes healthy, which is why specific research and monitoring goals have been incorporated into the plan.

Currently, two oil refineries and one aluminum smelter are inland from the reserve and have docks that operate on the shoreline – which have been noted as a potential risk to the health of the aquatic habitats that thrive at Cherry Point. As of late, the herring population at Cherry Point has hit a decline and has been cause for concern.

When finalized, the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve Management Plan will recommend modifications to future industrial uses that are at the site. These modifications are established to help keep the aquatic ecosystem strong, as well as help current site lessees make their uses more sustainable.

Plywood is among the many softwood products from Washington's forests that are produced in the state's 125 sawmills. Photo: DNR

The gross revenue of Washington’s lumber mills in 2008 was $5.4 billion. To put that number in comparison, it was nearly $2 billion more than the total basketball-related revenue of all 30 NBA teams during the 2007-2008 season.

OK, throw in media contracts and the NBA does gets more annual revenue, but do the basketball barons directly employ 30,000 people as does the Washington wood products industry?

Since most basketball floors are made of hardwood — frequently maple – Washington’s vast softwood forests do not supply many basketball floors (though the benches for the backup players are pine!). We also know that Washington State is the nation’s second largest producer of softwood products after Oregon. Washington’s 16.2 million acres (out of a total of 23 million forested acres) managed as commercial forests primarily grow softwood.

You’ll find these and other facts in the Washington State Mill Survey produced every two years. Download a free copy of our Mill Survey to learn more about the value of primary wood products (veneer & plywood, pulp, shake & shingle, export, post-pole-piling and chips) from our state’s mills.

From left to right: Jeff Chapman, Louise Caywood, and Jane Byram of the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington receive the Environmental and Wildlife Compatibility Award from Derrick Crandall, President of the American Recreation Coalition.

DNR congratulates the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington (BCHW). Earlier this week, the organization received the Environmental and Wildlife Compatibility Award for BCHW’s participation in the Leave No Trace program. The award was one of nine achievement awards presented by the Coalition for Recreational Trails and the American Recreation Coalition Award Ceremony on June 8 in Washington, D.C.

The awards recognize the outstanding use of Recreation Trails Program (RTP) funds.

Members of BCHW chapters all across Washington spend thousands of hours each year volunteering on DNR-managed lands. They maintain trails, repair facilities, and perform numerous important tasks to help keep DNR recreation areas open for equestrian, wheeled, and two-footed use.

Time and again, BCHW has demonstrated leadership in educating about the principles of Leave No Trace. DNR is proud to have them as a partner in recreation!

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly as a candidate for the endangered species list.

The Scatter Creek Wildlife Area includes a colony of the increasingly endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly. Located in southern Thurston County, the restoration of this prairieland is getting a boost from the U.S. Army.

What is the Army’s role in enhancing habitat for wildlife?

The Northwest Guardian, the official newspaper for Joint Base Lewis-McChord, reports recently on the unique partnership between the Army and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, Wolf Haven International and DNR to protect endangered species that require pristine prairie land. The Joint Base includes about two-thirds of the prairie still left in its natural state in the south Puget Lowlands.

The Army Compatible Use Buffer Program (ACUB) creates land conservation partnerships to protect land from development that would be incompatible with the military’s mission. Partners in the ACUB at Ft. Lewis have been acquiring privately owned parcels of native prairie around the Joint Base, including at Scatter Creek, to aid the recovery of various species and prevent federal training restrictions on the prairieland at Fort Lewis.

DNR manages the state’s natural heritage program which tracks priority species including the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly. 

Photo: DNR

Despite a cool and damp spring, the prospects are for a normal summer across much of Washington State (starting any day now, we hope!). That means seasonably dry and warm weather is ahead and with it will the summer fire season. Follow the news about wildfires that could affect you, your neighbors, your property or your vacation plans with these resources from DNR…

DNR Fire Updates are daily updates posted by noon, but more frequently on days with high fire activity or rapidly changing weather. You’ll find out each significant fire incident’s name, location, estimated acres burned, road closures, evacuations, agencies working with DNR on the fire and other facts.

@wadnr_fire (http://twitter.com/waDNR_fire). We’ve established a new Twitter feed just for fire news so you can follow incidents on your desktop, laptop, mobile device, iPhone, iTouch, iPad, Google Android device, etc., etc., etc.

Additional sources of fire-related information:

• The National Interagency Fire Center
• The National Incident Information System (InciWeb) to view major wildfire incidents by state
• Local conditions and restrictions — or call 800-323-BURN (2876)

Volunteers repair winter storm damage to a section of the Little River Trail in the Olympic Peninsula. Photo: Sally Coates, Peninsula Chapter of the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington.

On Monday, we reported on the National Trails Day® event at Tiger Mountain. Volunteers also came out last Saturday, June 5, to several other DNR recreation areas to celebrate and help.

East of Tiger Mountain, across I-5, a handful of volunteers from the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust and Washington Conservation Corps built 10 feet of rock turnpike about a mile from the Little Si Trailhead in the Mount Si Natural Resources Conservation Area. They also collected and moved huge rocks for use in future work party events to continue work on this section of turnpike. 

North of White Salmon, 45 volunteers showed up on Saturday to work on the Buck Creek Trail System, a popular area for non-motorized recreation. In what’s now being called “the Buck Creek Blitz” of 2010, volunteers from the Northwest Trail Alliance (NWTA), Columbia Area Mountain Biking Advocates, and DNR staff helped open a new section of trail out of Buck Creek Trailhead 2. (The previous Wednesday, 48 volunteers from the Northwest Service Academy spent the day getting the project off to a good start.) In another part of the trail system, volunteers from the Mt. Adams Chapter of the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington worked to clear and brush a section of the Whistling Ridge trail. 

Special thanks to Ted Dodd of NWTA for his leadership in organizing this highly successful event.

In Capitol State Forest, south of Olympia, 40 volunteers rerouted ¼ mile of trail, fixed drainage problems, and moved 11 yards of gravel to repair ½ mile of trail. Kudos to individuals and volunteers from Friends of Capitol Forest (FOCF) and several chapters of the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington for all their hard work. In addition, volunteers from the Washington ATV Association provided equipment and person power to help move gravel for the approach to a new bridge in the area.

FOCF also prepared a delicious barbecue and did a lot of the preliminary work leading up the event. 

Coincidentally, on the same day, Capitol State Forest played host to a canoe, mountain bike, and running race. As part of the entry requirements, participants had to haul gravel and fixed a bad spot in the trail. Not a bad way to get the job done! 

On the Olympic Peninsula, just south of Port Angeles, 26 volunteers and staff from DNR and the Olympic National Park (ONP) slogged through the mud to work on a section the Little River Trail, which provides access to the ONP. The trail section had been closed to horses and pack stock since winter storms ravaged the area. Volunteers from the Peninsula Chapter of the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington, the Grey Wolves Trail Crew, and the Olympic Discovery Trail Thursday Crews provided strong backs and hearty spirits. The trail is getting close to reopening, thanks to these folks. Special thanks to Tom Mix of the Peninsula Chapter of BCHW for helping DNR staff organize the volunteers—both two- and four-footed. 

Reiter Foothills Forest in eastern Snohomish County is already the site of twice-monthly volunteer work parties. Conveniently, National Trails Day fell on the regular first-Saturday-of-the-month work party day. Volunteers from Reiter Trail Watch, Puget Sound Trailers, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, and others spent the day installing a large kiosk bulletin board along the Deer Flats Mainline Road. Volunteers also painted the gate to Deer Flats Road gate and did minor repairs on other gates. 

Thanks again to the many volunteers and user groups that devoted all or part of their day last Saturday to help make DNR-managed areas better places to play outside and in honor of National Trails Day!

Save the Date: National Public Lands Day is coming up September 25. DNR will be sponsoring events across Washington to celebrate.

A new draft recreation plan seeks to coordinate the many recreational uses in Western Yacolt Burn State Forest in southwestern Washington State. Photo: DNR

An article in the Vancouver (Wash.) Columbian last week describes how the new draft Western Yacolt Burn Forest Recreation Plan would affect this popular recreation area and how people use it. The state plan identifies several new trail locations in State Forest. 

A meeting was held last week in Vancouver to present highlights of the draft plan, talk about next steps, answer questions and describe how it would be implemented.

DNR’s primary responsibility is to manage state trust lands, like Yacolt Burn State Forest, for future generations of beneficiaires, including public school construction. DNR also works to protect the natural resources that support the trusts, so it must balance these obligations with keeping those lands open for the public to use for recreation.

Comprehensive recreation plans help DNR manage recreation at sites that get heavy recreational usage. The Western Yacolt Burn Recreation Plan is the agency’s most recent planning effort.

It’s been more than 100 years since the Yacolt Fire of 1902 that killed 38 and destroyed billions of board feet of timber, while the area was still part of a federal forest reserve.

Mountains to Sound Greenway volunteers (from left) Jordan Donahue, Chris Warwick & Gordon Savage. Photo: Aaron Toso/DNR.

DNR celebrated National Trails Day last Saturday by working with recreation user groups and other volunteers to repair trails, fix bridges, remove invasive plants and other projects across Washington State.

Over 50 volunteers from the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust came out to Tiger Mountain in eastern King County at an event co-sponsored by REI to help get trails ready for the busy summer season. Pictured (left) are three volunteers taking a break after moving heavy rocks (including one wet, mossy, slippery mini-boulder estimated at more than 300 pounds) to shore up a washed out section of a popular hiking trail. Volunteers also installed small culverts and gravel bars on several trail sections to keep them from eroding under foot traffic at this heavily used hiking destination.

The National Trails Day is an annual event of the American Hiking Society

Table Mountain NRCA has fine examples of forests, mountain meadows, and rare plants — and spectacular views of Mount Adams, Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge.

Saturday, June 19, 2010, is Natural Areas Appreciation Day.

What better way to appreciate some of the most exquisite native ecosystems in Washington State than to improve a trail, help protect it from invasive plants, and take a tour. Help us celebrate our state’s natural areas on June 19. DNR staff will also guide work party volunteers on special tours of the natural area sites.

DNR manages this small but significant system of Natural Resource Conservation Areas (NRCA) and Natural Area Preserves (NAP) − 130,000 acres − to protect native ecosystems and the plant and animal species that depend on them. Many sites also provide access for education, research and low impact public use. NAPs include 35,361 acres at 53 sites (with the highest level of protection for native species and ecosystems). NRCAs consist of 94,479 acres at 29 sites, which protect ecosystems and unique natural features and provide limited low impact public use.

Here are opportunities and contacts for more information to sign up for a volunteer work party and tour of one of these unique sites:

All events are Saturday, June 19, 2010:

Camas Meadows NAP- Work Party and Wildflower Walk

What: This work party will clear small pines to improve habitat for the federally endangered Wenatchee Mountains Checker-mallow. After the work party, DNR biologists will guide a wildflower walk in this spectacular site with large open wildflower meadows dotted with quaking aspen groves.

When: Work party: 9 a.m. to noon. Wildflower walk: 1p.m. to 3 p.m.

What to bring: Bring gloves and a tool for clearing small pines (loppers, hand saw, hatchet etc), also bring a lunch and water.

Contact: Keyna Bugner (360) 925-0906, or Tony Sachet (509) 925-0940

Table Mountain NRCA Hike

What: This fairly strenuous hike up Table Mountain starts at Bonneville Hot Springs. We’ll do some trail clearing and other light trail work along the way. The 8-mile round trip has some very steep and rocky sections, but from the top, spectacular views of the Columbia Gorge and the Bonneville Landslide are well worth the climb. Come learn about rare plant communities on balds, and rare plant and animal species. With luck, we’ll see peregrine falcons that nest on the cliffs, other wildlife and wildflowers. 

When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

What to bring: Bring sturdy hiking boots, loppers or handsaw, lunch and two quarts of water.

Contact: Carlo Abbruzzese (360) 575-5056

Mima Mounds NAP Hike

What: This short, easy 1-to-2 mile guided walk over relatively flat ground will be lead by Mima Mounds site stewards Cliff Snyder and Barry Bidwell. They will talk about some of the many theories on how these mysterious mounds were formed. They will point out wildflowers, butterflies and birds. Participants will get a full color 8-page Mima Mounds butterfly guide, and learn about efforts to protect these beautiful prairie and oak forest communities. 

When: 9 a.m. to noon

What to bring: Bring walking shoes/hiking boots, binoculars, and a lunch and water if you plan to eat lunch on one of the picnic tables after the walk.

Contact: Carlo Abbruzzese (360) 575-5056 

Mount Si NRCA 

Little Si Trailhead— Invasive Plant Removal

What: This will be an invasive plant removal project sponsored by the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust.  Volunteers will help eradicate Himalayan blackberry, scotch broom, and butterfly bush. 

When: 9 a.m. to 3p.m. (volunteers can work a half day)

What to bring: Gloves, grubby clothes and a lunch. Tools will be provided.  Information will be provided when you sign up at the website below.

Contact: Visit the Mountains to Sound Greenway website to sign up: http://mtsgreenway.org/volunteer/events. 

Mount Si NRCA 

Teneriffe Falls Trailhead – Trail work

What: This trail work party is sponsored by the Mountains-to-Sound Greenway Trust.  Volunteers will help work on trail maintenance such as installing waterbars and drainage, surfacing and repairing trail tread.  

When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (volunteers may work a half day, too)

What to bring: Gloves, grubby clothes and a lunch…and some water. Tools and some water will be provided. Further information will be provided when you sign up at the website below.

Contact: Visit the Mountains to Sound Greenway website to sign up: http://mtsgreenway.org/volunteer/events.