The Whatcom Land Trust, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association and Whatcom Conservation District are having a Planting Party at the Kelsey Nature Reserve on Saturday, March 7th from 9am-12pm. Directions to the site will be sent once you’ve registered.
Volunteers will be planting trees in this important area. Be prepared for bending, stooping, using tools, and walking on uneven ground. Parking will be at Blaine Middle School, with a shuttle transporting volunteers to the work site.
At the south end of Drayton Harbor near Blaine, the California Creek Estuary provides critical refuge for salmon, forage fish, and migrating shorebirds. For more than five years, Whatcom Land Trust has worked to protect and restore the sensitive coastal wetlands and forests surrounding the area, helping deliver clean, clear water to Drayton Harbor. Over time, hundreds of Land Trust volunteers have removed acres of invasive species and planted native trees. Last year’s Orca Recovery Day was also held here to improve habitat for Chinook Salmon, the primary food source for Washington’s Resident Orcas. Most recently, the Land Trust removed a structurally unsound building that threatened to pollute the area and degrade the estuary’s habitat. (From the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association’s website)
