Joining in a national movement to promote backyard sanctuaries
Friday Creek Habitat Stewards is a registered community group with the National Wildlife Federation. Our goal is to promote information and education about preserving natural habitat in our county--specifically the Samish River Watershed.
While various government entities are working to clean up the Samish River, we believe all of us can play a part in preserving the natural beauty that surrounds us. The Clean Samish Initiative is an ongoing program to improve environmental practices throughout the Samish Basin in order to clean up the Samish River, Puget Sound, and the Salish Sea.
Friday Creek Habitat Stewards offer workshops, educational activities, and expertise to help members of the community develop more wildlife-friendly spaces around our homes and businesses. As it turns out, most measures that protect and encourage wildlife also protect and enhance our rivers and streams.
The impetus for the formation of our group in 2011 was two-fold.
While various government entities are working to clean up the Samish River, we believe all of us can play a part in preserving the natural beauty that surrounds us. The Clean Samish Initiative is an ongoing program to improve environmental practices throughout the Samish Basin in order to clean up the Samish River, Puget Sound, and the Salish Sea.
Friday Creek Habitat Stewards offer workshops, educational activities, and expertise to help members of the community develop more wildlife-friendly spaces around our homes and businesses. As it turns out, most measures that protect and encourage wildlife also protect and enhance our rivers and streams.
The impetus for the formation of our group in 2011 was two-fold.
- The predicted population growth in Skagit County --increase of 60 percent by 2025
- The ongoing efforts to clean the Samish River, Puget Sound and the Salish Sea
- Inspire ourselves and our neighbors to improve and preserve the native habitat around our homes, parks and businesses.
- Increase awareness of the importance the watersheds in which we live.
- Encourage native plantings and control invasive plants--focusing on our waterways
- Live in harmony with wildlife in our communities.
Certifying your backyard is fast, easy and best of all—FUN!
You need 4 elements to certify your home site as a backyard wildlife habitat with the National Wildlife Federation. Most of us lucky enough to live in this area already have these elements in our yards. All you need is one item from each of the following:
Follow this link to find more information and to register. |
Fairy Houses, Letterboxes, and
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Reclaiming Silver Creek bank at Alger Community Hall
Our first community project began in Fall 2011 with the reclaiming of Silver Creek bank at Alger Community Hall. Friday Creek Habitat Stewards met with Alger Improvement Club and decided to take action together to create a backyard habitat and ultimately improve the health of the Samish Watershed. With help from the Skagit Conservation District, the groups signed up with Skagit County's National Resource Stewardship Program (NRSP) to remove invasive species like blackberries along the banks of Silver Creek, a major tributary to Friday Creek. Then on a very rainy, Saturday, March 10, 2012, nearly 50 people teamed up to replant the stream bank with 400 native plants supplied by Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group. What a great community effort!! The native plants will improve bank stability, provide shade and cover, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, attract bird and bee pollinators, improve the overall look of the property, make maintenance easier and benefit the overall health of the Samish Watershed.
But we aren't done yet. The next phase will be the creation of a display garden for the community that will provide additional information about the fun of creating wildlife habitat in your own backyard while at the same time improving water quality. Click on the button below to see progress on our garden!!
But we aren't done yet. The next phase will be the creation of a display garden for the community that will provide additional information about the fun of creating wildlife habitat in your own backyard while at the same time improving water quality. Click on the button below to see progress on our garden!!
Clean Samish Initiative
The Samish River Watershed and therefore, Samish Bay, currently faces many challenges. Samish Bay has been closed numerous times in the past few years because of high levels of fecal coliform. These closures cost money and jobs to Samish Bay shellfish farmers as well as threatening the health and quality of life of everyone who lives in the Puget Sound and greater Salish Sea.
Identifying the source of the pollution has been a difficult task because no single source exists. Pollution comes from malfunctioning septic systems, livestock access to the rivers, streams and wetlands, pet waste and others. Skagit County has partnered with state, federal and tribal agencies as well as non-profit groups under the Clean Samish Initiative. It has been a difficult and sometimes contentious effort, but it is working. Numerous septic systems have been repaired; livestock have been fenced off from rivers, streams and wetlands; stream and river banks have been re-vegetated with native plants; port-a-potties are now available for use in recreation areas and numerous workshops and community volunteer efforts have all played an important part in cleaning up the Samish Watershed.
One thing all of us who live along this watershed have learned is that water quality begins with us in our own home. Many of us have become more aware of the impact each one of us has on the natural environment. Ultimately, it is up to us to insure that the beauty of the Samish Watershed, Puget Sound and the Salish Sea are here for the generations who follow. It is our charge.
Identifying the source of the pollution has been a difficult task because no single source exists. Pollution comes from malfunctioning septic systems, livestock access to the rivers, streams and wetlands, pet waste and others. Skagit County has partnered with state, federal and tribal agencies as well as non-profit groups under the Clean Samish Initiative. It has been a difficult and sometimes contentious effort, but it is working. Numerous septic systems have been repaired; livestock have been fenced off from rivers, streams and wetlands; stream and river banks have been re-vegetated with native plants; port-a-potties are now available for use in recreation areas and numerous workshops and community volunteer efforts have all played an important part in cleaning up the Samish Watershed.
One thing all of us who live along this watershed have learned is that water quality begins with us in our own home. Many of us have become more aware of the impact each one of us has on the natural environment. Ultimately, it is up to us to insure that the beauty of the Samish Watershed, Puget Sound and the Salish Sea are here for the generations who follow. It is our charge.