For October we thoroughly enjoyed sponsoring two Doctober movies at the Pickford. This month we’ll again be lending extra hands for a local work party that aims to improve the health of our ecosystem. There are THREE agencies heading this one up, and with an emphasis on restoring orcas, why wouldn’t all of Whatcom County show up?

From the Facebook event:

Join this family-friendly event, designed for everyday people to help address the known factors that directly impact the health of our local orca whale population. Puget Sound’s Southern Resident Killer Whales are critically endangered. The single biggest threat to our local orca whales is lack of their primary food source, Salmon! 80% of the orca diet is salmon, and because of loss of habitat and increasing pollution, local salmon populations are a fraction of what they used to be. Join Whatcom Land Trust, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, and Whatcom Conservation District in improving riparian cover and enhancing salmon habitat on Nov 10th!

This ~20-acre piece of hidden paradise is located just northeast of Lake Terrell. The previously farmed property contains a mix of meadows, small wetlands, about 1/3 mile of Butler Creek, and an alder dominated forest. Join Whatcom Land Trust, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, and Whatcom Conservation District in improving riparian habitat by planting various trees along Butler Creek and protecting them from beavers and deer browse.

~~ Directions: From Bellingham, head North on Interstate 5 and take the exit for Slater Rd (Exit 260). After about 6 miles, turn right onto Lake Terrell Road. Travel about 1.5 miles, and the parking lot for Alcoa Rifle Range will be on your left hand side just after Douglas Road. NSEA will then shuttle you to the site from here.