by Lourdes Flores, Simbiosis Consulting
More than 60 people stopped by the Port Plaza on September 20th during celebrations of Latino Conservation Week to check out the Thurston County watershed map that the City of Olympia created. Adults and children alike located their neighborhood and accurately identified their own watershed, promoting watershed stewardship.
Through a grant from Inspire Olympia through the City of Olympia, PEI assembled a team of fantastic and enthusiastic multicultural educators to promote stewardship of Budd Inlet and the Deschutes Watershed. Olympia Community Sailing, Pacific Shellfish Institute (PSI), South Sound Bird Alliance, Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and LOTT/ WET Science Center presented engaging activities for participating families to learn and steward the vibrant Deschutes watershed.
Equipped with two beautiful sailing boats and their skillful staff, the Olympia Community Sailing was able to accommodate all willing participants to explore Budd Inlet and try their skills at sailing for half an hour. While participants waited for their turn, they had the opportunity to explore Budd Inlet’s life under microscopes, guided by Pacific Shellfish Institute Research Biologist Aimee Christy and Outreach & Education Manager Mary Elizabeth Bissell.
Others used binoculars to search for elusive and not so elusive birds on shore and in the sky with Janet Delapp and other volunteers from the South Sound Bird Alliance or learned how researchers evaluate eelgrass in the watersheds with Washington DNR Clare Sobetski. Still others went on to make decorative bandanas featuring water creatures with Danika Didur-Tate, Education Programs Manager and team at WET Science Center.
All enjoyed several flavors of empanadas Colombianas, fruit and a variety of cookies in between activities, which led one participating teacher to joke, “I never thought that sailing was so hard. It made us hungry.” Others mentioned that they hadn’t realized the Deschutes is their watershed. Many are excited about the new learning and stewardship at the next event at Squaxin Park on October 4th.
Participants will be surveyed to track learning and stewardship, and you will hear more about the results in the next newsletter. Stay tuned!
