Beach Watchers Program

SAN JUAN COUNTY BEACHWATCHERS

Beach Watchers program begins in March

posted 12/03/2009
Want to educate yourself about the environment and give back to the community? The Beach Watcher program may be for you. Beach Watcher volunteers receive 100 hours of training from Washington State University in the physical, biological, and cultural aspects of marine stewardship. In return trained they provide 100 hours of volunteer service back to the community through education, research and stewardship.

The program, run by WSU Extension- San Juan County, is modeled after the highly successful WSU Master Gardener Volunteer Program.

The watershed-to-marine stewardship education program's next series of classes begins March 25, 2010. Fifteen classes, Tuesdays and Thursdays ending May 13, will be held on Lopez, Orcas and San Juan islands. One class is held on Yellow Island.

WSU Beach Watchers graduates Class of 2009

posted 06/04/2009
The fourth class of San Juan County/WSU Beach Watchers graduated May 21, 2009 after attending 100 hours of classroom training and field experience about the San Juan County marine and watershed environment. Extension Director Tom Schultz and Program Coordinator Shann Weston addressed the graduating class and handed out Graduation Certificates to the new WSU Beach Watcher Volunteers.

Says Weston, "Beach Watchers is so much more than the name implies. It goes beyond the beach to the whole watershed. Many island instructors have contributed to make this experience informative and valuable as the volunteers went to sites on three islands. Now the new class of Beach Watchers will join the other classes to give back to the community with 100 and more service hours in assistance to scientists, community outreach and stewardship."

The new 2009 class of Beach Watchers included 9 members from Orcas Island, 2 from Lopez and 10 from San Juan Island.

From Orcas Island: David Schermerhorn, Sheldon Gregory, Margot Shaw, Bruce Hall, Barbara Bentley, Kim Secunda, James Lobdel, Marcia Spees, Nancy Alboucq

From San Juan Island: Cynthia Hubbard, Karen Kuster, Geneva Mottet, Zach Chan, Christine Chan, Skip Kimble, Ann Jarrell, Don Jarrell, Linda Thompson, Andrea Wieland

From Lopez Island: Susan Muckle, Charlie Behnke

For more information about the WSU Beach Watchers program, contact Program Coordinator Shann Weston at 370-7666..

WSU Beach Watchers graduates class of 2008

Photo by Ruthie Dougherty

posted 04/25/2008
The third class of San Juan County/WSU Beach Watchers graduated April 24th after attending nearly 100 hours of classroom training and field experience about the San Juan County marine and watershed environment.

The new class of Beach Watchers included 10 members from Orcas Island, two from Lopez and nine from San Juan Island. Extension Director Tom Schultz and Program Coordinator Shann Weston addressed the graduating class and handed out Graduation Certificates to the new WSU Beach Watcher Volunteers.

Says Weston, "I have been honored to coordinate Beach Watchers' Training for these special volunteers. Many instructors have contributed to make this experience informative and valuable. The Beach Watchers now have an opportunity to give back to their community with service hours."

The new 2008 WSU Beach Watcher Volunteers are:

From Orcas Island: Keston Blaustein, Ulanah McCoy, Edrie Vinson, Mairi Stagg, Andria Hagstrom Quinn Hagstrom, Cheryl Kummer Raven Sky/Dawna Zimbalist Monica Kezar, Kameko Joseph

From Lopez Island: Beveley Zapalac, Jim Patton

From San Juan Island: Rick Exstrom, Harry Dickinson, Martha Dickinson, Shirley Zyph, Shelley Alan, Craig Green, Martye Green, April Ford, Zack Williams.

For more information about the WSU Beach Watchers program, contact Program Coordinator Shann Weston at 370-7666.

WSU Beach Watchers Training to begin soon

posted 02/02/2007
WSU Extension is offering Beach Watcher training in Friday Harbor beginning Feb. 27, 2007. Learn about the natural history of the Salish Sea and the San Juan Islands. Share your knowledge and enthusiasm with others. Get involved in marine stewardship projects in your community.

For more information about Beach Watchers in San Juan County contact Rowann Tallmon, Beach Watcher Coordinator at rowannt@wsu.edu or call the WSU Extension office at 378-4414. You can also visit the Beach Watchers website www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu/sanjuan/

Creosote logs to be removed from county beaches

Story and photos by Sharon Kivisto

Robert Demar and Jacki Riley and Bongo survey Jacksons Beach.

posted 09/06/2006
Next year's Easter Egg hunt at Jacksons Beach will be much healthier for island children thanks to the county Beachwatchers and Gov. Christine Gregoire. The governor added $2 million to the Puget Sound Initiative so the Dept of Natural Resources (DNR) could expand its creosote removal program. San Juan County Beachwatchers began estimating the amount of creosote logs at Jacksons Beach last week.

"This beach is pretty full," DNR Restoration Manager Lisa Kaufman said. DNR will use the information gathered by the volunteers to determine the best method to remove the logs. Kaufman thought a barge and crane would probably be used. DNR will most likely contract out the removal in the late fall. The volunteers were inventorying the beach.

Creosote has been widely used as a wood preservative for the past 100 years. Many of the more than 300 chemicals contained in creosote are known carcinogens. The chemicals become more toxic and are more likely to leach when exposed to sunshine. Herring eggs exposed to creosote in liquid solution had a 95 percent mortality rate.

State Parks, Northwest Straits Commission and Marine Resources Committees are also involved in the comprehensive inventory and removal of cresoste and treated wood and pilings program.

Last Wednesday, (August 30, 2006) San Juan County Beachwatchers combed Jacksons Beach looking for creosote logs among the hundreds of logs on the beach. In groups of two, many accompanied by dogs, they measured logs and attached GPS markers. One large log was holding up a fort someone had built.

A creosote-treated log tagged for removal.

Steve Belluomini and Rowann Tallmon measure another creosote-treated log.

This fort is held up by a treated log.

Beach Watchers graduated Friday, April 21, 2006

Beach Watchers include (not in order): Steve Belluomini, Dennis Linden, Ginger Ridgway, Jackie Riley, David Hastings, Dick Lally, Richard Weisbrod, Phil Green, Nan Simpson, Robin Donnelly, Robert Demar, Chris Cassidy, Russell Sadler, Gayle Bodorff, and Brian Pouillon (not present).

Tom Schultz, WSU Extension Director and Rowann Tallmon, Extension Coordinator Beach Watchers Program are pictured at lower right.

posted 04/12/2006
Fifteen people became the first WSU San Juan County Beach Watchers yesterday. They completed 100 hours of training, received their certificates and badges and were ready to begin their volunteer work. Each Beach Watcher will work 100 volunteer hours participating in scientific surveys, exploring the beaches, talking with students and the public or similar activities. The Beach Watchers program promotes science-based marine stewardship through education, research, public awareness and example. More information about the program is available at www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu/

editor@sanjuanislander.com

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