HyleBlog - Friends of the Hylebos

Wait...is this Monday?

So, I started off the morning by pouring coffee (literally) all over myself. After a change of clothes, it was off to the dentist for a filling and I spent the rest of the morning with no sensation in a good portion of my face. Feels like a Monday!

But beyond whining about my life, things are good. I'm working hard on several articles for the Hylebos Highlights and a couple of press releases.

In between writing articles, Hillary and I interviewed finalists for the Restoration Coordinator position. We're expanding the restoration program from 1 FTE to 1.5 FTE and Hillary has moved to a part-time position that will focus her talents and skills on project planning and design and fee-for-service projects. I hope to be able to introduce our new team member soon!

Strange Day...

Driving back from Sherwood Forest Elementary, I saw a landscape maintenance work (a fairly bear-size man in mustard-colored overalls) scratching his back, as a bear would, on the trunk of a sidewalk tree. I don't know for sure, but I suspect afterward he raided picnicker's baskets and got in trouble with Ranger Smith.

In Marlene's Market parking lot, a man was sitting in his idling car in a parking stall, asleep, with radio loudmouth Rush Limbaugh bloviating from the car speakers at high volume. He was still there, still asleep, when I finished lunch. Odd.

But the ray of sunshine in my lunch was when Marlene herself came over to my table "just to say hi." It's always great to see Marlene.

Forest Health in Federal Way

I recently had a chance to sit down with Federal Way's Interim City Manager (and Chief of Police) Brian Wilson to talk about forest health in the Hylebos and beyond. We've been having a conversation with city staff and council about forest health problems in Federal Way and what we can and should be doing to address those problems.

It's a big problem, but the first step to solving it is defining the problem and the solution.

VIP Visitor to the Office

Today, I was pleased to have Representative Bruce Dammeier (25th District, Milton-Edgedwood-Fife-Puyallup) stop by for a chat. I met Rep. Dammeier at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Stage 7 HOV Lane project a few months back and he had expressed an interest in learning more about the Friends of the Hylebos. I enjoyed our conversation and look forward to a future watershed tour with the boots on! Thanks for stopping by Representative Dammeier.

More Good News at the lower end of the Hylebos

I recently learned that another project in our Hylebos Creek Conservation Initiative plan has begun. A 6-acre parcel near the mouth of Hylebos Creek is being restored with off-channel habitat, wetlands and re-vegetation. I'll have more details later, but wanted to share the news that more restoration is taking place!

Also, the beaver dam is apparently not blocking fish passage (or at least not all passage), as several coho have been seen in the Spring Valley Ranch area. I still question whether the dam isn't preventing some fish and perhaps less vigorous species than the coho, from getting upstream. Stay tuned...

More Action at Lower Hylebos

Friday, I had occasion to take another site visit to Lower Hylebos. This time, I saw several fish-wakes 
upstream of the 4th Ave bridge. Standing watch, looking for lunch, was a very determined great blue heron. I got with 20 feet of the snag he was on, and while he gave me the stink-eye, he did not budge from his spot. Too much fish action happening. Unfortunately, I did not have my digital camera and had to make do with the Blackberry, so the photos are a bit poor.

After the GBH's photo shoot, I trudged upstream and found that our friend the beavers, have built themselves a dam on the mainstem of the creek!

It's a sizable structure, creatiing about 3 feet of elevation behind and generating a side channel that the little buggers have tried to dam up, as well.

This is an example of the ways in which beavers can create stream channel diversity! Now, having this on the mainstem makes me a bit nervous, as it enhances the chance of upstream flooding.

I also wonder whether it creates a passage barrier for some species of salmon. The coho wouldn't be troubled by it. Pinks and chum, however, I'm not so sure.

One of my fellow ecologists suggested that the heron and beavers may have a deal going, with the beaver pimping salmon for the heron. Crafty. Very crafty.

Fish at Lower Hylebos

I received the following fish report from a Lower Hylebos salmon watcher. Hopefully, the otters do not take too many of the salmon...and wonder whether that fin-less fish will be able to survive to get upstream to spawn. Ah, the drama of nature's ruby dance!

About 2:15, just past high tide, I saw a large school swim upstream under the bridge. I counted 53, but I know there were more. About 5 minutes later, about 35 swam downstream. In the next ten minutes I saw a group of 28 go upstream, 3 solo fish go upstream, and 2 solos swim downstream. (In between I saw a large river otter, lounging on its back, about 30 feet down from bridge. One of the larger salmon in the school of 28 had a bright pinkish-orange wound where the top of its tail should have been. Maybe otter got a bite?)

Ruby Dance 2009 Photos

I've just got our Ruby Dance 2009 photos on a Flickr photostream. If you were there, you know what fun we had. If you weren't able to join us, make sure you join us next year!

Speaking of Ruby Dance, I'm hearing reports of salmon (probably coho, but possibly some chinook) heading upstream from the Lower Hylebos! This rainy weather is sure to draw the spawners deep into the upper Hylebos.  

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Learning about Low Impact Development...The Hard Way

I often write about low impact development techniques like green roofs, and I often write about invasive plants. This is the first time that the two topics have come together in a single news story. It illustrates the importance of using clean mulch, that is devoid of invasive plant seed stock. Ooops.

And this is really neat. FW Public Schools profiles "notable graduates" and - likely after losing my student records - they've added me to the site. I'm glad the profile mentions two of the excellent teachers I had along the way. Our teachers make a huge difference in the lives of so many kids. I know I wouldn't be the person I am today without the influence of John and Betty and so many other excellent educators.

Tugging at Nature: A Video of the Hylebos

Check this out. A Video produced by Sean MacLean and Doug Brauns and shown at Ruby Dance.