Washington shellfish growers receive funding from the Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR) program’s Shellfish Growers Resiliency Fund, investments in new and more sustainable solutions to common aquaculture practices.
Earth Day was born out of a movement to improve the lives of people and nature, inspiring sweeping legislative action and investments. Today, federal infrastructure funding and WA Climate Commitment Act are a continuation of this movement, investments making a tangible impact locally. As an example, Washington’s historic funding of the Floodplains by Design program is contributing to nature-based floodplain management across the state to reduce flood risk, protect communities and protect salmon habitat. These state and federal dollars are just the start of local climate action that will improve the daily lives and the future of all Washingtonians.
Meet DeAnne Hamilton: Learn how the general manager of Tacoma’s KBTC Public Television and TNC in Washington trustee, uses the power of storytelling to engage people in conservation and create a better future for the next generation.
Nestled in the cliffs in Moses Coulee is an import desert water sources that every springs attracts thousands of Pacific Tree frogs. I came to Whisper Lake for a night concert. It was anything but quiet. The chorus of frogs was soothing, calming—the quintessential sound of spring.
The Cle Elum Wildlife Project is improving our understanding of how wildlife use and move through protected forest landscapes, providing us with an opportunity to test how forest management practices impact wildlife and building an evidence base for permanent protection.
On June 21st, the Sun will swell to a dramatic crescendo on the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, Summer Solstice. Across history, cultures and geography, humans have paid special attention to this annual event, holding it as a day of ritual and reverence. The Summer Solstice stands as a threshold between Spring and Summer, marking a time to savor abundance and fresh starts.
I study phenology, or the timing of seasonal biological events such as such autumn leaf death and spring budburst. The transition to spring is a particularly exciting event to witness. It’s also an incredibly complex process, involving cellular pathways and genes that are not well understood, and affected by winter temperatures, spring temperatures, and day length, among other things. The beauty apparent in observing phenology in nature and the complexity of biology underlying phenological events fascinate and ground me.
Phenology is the study of the timing of recurring biological events.
You’ve probably heard the expression “timing is everything” and, indeed, when events such as flowering or insect emergence occur can determine life or death. If a tree bursts its buds too early in the spring, for example, frost may damage or kill the new leaf tissue. If it bursts its buds very late, on the other hand, it may be at a competitive disadvantage compared to other trees that began photosynthesizing and growing earlier in the season.
