SOUND STEWARDS DERT's Newsletter - December 2021 Go with the flow - Free the Deschutes!

Season's greetings and happy solstice from all of us at DERT! We hope that you are able to spend quality time with the people and places that you love and that the shortest days of the year are filled with light, warmth & laughter. It has been a really big year for DERT! We became an affiliate of Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, launched the South Sound Healthy Watershed Program, hired a Program Coordinator, hired a new Executive Director (who you will meet below) led an effort to form the Deschutes Watershed Council, and spent many long hours participating in the EIS process and spreading the word to our community members - And we are just getting started! We are stepping back from our volunteer activities for the month of December, reflecting on the first year of the South Sound Healthy Watershed program, and developing a work plan for 2022. As we plan for the future, we would like to receive feedback from you! DERT is a dynamic organization that is responsive to the needs of our watershed and the input of our community. We are eager to hear your ideas on future actions and activities that DERT should offer.

We are excited to welcome a new Executive Director! Meet Paige Anderson

Paige Anderson Paige Anderson is the new Executive Director taking over from DERT co-founder, Sue Patnude. Paige's education and professional work has centered largely around watershed health, water quality, and ecological restoration - all with a focus on community education and outreach. She received her undergraduate education from Western Washington University in Environmental Education and Policy, and her graduate education from the Evergreen State College in Environmental Studies and Landscape Ecology. Previously, Paige has worked for the City of Olympia Stormwater Department, City of Bellingham Parks & Rec, and owns the textile based art and supply company Ponderosa Creative. Paige enjoys sewing, tending to her houseplants, mushroom foraging, and most of all, being a wife and mother.

And a warm welcome to our new board member, Ray Willard!

Ray Willard Ray is a third generation Washington native who graduated from University of Washington who has spent his life exploring and playing in the mountains and waters of the Pacific Northwest. He and wife Leanne are longtime residents of the South Capitol Neighborhood in Olympia with three grown children currently living in other parts of the country. In professional practice Ray is one of the principal landscape architects for the Washington State Department of Transportation where he oversees the maintenance of roadsides throughout the state highway system and teaches crews to practice sustainable landscape management. He currently also serves on the Washington Invasive Species Council, the National Transportation Research Board Standing Committee on Roadside Maintenance Operations, and the Board of Directors for the Washington Vegetation Management Association.

South Sound Healthy Watershed Program

A reflection on the first year of SSHWP by Matthew Karas, Program Coordinator The mission of the South Sound Healthy Watershed Program (SSHWP) is to raise awareness of the environmental crises facing the South Sound region, inspire an environmental ethos within the community, and encourage stewardship of the land, water, and air. A fundamental goal of the program is to connect with community members and exchange knowledge regarding environmental issues and initiatives. In this regard, I feel that the first year of the program was a great success! I have been impressed with all of the expertise and wisdom contained within our volunteer group. Indeed, I often feel that I have learned as much from our volunteers as they have from me during our kayak patrols and other activities. It has truly been a joy to work with you all! We have built a robust foundation for the program and there are many opportunities for future development that are under consideration. After the first year, we are able to assess the resources needed to carry out program activities, as well as the potential impact of that activity. The SSHWP is dynamic and actively evolving. We are ever-mindful of our capacity and resources, and seek to balance these with the needs of our community and watershed. Numerous people have connected with us over the first year who are excited to partner on volunteer activities. Overtime, some of these connections recede, while other rise to the surface. Likewise, our volunteers provide many insights and ideas that help guide program development. We welcome your feedback! Do not hesitate to contact us regarding partnerships or other ways to get involved. Our January newsletter will contain a more detailed analysis of the program including a work plan for 2022. Stay tuned! Visit our Volunteer Center page to register.

Volunteer Spotlight: Robyn Coughley

Robyn Cloughley Robyn is an Evergreen graduate and, most recently, a seasonal park ranger interpreter. She is passionate about addressing climate change and supporting the dynamic Deschutes-Puget Sound environment around her. Being a DERT volunteer provides Robyn with learning opportunities and hands-on activities through which she can contribute to caring for this beautiful place. Robyn says that "volunteering for DERT feels like caring for our natural home and sharing that experience with like-minded caretakers!" Thank you for your support Robyn, and thank you to all of the volunteers who have participated in our activities this past year. We are excited to continue this work with you into the future! If you would like to volunteer in future events, please visit the Volunteer Center page on our website, or contact Matthew. Thank you!

Pollution Reporting As a community dedicated to protecting the Deschutes watershed and South Puget Sound, we must all keep an eye out for pollutant sources when out and about. We have added a new page to our website that lists contacts for reporting pollution. Read more deschutesestuary.org

Thank you to our supporters!