 Join the North Sound Stewards volunteer program and connect with a group of people passionate about protecting the North Puget Sound. Volunteer groups led by marine scientists will observe sea stars, forage fish, intertidal species, and more to gather data that will help protect these species' habitats and longevity. Information collected through citizen science efforts provides a baseline of data that informs policy, restoration efforts, cleanups, and other important projects. Citizen scientists are integral to support important work that underfunded agencies cannot do themselves.  Intertidal Survey trainings are coming up in Whatcom and Skagit! No matter your level of experience, you can build your skills and help protect vital marine species and habitats. To participate in the surveys, you must attend one of these trainings:
 Sign up for North Sound Stewards and become a trained citizen scientist who helps contribute to scientific research for the health of the Salish Sea. Program details:
Sign up or explore our full list of citizen science volunteer opportunities! Discover what it's like to be a citizen scientist in our Clean Water Blog:Citizen scientists hit the classroom and the beach to study Puget Sound's intertidal zones (May 2017)Volunteers, scientists uncover good news during sea star surveys at Cherry Point (February 2017) Where do I volunteer?The North Sound Stewards volunteer program focuses on intertidal surveys, sea star wasting syndrome surveys, forage fish surveys, and more in the Cherry Point and Fidalgo Bay Aquatic Reserves. When you go to your local beach, take out your smartphone and log what marine debris you find. This will help NOAA assess what and where marine debris is accumulating to help better understand how we can start tackling this issue better. We’re testing the EPA protocol, which will help determine policy actions that can better manage plastics entering our waterways. Dates: variable, once per month March - October Participate in our intertidal survey trainings to learn how to identify and count plant and animal species in the intertidal zone, the area above water at low tide and under water at high tide. Then join our summer of intertidal surveys, where you'll measure plant and animal life and study the slope and sediment of beaches in Whatcom and Skagit counties. Dates: 8 surveys each summer (4 at Cherry Point, 4 at Fidalgo Bay) Pacific herring, sand lance, surf smelt, and other forage fish are key to the health of marine food webs throughout the Salish Sea. They are fuel for endangered seabirds, salmon and orcas. They are bait for fisheries and a tasty treat to many people. Join volunteers to survey beaches for forage fish spawning grounds and help contributed to data shared with state agencies and local governments. Dates: Monthly Other citizen science opportunitiesExplore our full list of citizen science opportunities. Whether your goal is to become a SUPER volunteer with the North Sound Stewards program or you can only occasionally volunteer, here are some ways to get involved:
We've reached our limit for participation in North Sound Stewards, but we encourage you to sign up to be put on the waiting list or explore our full list of citizen science volunteer opportunities! More informationContact Eleanor Hines at eleanorh@re-sources.org for more information about North Sound Stewards.  |
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