Orca Conservancy Calls For Legislative Action

Orca Conservancy Calls For Legislative Action

by | Jul 29, 2020 | General, News

Seattle WA.  Orca Conservancy is calling for legislative action in the wake of an incident in mid-July in which thirty boaters surrounded and harassed a pod of orcas in the Tacoma Narrows. “This level of this harassment is unacceptable and is why Orca Conservancy believes more actions need to be taken around vessel enforcement/regulations, and most importantly, education,” explained Orca Conservancy leaders. They’re urging the that when people are registering their boats they’re given more information on the marine life and what the be-whale-wise guidelines. Orca Conservancy urges its supporters, “reach out to your local representatives to demand more funding be put into place —  not only to educate new boaters but to give our enforcement agencies additional manpower on the water.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Be Whale Wise webpage advises boaters and paddlers on marine laws and best practices for protecting marine wildlife.  According to be-whale-wise guidelines, and Washington state law, boats must stay 300 yards from orcas on either side and 400 yards in front of and behind the whales.  Boaters involved in last week’s incident were well within 300 meters of the pod.

Both Canada and the United States have Southern Resident orcas listed as endangered. As of June 2020, only 73 orcas remain.  According to Orca Conservancy, the most critical threats facing the Southern Resident orcas of Pudget Sound are lack of food, toxins, and vessel noise, which hinders the orcas’ ability to use echolocation to forage for food. 

Transient whale approaches vessel. All images via Tamara Kelley, Orca Conservancy Board Director

Tarantino also notes that the closure of whale-watching companies due to COVID-19 may contribute to increased pressure to view killer whales.  According to Orca Conservancy, “the PWWA (Pacific Whale Watching Association) has been a leader in educating boaters and warning recreational vessels when to slow down for years. The PWWA is having a net positive effect when it comes to noise reduction, and are why go-slow zones are best when implemented properly.”

According to the PWWA’s webpage, the association’s local whale and wildlife viewing guidelines have become a model for international efforts to recover the orca whale population.  “We’ve created no-boat foraging zones, minimized underwater noise with speed limits and sonar restrictions, and created clear corridors for Southern Resident orcas to travel,” says the PWWA.

 

From Orca Conservancy:

Orca Conservancy is committed to the recovery of the Southern Resident killer whale population and protecting the wild places on which it depends.  Since 1996, we have worked tirelessly to recover the Southern Resident killer whale population throughout their habitat range using Science, Law, and Education.

 

 

 

The Weed Warriors Nature Stewards Still Active and Engaged

The Weed Warriors Nature Stewards Still Active and Engaged

by | Jun 28, 2020 | General, News

Burien, WA.  The Weed Warriors, Nature Stewards Program has continued to serve the King County community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  “Of course, our activities and events have changed,” says Grace Stiller, the program’s President. Volunteers with the Weed Warriors must maintain social distancing protocols, but according to Stiller, the program is still active and engaged.   

While the COVID-19 crisis has forced many organizations to close their doors, the Weed Warriors continue to do essential work in Burien’s New Start Community Garden, pictured above. The community garden includes personal patches as well as many feature gardens, and a stage that, before the COVID-19 crisis, was used for community events.  According to Stiller, the Weed Warriors’ work in the community garden is “an important part of being able to plant and harvest food for the food bank.”  “Volunteers are always needed,” says Stiller, “we always need help in the community garden, and at Mathison Park in Burien.”

Earth Day event 2019 – Students installed Native Plants in the New Start Community Garden, Edible Native Plant Section.

2018 – Produce harvested from the New Start Community Garden for the food bank.

The Weed Warriors program also partners with the National Wildlife Federation to provide the Gardens for Wildlife program.  The program includes Zoom Workshops on topics like sustainable gardening practices and controlling invasive, non-native weeds, as well as a restoration event at a community garden or park. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, this year’s restoration events will follow social distancing protocols and forgo large group interactions. According to Stiller, the National Wildlife Federation’s goal to protect wildlife complements the Weed Warriors’ mission to “protect the habitat that gives the wildlife homes.”

Kid’s Native Bird Workshop and Birdhouse Building project 2019 – Kids built their birdhouses at Seahurst Park.

Stiller co-founded the Weed Warriors in 2008 to help students meet their community service requirements, and the program has grown since then. The Weed Warriors, Nature Stewards Program provides educational workshops, habitat restoration, and community service opportunities. Stiller explains that “when people understand our relationship to nature they’ll respect and advocate for nature and advocate for policies that continue to allow for harmony with nature.”

From Weed Warriors, Nature Stewards Program:

We’re advocates for healthy habitats for both people and wildlife.  We connect kids to nature through education and the arts, empowering them to steward the earth and change the world.  Our vision is to see the world living in harmony with nature.

 

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