Whatcom CD October News

Thank you to all the community members who came out to California Creek in support of our Southern Resident Orcas last Saturday! October 15th was dry and beautiful for the over 65 volunteers who worked hard to plant 238 native plants and remove over 3 cubic yards of invasive blackberries along California Creek. Thank you to our partners Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association and Whatcom Land Trust, who made this day possible! Read more about this day of action on our Latest News.

However, orca recovery doesn’t stop at Orca Recovery Day. There is strength in numbers if we all contribute to orca recovery! Check out the actions you can take every day to help orcas at betterground.org.

Have you put up your temporary fences for Fall? Rains are in the forecast, and keeping your animals off saturated pastures is good for your soil, your grass, your animals, and local streams! Don’t have temporary fences? Take advantage of our small farm rebate program to get up to $200 back after you purchase some.

Join us this fall for the discovery and celebration of the salmon in Whatcom County! This event is open to all ages. To participate, all you need is to be able to take photos, create an iNaturalist account, and join the Whatcom Wildlife Tracking Project. Don’t know where to find salmon? Join us and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) at salmon sighting events across the county! Tracking salmon together allows us to understand what salmon are present and where! That knowledge helps us be better stewards of our watershed.

A Census of Agriculture is coming this November. America’s farmers and ranchers will soon have the opportunity to be represented in the nation’s only comprehensive and impartial agriculture data for every state, county and territory. USDA will mail the 2022 Census of Agriculture to millions of agriculture producers across the 50 states and Puerto Rico this fall. Collected in service to American agriculture since 1840 and now conducted every five years by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the Census of Agriculture tells the story and shows the value of U.S. agriculture. It highlights land use and ownership, producer characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures, among other topics. Changes to the 2022 questionnaire include new questions about the use of precision agriculture, hemp production, hair sheep, and updates to internet access questions.

You can report signs of flooding, pollution, and poor drainage. With winter rains on the way, flooding and pollution issues may become more apparent. Whatcom County Public Works has a form available for community members to report potential stormwater issues before they become larger problems.