PORT ANGELES — An Earth Day cleanup of 58 miles of Strait of Juan de Fuca beach planned today and Saturday started with a photo of a plastic-filled albatross spotted by Paul Cronauer, owner of The Landing mall.
The picture was taken by professional photographer Chris Jordan and showed an albatross whose carcass was filled with a host of plastic trash.
The event — Klallam Earth Day — will run from this morning to Saturday evening, with many events taking place at The Landing mall, 115 E. Railroad Ave.
“That image just really touched me, and I decided that I needed to do something,” Cronauer said.
“So we’re going to clean up some beach and get together and celebrate our community.”
The two-day event will include the cleanup of 58 miles of beach along the Strait of Juan de Fuca — teams are still being accepted — and a fair with vendors to teach about more Earth-friendly living.
The miles of beach stretch from the Dungeness Spit to downtown Port Angeles.
In addition to the fair-like atmosphere at The Landing and the cleanup, Cronauer also is hosting a communitywide potluck dinner Saturday night to celebrate the Earth.
For more information and to see the picture that inspired the event, visit www.klallamearthday.com.
All of the events are free and open to all, Cronauer said.
The schedule is:
Today
■ 9 a.m. — Pre-registration for cleanup teams at The Center for Community Design in The Landing mall, Suite 213.
■ 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Great Port Angeles Garage Sale on first floor of The Landing mall. The sale will have live music by Luck of the Draw.
■ Noon — Arthur D. Feiro Marine Life Center and Discovery Center Open.
■ 8 p.m. — Jason Mogi and Paul Stehr-Green playing at Wine on the Waterfront. No cover fee for those wearing Earth Day badges.
Saturday
■ 8 a.m. — Headquarters open at The Center for Community Design.
■ Noon — Feiro Marine Life Center and Discovery Center open.
■ Noon — Presentations and booths open at The Landing mall.
■ 6 p.m. — Community potluck and awards presentation on main floor of The Landing mall. Food for the potluck may be dropped off anytime during the day, but no refrigeration is available. Limited number of outlets for Crock-Pots will be available.
■ 8 p.m. — Cirque de bohème in the Court Yard in front of The Landing mall.
■ 8 p.m. — SuperTrees playing at Wine on the Waterfront. No cover fee for those wearing Earth Day badges.
Land trust cleanup
As part of Klallam Earth Day, the North Olympic Land Trust will host a combined work party and conservation tour Saturday.
Participants will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Laird’s Corner parking lot on U.S. Highway 101 west of Port Angeles and will carpool to the cleanup of two beaches: Murdock Beach and Pillar Point County Park.
After the cleanup, the group will tour a recently conserved property on the Pysht River that is undergoing restoration and two neighboring properties that are in the process of being preserved.
The length of the event is not certain, but organizers hope to return to Laird’s Corner by 1 p.m.
For more information or to RSVP for carpooling, phone Lorrie Campbell, land trust stewardship manager, at 360-417-1815, ext. 4, or email lorrie@nolt.org.
Other Earth Day events
Many Earth Day events are scheduled on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Here is a list.
Birds of prey
GARDINER — Wild Birds Unlimited, 275953 U.S. Highway 101, will hold its sixth annual Earth Day Celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
The event is dedicated to local organizations that work to preserve, promote and rehabilitate local native wildlife and habitat.
Northwest Wildlife & Raptor Center founders Jaye and Gary Moore will attend with their rehabilitated birds of prey.
Bluegrass musician Cort Armstrong and friends will perform, as will the Northwest Bluegrass Band.
Sequim’s Alder Wood Bistro will serve organic fare.
Among other groups that will have booths at the event are the Dungeness River Audubon Center, BEE-I-E-I-O Apiary with native honey and a demonstration honey hive, the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee with its touch tank, the Sierra Club, Save the Frogs and the Jefferson County Water and Beach Watchers.
Donations will be collected for the Northwest Wildlife & Raptor Center.
The center is seeking donations of aquariums (in good condition), dog food, small animal-watering bottles, baby bottles to feed the baby deer, powdered goat milk, KMR, alfalfa, chain-link fencing, an enclosed trailer for the release of wildlife and, as always, financial donations.
For more information, phone 360-797-7100 or visit www.gardiner.wbu.com.
Sequim Garry oak restoration
SEQUIM —Information and an interpretive booth at the Sequim Garry oak restoration effort will be available Saturday.
The booth will be in place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. along the trail, which can be found six-tenths of a mile north on North Rhodefer Road from West Sequim Bay Road.
Retired state wildlife biologist Bill Wood is working with volunteers to restore native oaks to 20 acres northeast of Sequim.
Signs identifying the project are posted at the location.
Beginning Wednesday, volunteers will conduct field work sessions from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday.
For more information, phone Wood at 360-452-5679 or Melissa Soares at 360-681-6063.
Park cleanup
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Aramark Parks and Destinations lodges in Olympic National Park are hosting volunteer opportunities in honor of Earth Day
On Saturday, Lake Crescent Lodge’s management team will clean two miles of U.S. Highway 101 east of the lodge.
Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort’s staff will clean two miles of Highway 101 at the entrance of the Sol Duc Valley — a tradition begun 20 years ago, Aramark said in a statement.
The resort will feature educational signs that will talk about trash and recycling. The cafe will have child-friendly elements to help parents teach about recycling.
The gift store also will offer a 15 percent discount on sustainable items.
Lake Quinault Lodge is looking for volunteers Saturday to restore rainforest trails that were damaged by winter storms.
A barbecue, a T-shirt and a special $99 room rate will be offered to all volunteers. For more information, phone 360-288-2900
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
