PORT ANGELES – The health of Puget Sound and nearby waters, including the Strait of Juan de Fuca along Clallam and Jefferson counties, will be the topic of a free presentation Tuesday.
“This is a compressed presentation of whether things are getting better or getting worse,” said David Freed of the Washington State University Beach Watchers, one of the presentation’s sponsors.
John Cambalik, regional liaison with the Puget Sound Action Team, will give an illustrated presentation at 7:30 p.m. in the Raymond Carver Room of the Port Angeles Branch, North Olympic Library System, Peabody Street and Lauridsen Boulevard, said Robbie Mantooth, volunteer communications specialist for the presentation’s sponsors.
The presentation is based on the Action Team’s recently published report, “State of the Sound 2007,” which found the waters at great risk even though they may appear beautiful and healthy.
“The report charts an overall trajectory of decline, with continuing harm to the clean water, abundant habitat and intact natural processes that are the foundations of a healthy environment,” Cambalik said in a press release.
“An exploding human population and development are putting tremendous pressure on the region’s natural habitats and water quality.”
Among problems causing what Cambalik describes as a “quiet crisis” are increases in stormwater runoff coming from hard surfaces such as rooftops, roads and parking lots; alteration and loss of habitat; and pollutants in the air and water.
Although the population growth and accompanying development aren’t going away, Cambalik said a healthy Puget Sound is possible if people will make significant improvements in how they develop land, construct buildings, use natural resources and dispose of waste.
“Saving Puget Sound requires changes in our behavior, and a willingness to restrict or modify those actions that cause serious harm to the Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca,” Cambalik said.
More than dozen area organizations are helping Puget Sound Action Team sponsor Cambalik’s “State of the Sound” presentation.
They are WSU Beach Watchers, Shore Stewards of Clallam County, BuiltGreen Clallam County, Clallam Conservation District, Clallam County Marine Resource Committee, Climate Crisis Citizens Coalition, Jamestown S’Klallam tribe, Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, Western Washington University Huxley College of the Environment on the Peninsula, North Olympic Land Trust, North Peninsula Building Association, Olympic Environmental Council, Olympic Park Institute, North Olympic Salmon Coalition and Streamkeepers of Clallam County.
As regional liaison with the Action Team, Cambalik serves Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap counties and Mason County’s Hood Canal area.
Cambalik joined the Puget Sound Action Team in November 2001.
Through his liaison role, he provides technical and policy advice and assistance to local governments, tribes, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and citizen groups for the region he serves.Â
Prior to joining the Action Team, he was the salmon recovery coordinator for the North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entity.