PORT TOWNSEND — A project to restore salmon and wildlife in the Tarboo watershed will celebrate its 10th anniversary Saturday, when 200 volunteers will plant 3,000 trees at the Northwest Watershed Institute’s Tarboo Wildlife Preserve.
Volunteers from participating schools have been lined up for the Plant-a-Thon, which was postponed from its originally scheduled date of last Saturday to this weekend because of heavy rain.
“The caliber of help and the level of enthusiasm is the highest it has ever been,” said Jude Rubin, stewardship director for the Northwest Watershed Institute of Port Townsend.
The nonprofit institute coordinates the tree planting each year as part of a larger effort to restore and protect the Tarboo watershed.
“People seem to really love working on this together each year,” Rubin said.
Each of the native trees that will be planted at the Tarboo Wildlife Refuge will honor someone special, Rubin said.
Tree cards
For a small fee — $5 to $10 — anyone can sponsor a tree.
Sponsors receive a card, created this year by Port Townsend artist Jesse Joshua Watson, to send to family and friends.
The image of his acrylic painting “Infinite Moment(um)” adorns the cards.
All proceeds from tree cards provide funding for participating schools.
Through the card sales and business sponsorships, students and parents plan to raise $24,000 for the Port Townsend School District’s OCEAN program, Port Townsend High School Students for Sustainability, Chimacum Pi Program, Swan School and Jefferson Community School.
Since the Northwest Watershed Institute donates all trees, materials and staffing, all card proceeds go directly to the schools.
To purchase tree cards, go to http://tinyurl.com/PDN-schoolsforplantathon.
Thousands of trees
This Saturday’s work will bring the number of trees that have been planted to restore salmon and wildlife in the Tarboo watershed over the past decade to 33,000.
Some of the original trees planted along Old Tarboo Road tower high above the volunteers now.
“I remember coming out to plant these in third grade,” said Opal Bednark, now a Port Townsend High School senior.
“The stream and forest have changed so much.
“It is exciting to revisit this site 10 years later.”
Bednark grew up “feeling that tree planting was a normal seasonal activity, something we did every year.”
She is among the 23 other youth crew leaders who run the Plant-a-Thon event with assistance from a group of adult mentors.
It was in 2006 that Kit Pennell, lead science teacher for the Chimacum Pi Program, suggested that high school students could assist the adult crew leaders.
The program has since evolved into a training ground for young environmental leaders.
This year’s youth crew leaders are from Chimacum Pi Program, Jefferson Community School and Port Townsend High School’s Students for Sustainability Club.
Founding partner
This group runs the planting event with support and guidance from Rubin; Peter Bahls, Northwest Watershed Institute director; Pennell; and 10 adult mentors.
Among participating schools, Swan School is a founding partner.
“Swan School has participated in the Plant-a-Thon for each of the 10 years, and each and every one of those years has been incredible,” said Russ Yates, director of the school.
“Helping to restore a complete and healthy watershed has become a centerpiece of the community service component of our school as well as a focal point for our natural science curriculum.
“For us, the Plant-a-Thon and what it represents is integral to our school.
“It is one of the yearly events that our alumni remember most fondly.
“It truly is a chance for our community’s young people to learn that when working together, each individual can make a difference, that we can make the world a better place.”
