The Samish Indian Nation’s Department of Natural Resources
has been in Place since 2001. The program consists of 3 full time employees
which manage a variety of grants. In January of 2006, as part of an ongoing
strategic planning process, the Samish Tribal Council determined that it was
necessary to re-organize several Tribal environmental and natural resources
programs including the Center for the Study of Coast Salish Environments
(Center). With these changes, the Center was transitioned under the umbrella of
the Tribe’s Department of Natural Resources.
PROGRAM UPDATE:
Bank Stabilization and Beach Nourishment at Weaverling Spit
(November 2009)
Mission Statement
The Mission of the Samish Indian Nation is to use the talents, knowledge and
skills of tribal members to preserve and strengthen our culture, and to ensure
quality of life, prosperity, health, and education for all members through
progressive, diversified tribal and individual enterprises that sustain our
Nation into the future.
The mission of the Samish Indian Nation Natural Resource Department is to
preserve, protect and enhance all natural resources within the Samish historical
and cultural territory by helping integrate community values, and ecosystem
health in every decision that upholds the Tribes Sovereign right for protection
of all natural resources.
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Christine Woodward, Director
Jennifer Weeks, Technician II
GIS Specialist and Water Quality Technician
Todd Woodard,
Technician II
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Projects:
Lake Campbell Water Quality
Project,
Bureau of Reclamation Fidalgo Bay Water Quality Study, Fidalgo
Bay Contaminant study Skagit County Marine Resource Project,
Salmon
Recovery Board Juvenile Salmon Near Shore Habitat Use,
Green Power Partner Program,
Strategic Energy Project,
Invasive
Plant Removal Project, Shellfish Survey
Project, Beach Seining Project,
Weaverling Spit Plant List,
Projects partners with
Army Corp of Engineers, Thomas
Creek Restoration Project,
Feasibility
Study of the Fidalgo Bay Causeway Project,
Fidalgo Bay Watershed Assessment
Lake Campbell Water Quality
Project
In 2002 with a small
grant from the Northwest Indian Fish Commission, the Samish Tribe partnered with
Western Washington University (WWU). The objectives of this monitoring project
were to collect baseline water quality data from Lake Campbell and Lake Erie,
and document growth of macrophytes at selected sites in both lakes. It was
recommended by WWU that follow up work be continued for determining levels of
phosphorus and nitrogen issues that were found in the lake that impact plant
growth.
Once again with Funding
from the Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water 106 Grant, the Tribe is
partnering with Western Washington University for collection and analysis of
algae in Lake Campbell.
Lake Campbell was listed by the State of Washington
under Section 303(d) of the
Clean Water Act for non-attainment of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) human health criteria for total
phosphorus. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL)
for both Lake Campbell and Lake Erie were submitted by Ecology and approved by
EPA in 1997. The TMDL was very limited in data collection.
For this two-year project,
the Department will collect baseline data including dissolved oxygen, pH,
temperature and conductivity along with fecal coliform, total nitrogen
(nitrite, nitrate), Total phosphorous, Orthophosphate and phytoplankton.
Project Links:
Environmental Protection Agency Region 10, Tribal Programs:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/tribal.NSF
Washington State Department of Ecology:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/
Western Washington University:
http://www.wwu.edu/
Here is a link to Western Washington University
Water Quality Report for 2003
Bureau of
Reclamation Fidalgo Bay Water Quality Study
Fidalgo Bay covers an area of approximately 1,575
acres in Skagit County. Though some preliminary work has been completed on the
eastern shores of the Bay and on around March Point closer to the refinery
areas, little is know of water quality on the southern and western shores of the
bay. This project is focusing on those areas. Urban development causes
significant changes in patterns of stormwater flow from land into receiving
waters. Water quality in Fidalgo Bay may potentially be affected when runoff
carries sediment or other pollutants into streams, wetlands, and eventually to
the Bay. Since limited data exists to document the water quality in the Bay, it
is the plan of the Samish Nation Natural Resource Department to conduct a four
year study to collect and analyze data thus characterizing the existing
conditions of surface waters and to identify or quantify existing and/or
potential pollutant sources.
Project Links:
Link to map of Fidalgo Bay Sampling Sites
Bureau of Reclamation:
http://www.usbr.gov/
State Department of Health:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/
Fidalgo
Bay Contaminant Study Skagit County Marine Resource Project
The Samish Indian Nation has concluded a one year
study to collect and analyze water quality data to help characterize the
existing conditions of surface waters and to identify and/or quantify existing
and/or potential pollutant sources in Fidalgo Bay storm outfalls and small
creeks. This project has currently been funded for an additional 2 years.
This project was funded through the Northwest
Straights Commission, and involved testing at 17 sample sites in Fidalgo Bay,
with supplemental Marine Resource Commission funds. Metals and nutrients were
collected a total of 4 times, once per month, March thru May including one rain
event in addition to the existing sampling plan, for a total of 68 samples for
nutrients and 68 samples for metals. Pesticide sampling occurred at 3 selected
sites once a month, starting in March ending in May, and included one
rain event for a total of 12 samples for the pesticides.
To view a picture of a happy sampler
click here or
here .The crew of happy samplers
click here.
Link to
MRC 2006 Report
Project Links:
Northwest Straights Commission:
http://www.nwstraits.org
Skagit Marine Resource Committee:
http://www.skagitcounty.net/
People for Puget Sound:
http://www.pugetsound.org/
Salmon
Recovery Board Juvenile Salmon Near Shore Habitat Use
The objectives of
this study were to clarify which salmonid species utilize intertidal beaches in
San Juan County. The focus was on the north/south extent of salmon presence by
sampling nine sites from northern Waldron Island, along San Juan Channel, to
southern San Juan Island.
Work was completed by Tina Wyllie-Echeverria and
Wyllie-Echeverria Associates along with help from Samish steward Holly Hatch.
To view final report
click here
(.pdf)
Green Power Partner Program
October 25,
2004 Anacortes, WA: The Samish Indian Nation has become the first Native
American Tribe to join the EPA Green Power Partnership.
Recognizing both
the economic and environmental risks of dependence on fossil fuels and other
conventional energy sources, the Tribe is implementing a long- term sustainable
energy strategy starting with a commitment to obtain at least 10% of their
electricity from new renewable energy sources within the next year. This
commitment has been made with Puget Sound Energy (PSE) not only for the past
year but is committing to quarterly payments to the Green Power Program.
Here are some links to pictures of Tribal Council
Members Receiving Green Power Award Pic
1 Pic 2
Press Release :
Samish Indian Nation joins EPA Green Power
Partnership
Tribe recognized as first
to make renewable energy commitment
October 25, 2004 Anacortes, WA: The Samish Indian Nation has become the
first Native American Tribe to join the EPA Green Power Partnership.
Recognizing both the economic and environmental risks of dependence on fossil
fuels and other conventional energy sources, the Tribe is implementing a long
term sustainable energy strategy starting with a commitment to obtain at least
10% of their electricity from renewable energy sources within the next year.
Representing the Tribe,
Tribal Council Treasurer Dee Branson and Council members Ray Gorynski and
Secretary Chris DeKay were recognized by EPA Deputy Regional Director Julie
Hagensen on October 19 during the Better Business through Green Power
conference at Qwest field in Seattle, WA.
Supported by funding from the U.S.
Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), The Samish
Indian Nation will develop a comprehensive Strategic Energy plan to set policy
for future development on tribal land that will consist of a long-term,
integrated, systems approach to providing a framework under which the Samish
Community can use resources efficiently, create energy efficient
infrastructures, and protect and enhance quality of life. This plan will help
the Samish Nation create a healthy community that will sustain current and
future generations, by addressing economic, environmental, and social issues
while respecting the Samish Indian Nation culture and traditions.
“These cultural obligations
come from our ancestors and must be followed in the traditional ways to ensure
environmental stewardship”, said Tribal Chairman Kenneth Hansen. “In our view,
a long term commitment to economically viable renewable energy will not only
reduce our environmental impact, it will insulate our businesses and Tribal
members from escalating energy costs.”
About The Samish Indian
Nation
The Samish
Indian Nation is the successor to the large and powerful Samish Nation, whose
traditional territory stretches over a wide region of Northwest Washington.
Headquartered in Anacortes, WA the Tribe provides a wide array of human services
to members and manages several businesses. Our history instructs us as about
the proper relationship to the land and its resources by teaching the lessons
left for us by our ancestors about both the natural and spiritual worlds and how
those worlds cannot be separated. Today the leaders of the Tribe move both in
the traditional Samish ways and use the tools of the modern day world.
About the EPA Green Power
Partnership
The EPA Green Power Partnership encourages
organizations to use Renewable Energy as a part of best-practice environmental
management. Partners are commercial, industrial, and public sector
organizations that pledge to procure an amount of renewable energy proportional
to their annual electricity use. The EPA provides partners with benefits and
services that include information and support, peer exchange, and public
recognition.
Link to Project highlight
click here
Project Links:
Puget Sound Energy:
http://pse.com
EPA Green Power Program:
http://www.epa.gov/greenpower
Native Energy:
http://www.nativeenergy.com/
National Renewable Energy Laboratories:
http://www.nrel.gov/
Department of Energy Tribal Programs:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/
Strategic
Energy Project
In
2003, the Tribe applied for and received funding for a Strategic Energy Planning
grant through the Department of Energy. The Strategic Planning grant and all of
its components have been completed. This effort resulted in a long-term
sustainable plan for energy self-sufficiency and energy development at the
Tribally owned Samish Homeland on the Lake Campbell property the Fidalgo Bay RV
Park property and tribally owned property in the City of Anacortes.
Here is a link to the
Strategic Energy
Plan
Invasive
Plant Removal Project
The objective of this proposal is to initiate the
restoration of roughly six acres of forest habitat on Weaverling Spit. Our long
term goal to restore degraded forest habitat on the spit envisions a more
complex forest plant community capable of providing healthier wildlife habitat
and native plant species traditionally used by native people. The spit is
located on the western side of Fidalgo Bay in Northern Puget Sound; it
includes over 2000 feet of shoreline and 22
acres of upland of which seven acres remain undeveloped.
Staff will be working with Whatcom County
Correctional facilities to enlist their low level offender work crew for the
removal project.
The Samish Indian Nation
purchased Weaverling Spit in 2004. It had for
centuries been the site of tribal ceremonies and as such retains important
cultural value for the tribe. It is our hope that by initiating this
project the Samish Natural Resource Department can restore a small piece of
lowland forest which will continue to provide educational, spiritual, and
restorative properties for the tribe and the public, and habitat for our local
Here are two project maps:
Map1,
Map2
Here is a link to the
detailed project.
Project links:
The Mountaineers:
http://www.mountaineers.org/
Final Report
Shellfish Survey Project
The Samish Indian
Nation, in 2006, with funding through the Northwest Indian Fish Commission,
contracted with Coastal Ecological Services (CES)
to develop a comprehensive Environmental Assessment of the Tribally held
tidelands at Weaverling Spit., Anacortes WA. This assessment has given the
Tribe significant baseline data information on the health and numbers of the
existing population of shellfish located on these tidelands.
This shellfish
population survey focused on the manila clam, Tapes philippinarum; the native
littleneck clam, Protothaca staminea; the butter clam, Saxidomous gigantean; the
eastern soft shell, Mya arenaria; and the purple varnish clam, Nuttallia
obscurata.
Project Report
click here
Oyster Reef Construction
The Summer of 2007 was the opportune time to build
oyster reefs at Weaverling Spit. Preliminary site work with the help of Paul
Dinnel, Shannon Point marine Center helped locate the best possible locations
for the reefs. With a dump truck load of shell donated by Taylor Shellfish
farms and incredible help from the MRC and local volunteers, we built a raft
and, with the power of lots of legs, paddle boated out raft after raft of shell
to dump at two sites.
After the two reefs were complete, native olympia
oyster shell spat donated from the Lummi hatchery was added to each reef site.
The goal of this project is to give native olympia oysters a good home to grow
and reproduce from and add more shells to the system for other spat to use as
anchors for growth and reproduction.
In recent surveys, oysters are growing nicely on the
seeded shells. We hope to get out at another low tide and take some end of
summer measurements.
Many thanks to the volunteers and the local Skagit
MRC for their help with this project!
Pictures of the construction of the
oyster reef, Pic1,
Pic2,
Pic3
Project Links:
Taylor Shellfish farms:
http://www.taylorshellfishfarms.com/
Northwest Straights Commission:
http://www.nwstraits.org
Skagit Marine Resource Committee:
http://www.skagitcounty.net/
Beach Seining Project
On April 13, and June 8th2007
the Samish Department of Natural Resources hosted a
beach seine, run by Dan
Pentilla of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. A
beach seine involves taking
a seine net and operating it from shore. It is set out into the
bay and gently pulled it
back to shore to get an idea of what types of creatures are using
the nearshore habitat. The net was set off of the
north side of Weaverling spit.
Samish tribal members,
tribal council, the city of Anacortes, the WA Department of Natural Resources,
the Skagit Land Trust, and the general public were all represented at
the event. There were lots
of kids taking part and no shortage of things to help out with
or wondrous creatures to
observe. Volunteers helped bring the seine in and gently scoop
out the creatures caught in
the net, placing them in plastic tubs filled with sea water.
Once in the tubs everyone
could get a good close up look before the little lives were
released back into the bay
waters. Dan fielded lots of excited questions about what was
what! We were amazed by the
striking blue color of juvenile chum salmon- the kind of
blue a field guide rarely
captures! Other fish caught included sand lance (one of the
forage fish species that
spawn off of the spit and which is an important food source for
salmon), sculpin, and
flounder. Other animals included jellyfish, shrimp, crab and
beachhopper larvae, periwinkle eggs and
arrowworms (they eat zooplankton).
The Samish Department
of Natural Resources set up a microscope which was used to
observe the plankton found in ajar of sea water
that Dan, of WDFW, had grabbed while
putting the net out. The kids in particular had a great
time as Nancy showed them the crazy
looking zooplankton under the microscope!
After the beach seine
was over we took people out to the spit to show them the active
eagle and hummingbird nests. The eagles are
currently incubating eggs!
All in all
the day was a great success. Beach seining is an excellent way to introduce
people to the vastness of life that lives
just off shore yet remains relatively hidden from
us. Weaverling Spit is an ideal place to host
this type of activity as it offers easy public access to the rich
biological waters of Fidalgo Bay, which has been designated to become an Aquatic
Reserve by the WA Department of Natural Resources.
Dan and his WDFW crew
will return in the near future to seine again and look for
juvenile Chinook! We’ll keep you posted....
Project Links:
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/
Washington Department of Natural Resources:
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/
Weaverling Spit Plant List
Click Here
for a list of the plants on Weaverling Spit.
Projects partners with
Army Corp of Engineers
"Web space under construction"
Thomas Creek Restoration Project
"Web space under construction"
Feasibility
Study of the Fidalgo Bay Causeway Project
The Samish Indian Nation has received funding from
the Department of Ecology Toxics Cleanup Program to conduct a feasibility study
for the Fidalgo Bay Causeway Project. Fidalgo Bay is one of six bays identified
for early focus pilot case study under Governor Gregoire’s Puget Sound
Initiative.
Click here to view
2007 RFP from DOE for this project
Click here to view
DOE Final Press Release
Click here to view a summary of work to be done by
Nisqually
Aquatic Technologies, inc
Click here to view
NAT Piling
Report
Project Links:
Washington State Department of Ecology:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/
Ridolfi Inc.
http://www.ridolfi.com
Nisqually Aquatic Technologies:
http://nisquallyaquatech.com/index.html
Fidalgo Bay Watershed Assessment
"Web space under construction"
