Branch Hoppers and Kingfishers Engage in Spring Service at the Connelly Creek Nature Area

The Branch Hoppers arrived at the Connelly Creek Service site drop-off location excited to engage with the project they had been pouring effort into semi-annually for four years. Circling up, the mentors informed the group that we would be headed to a new service location just north of the previous site, but still along Connelly Creek. The boys were a bit shocked that we were moving sites and still felt that we had much more service to do at the previous one. The mentors explained that the parks felt that we had vastly improved the site and wanted to focus our efforts elsewhere. The good news was that we would be headed back to our original site periodically each season with a few Explorers groups to maintain the progress that we had made.

A little disappointed, but excited to see the new site, the Branch Hoppers asked if we had any other groups joining us in service. They were pleased to find that the Kingfishers, who were in their first year of Explorers Club, would be arriving a half hour after them. The mentors took an opportunity to frame our day based around our three group commitments: encourage the heart, don’t waste anyone’s time, and be here now. The mentor’s aim was to empower the Branch Hoppers to treat each other with respect and care through their commitments and for the group to model a strong example for the Kingfishers.

Walking over to the new site the mentors provided some background information. At the previous days service a woman named Wendy Scherrer walked by and shared the story of our Connelly Creek site. Sixty years ago the land along Connelly Creek was cleared by Joe’s Garden for farmland, but proved to have a low yield. In 1986 the teachers and students of the Bellingham Cooperative School along with parents and community volunteers, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement, and the City of Bellingham came together to establish a 24-acre wildlife enhancement effort along Connelly Creek. How wonderful to think that slightly north from our original service site a 32-year long restoration effort, led by children, was taking place simultaneously.

As a mentoring community we are thankful to have Wendy Scherrer in our community and as the saying goes ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. Wendy has poured her time and effort connecting students in Whatcom and Skagit County to the natural world helping to: develop the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) and worked as its Executive Director, co-founded the Environmental Education Association of Washington, the North Cascades Institute’s school field-based environmental education and teacher training programs (including Mountain School), and curriculum guides for fourth through eighth grades including Celebrating Wildflowers, Teaching for Wilderness, and Sharing the Skagit.

Arriving at the service site the Branch Hoppers unloaded the tools and got to work digging Himalayan Blackberry roots. It wasn’t too long before the Kingfishers arrived with a few EMAs from the Red-Tailed Eyas group and after a tool safety demonstration the groups joined forces to extract the Blackberry roots growing in the native plantings. Working side-by-side the Branch Hoppers connected with the younger Explorers.

As we worked the sun broke through the clouds and we peeled off our rain gear and basked in the warmth of the day. I’m not sure if it was a spring rain followed by some sunshine or if it was the fact that we were unearthing many worms, but nevertheless the Red-Breasted Robin calls rang out through the forest. Stopping for lunch we leisurely ate and our conversations wandered. Fueled up we finished out our day by moving an extensive pile of mulch with buckets. Little by little we made mulch rings around the native plants and in the words of the Explorers we were careful to make “doughnut shapes around them, not onion rings”.

Waving goodbye to the Kingfishers the Branch Hoppers commented on their ability as Second and Third Graders to focus and make a solid effort with hard work. Circling up for our closing meeting we circled back to our group commitments. Self-assessing the Branch Hoppers reflected that they had done a great job encouraging the heart while working with the Kingfishers and each other as well as in their time management. The mentors offered a little feedback that some behaviors that might be appropriate for their group might not be well suited for a younger Explorers group, e.g. a harmless gestures meant as a joke, a conversation about video games, or something that they were processing within the inner-dynamics of their school. The elders need to be occasionally reminded that the younger kids are literal and lack the discernment and filter tools that they themselves are developing.

The mentors then told a story of a gentleman who was the Park Steward of the Connelly Creek Nature Area and how sadly over the course of the last few years had suffered multiple strokes and was no longer able to carry on his duties in the same capacity as before. Each time he walked past the Explorers working at the site he would stop and admire their progress and effort. He commented a few times that the Explorers work fills him with hope and joy. Our work carries on a legacy of stewardship and is the definition of what it means to be a community.

Sharing their gratitude the Branch Hoppers were thankful for all our community members who are positively impacted by our service work and to feel ownership in it, for the opportunity to work with younger Explorers, and for the sunshine and their friendship.

For more pictures from our service outing please visit the Branch Hoppers & Kingfishers’ photo album from the day. Thanks!

The Red Tailed Eyas and Black Tailed Deer Spread Mulch!

For the second service outing of the Fall BEC season, the Red Tailed Eyas and the Black Tailed deer pooled their efforts to help heal Connelly Creek on what was likely the last warm, sunny day of 2016.

Moving mulch

We started the day as all service outings do with an opening circle and tool safety demonstration by the older group, in this case the Red Tailed Eyas.  We then took a tour of the site and got to see all the good work that the Pine Martens and Salamander Efts did the day before pulling up reed canary grass.  Our job for the day was clear; mulch, mulch, and more mulch! We set out to cover the newly exposed dirt with mulch in order to prevent the grass from sprouting again.

The warm sun that had broken through the fog earlier that morning warmed our bodies and gave us a focused energy.  Right off the bat both groups were working together well and we were moving mulch at a great pace.  After about an hour of some seriously good work, the tediousness of the task began to slowly chip away at our work ethic. As a group, we decided to take a break and play a huge game of squirrel tag with both groups out in the field.  

Sunshine and squirrel tag.

As the game wound down, we gathered around the backpacks for a quick snack and sip of water.  Suddenly, sauntering down the trail was a big buck! He certainly was not intimidated by us and we gave him the right of way as he made his way through the park.  We noticed his big set of antlers and thick, muscular neck and knew that these were signs that he was likely looking for a mate. 

Just before the buck appeared.

As we refocused our intention on the mulch, some of us (including some from the Black Tailed Deer, the younger group!) came into leadership roles and helped us to maintain intention in our work by leading by example and encouraging fellow explorers to give their best.  

Somehow, one of us got partially buried in the mulch pile!

While we were spreading mulch we came across a salamander that had made the mulch pile his home during the last few days.  This was a Northwestern Salamander and we all got to look at it up close.  We were glad that we got to move him to a safe area closer to the creek and away from all of the shovels and boots!

A Northwestern Salamander

We noticed our energy waning toward the end of the outing, but we still had a good bit of the mulch pile left to move.  So we challenged ourselves and set a goal of moving the rest of the mulch in the remaining time that we had together.  It was all hands on deck in an effort to meet our goal and, just before we had to leave, we ended up getting all of the mulch spread! Today the Black Tailed Deer and the Red Tailed Eyas put in some great work, played some fun games and got to have some cool animal encounters as well. 

Be sure to check out the rest of the pictures from this outing here.

Daredevils Club, Storm Wolves, and Barred Owls Help Clean Up Connelly Creek

Meeting at our new park and ride drop-off location the Daredevil’s Club were finally all present for their last service outing as a group. With plenty of sunshine to accompany us, we walked over to the service site to take inventory of what had been done by previous groups, what was left to do today, and how we would make the most of our time. We also talked about the importance of setting a good precedent for the younger groups, and leading by example and emphasizing safe tool usage, proper technique, and strong work ethic. At first it took the group a little while to get going, but after taking a quick snack break and drinking down some water the Daredevil’s kicked it into gear and got down to business.

As the Daredevil’s Club finished constructing a make-shift fence around a recently discovered bees nest the next group, the Storm Wolves, arrived. After taking some time to walk through the service site with the Daredevil’s Club the Storm Wolves had no hesitation and jumped right into cutting back the blackberries and digging up root balls. It was great to see these two groups get together after both groups found plenty of enjoyment discovering one another’s shelters during previous explorations this season. Each group continued developing the other’s shelter, one at Galbraith and the other at Clayton Beach, and created some pretty impressive structures despite having never met the other group (until now!). As the outing progressed the groups intermingled and found that they actually had quite a bit in common. Watching the Daredevil’s Club working alongside the Storm Wolves, the mentors took note of their maturity and impressive role modeling. Coming from a group that can sometimes get side-tracked with goofiness, these older Explorer’s really stepped up today and were very impressive.

While the Daredevil’s Club and Storm Wolves were making solid progress, everything was kicked up a notch when the Barred Owls showed up. After getting a demonstration on proper tool usage from the Storm Wolves they get right to work. Talk about a bunch of motivated Explorers! Half of the group took on the extensive bramble of Himalayan Blackberry that has been choking out a willow grove for years while the other half grabbed shovels, began digging up blackberry root balls, and clearing out an old drainage ditch. This by no means is easy work and the whole day the mentors never heard a peep of complaining out of any of the Explorers.

With lots of solid work getting done the service site began to transform. The once tall Reed Canary Grass lay flat, stomped down by Explorer’s feet. The ground churned from shovels digging up massive clumps of blackberry root. The willow grove once choked out by blackberry finally stretching out to absorb the sunshine that was previously getting all sucked up by the broad leaves on the climbing vines of blackberry. Despite not having any mulch today, the site has been prepped for the next group to get a thick layer of mulch down. Vast tunnels have been slashed through the massive blackberry bramble allowing the Explorers to divide and conquer the remaining patches the formidable thorny plant. Not only did these boys fill numerous garbage bags full of Himalayan Blackberry, but they did a great job of taking the next step towards really establishing the natural stability of the Connelly Creek service site.

With the Padden Creek Daylighting Project well underway downstream all of our hard work is suddenly taking on a new perspective. Not only are we working towards eradicating invasive species alongside Connelly Creek, creating natural habitat with native species,  and developing a self-sustaining native habitat, but we are creating a piece to the proverbial puzzle. With salmon able to swim up Padden Creek for the first time in in over a century the Explorers are creating an optimum habitat for them to return to Connelly Creek to spawn and continue their prolific and dynamic influence on our region. For now it may seem like hacking at blackberry and shoveling mulch, but the impact these boys are having on their community is one that will last for years to come. One of the Explorers on this outing actually mentioned this and said he dreams of one day being able to pull a salmon out of Connelly Creek with his hands. Now that is a vision we can all appreciate and thanks to all the hard work from the Daredevil’s Club, Storm Wolves, and Barred Owls that dream may one day become a reality. 

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos from our outing here!

Final Fall 2014 Service Outing with the Alevin Explorers

The Alevin Explorers arrived at Connelly Creek ready for a day of service. Basking in the sun the boys roamed the creek and navigated it like they were connecting with an old friend. After we all arrived we traveled over to the site and the boys were shocked at Connelly Creek’s transformation from all of the fall service outings. The mentors explained that they were the last group to come out and do service for the season. Their task was to make sure the site was in order for the coming winter and to continue removing the Blackberries at the back of the property.

Touring the site the mentors went over the work that had been done this season.  Together the other Explorers had: cleared the previously mulched area of blackberries so Bellingham Parks Department could deliver more mulch, stomped down and trimmed the Reed-Canary Grass on the entire site, spread mulch in the treed area south of the mulch site, planted shrubs in the Alder grove, removed blackberries from all over the site, and also planted Red Alders and caged them with poles, wires, ties, cardboard, and mulch. What an amazing group effort by the Explorers!

After going over some tool safety we got to work. It was great to connect with the Alevin as we trimmed and dug side by side. They are growing and maturing right before our eyes. The boys laughed and joked together as they slowly got caught up in the tangles of the blackberry canes. They are developing sarcasm and satire in their humor and it was hilarious to see them enjoying ridiculing one another if they used a tools in the wrong way or did something foolish. Each season these boy’s bonds grow deeper and they’re becoming allies for one another. These deeply rooted connections will become very important as they enter into middle school and beyond. They will need friends to laugh with, to cry with, to make mistakes, and to rejoice with. Our aim as mentors is for them to realize that they have strong allies in each other and in the land. Also that they can get together with their community and find natural spaces to process this busy and confusing society we live in.

Digging Blackberry roots is an exhausting process and soon we needed to take a break to eat lunch. We laid back on the mulch pile and looked up at the blue sky. It’s in situations like these when I realize that we are not only healing Connelly Creek, it is healing us. I witness the boy’s nervous energy and busy minds slow down when they serve the land and they’re able to just be. Once we were nourished and hydrated we got back to work. Each time the boys pulled out a blackberry root they let out a triumphant yell. These were by far the biggest blackberry roots that I have ever seen! Some root balls were up to four inches in diameter

We worked for another hour and it became clear that we all needed a second break. Brian and I decided that it was time for a sit spot. We wandered over to a different section of the creek and the boys spread out over the land. Just as we were about to start I noticed a few of the boys grouped together staring at something intently. I went over to them and saw a ten point buck twenty feet away from us. Brian and I gathered the other boys and we shared a group sit spot watching the buck guard a doe hiding in the bushes. We were all captivated and sat in silence.

Observing, we saw the deer munching on a large shrub, and we wondered which kind it was. The deer provided such a great lesson about staying still and in quiet observation. Every time a boy would talk or move the buck would raise his head and look at us. Eventually the deer heard something off in the bushes and they left, grazing in another direction. The group wandered over to the bush that the deer had been eating and discovered that it was a Black Twinberry. This was one of the shrubs that we had been planting on the other side of the property! It was so empowering for the boys to know that the fruits of our labor were really showing. Our actions were directly benefitting this land and all of its inhabitants. Exploring the area we found scat, abundant deer rubs on saplings, and all sorts of tracks.

Wandering back over to the site the boys were filled with new energy and we played a few rounds of Tail Tag. Picking up our tools again we had a strong finish, doing one last push on the blackberries while cutting and bagging them so the Parks Department could pick them up. Packing up our stuff we gathered in the grass field for a closing circle. The boys gave thanks for the chance to serve the land and for it revealing to us that it was in fact a wilderness right in our backyards. They also gave thanks for friends, food, and the warmth of this sunny day. It was truly a pleasure to serve Connelly Creek with the Alevin Explorers. These boys are bright, caring, observant, goofy, playful, powerful, and exactly where they need to be. The Mentors would like to that all of the Explorers for their work this season. With 151 Explorers, mentors, EMA’s, and volunteers putting in 604 hours of service in just four weeks Our Cup Overflows and the our mentoring community is deeply humbled by the power and strength of the Boys EC. We would also like to give thanks to Bellingham Parks Department and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement for all their support and guidance over the season.

For more pictures from the outing please visit the Alevin Explorers photo gallery. 

Service at Connelly Creek with the Daredevil’s Club

  It was a pleasure to serve Connelly Creek with the Daredevil’s Club on Sunday. As the group arrived the sun was shining and our spirits were high. The Connelly Creek restoration project at Happy Valley Park has been developing slowly but surely. The Mentors were delighted to share with the Explorers that just a little ways down Connelly Creek, at its confluence with Padden Creek, restoration under the City of Bellingham has been moving faster than we can keep up with.

          Mentors explained to the group that in 1997 the Padden Creek Alliance was formed, which includes the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bellingham Parks Department, and local citizen groups.  These groups work together to restore the creek, provide better flood control, and allow salmon to move more freely through it. In 1997 a tunnel running about 2,300 feet from 17th to 22nd street underneath Old Fairhaven Parkway was identified as a major roadblock for salmon. In the past, fish have been stacked at the end of the narrow tunnel while trying to return to their spawning grounds. Just this summer the city began the Padden Creek Daylight Project, which will take out the tunnel and build a bridge under old Fairhaven Parkway, restoring the natural flow to Padden Creek. For more information on the project please see the link at the bottom of the blog.

          The group was excited salmon were finally running in Connelly Creek again. Connelly Creek is part of the Padden Creek Watershed; which is home to Chinook, Chum, Coho, Steelhead, and resident trout. As we headed out to our service sight we crossed over Connelly Creek using a make shift bridge made of plywood. Just as the last Explorer was crossing a woman name Linda came down to check out the action. She informed us that she had seen salmon in the creek two days ago. This was the call to action that we needed, our creek was living and breathing again! We thanked her for the info and headed to the patch of blackberry that we had worked on the previous year. Before we could get there, we noticed a pile of backpacks lying in the chest high Reed Canary Grass. The Daredevil’s Club instantly knew what was going on, it was an ambush! The Alevin Explorers came out of the woodworks in every direction. We were glad they weren’t a hungry pack of wolves because our owl eyes and deer ears were not working very well. Matt Fogarty was the last to emerge from the brush almost catching an Explorer by the ankles.

 Together the groups walked over to the tools where we snacked and had a multi-group meeting while looking at our work from last year. The Explorers were shocked to find that the large patch of blackberry they had removed in the spring had grown back over the mulch. Mentors encouraged the group that their work was not in vain. It was vey important to recognize in this situation that Slow is Fast and Fast is Slow. Our goal for the day would be to remove the roots of those Himalayan Blackberries; it is the only way to truly get rid of them.  We also discussed our motto Tool vs. a Weapon.  As our skills deepen and we start to work with pitch forks, shears, loppers, machetes, hatchets, and saws we must step up to the challenge and responsibility that these tools come with.

            After our meeting the Daredevil’s Club set out across a large field to play a game called Mouth, Ears, and Body before we started digging blackberries. It is a game where Explorers get together in groups of three and line up single file at the designated starting line. The first team member blindfolds himself and is only allowed to move by listening to directions from the second team member. The second team member turns around and faces the exact opposite way of the starting line and is only allowed to call directions without gesturing or looking. The third member faces the second team member who is only allowed to give hand signals to direct their voice. When everyone was in position Mentors scattered paper cups all over the field so that only the third player knew where they were. The teams all experienced some frustration in the beginning but soon got all three different members working and functioning as a well-oiled team.

            Mentors called the group into a circle and discussed how this game was a great model of our service projects. Within the Connelly Creek restoration project there are many different organizations collaborating and bringing in different skills, resources, and connections. We all work together with a common goal in mind and sometimes it can be a frustrating, slow process but in the end we can accomplish the goal with quality and integrity.

            The group walked back over to where the Alevin were digging out blackberry roots and joined in the fun. It was great to see the two groups meld together so fluidly. Triumphantly the Explorers would pull root balls out of the soil, holding their trophies up high as they worked in groups of three to dig them out. The Explorers set up different stations; one for cutting and pilling the blackberry, one for digging the roots and a third for making a square boarder to keep the blackberry at bay.  After about an hour of focused work we moved down to the creek. Earlier in the day Matt had identified a plug in the creek caused by debris piling against a Willow Tree root that spanned the creek. We all worked together to shovel out the sludge and cut the roots allowing the creek to flow again. Once we were good and covered with mud we said goodbye to the Alevin and headed back to the blackberry bramble. We focused our tools and efforts for another hour and really got some tremendous work done. 

            Our day of service revealed that there are many the powers in coming together as a community and engaging in an active relationship with the land. When we work side by side we are afforded the opportunity to engage in many powerful conversations and experiences with our peers while rejoicing in the act of giving to all members of our community.  As we learn from Connelly Creek we can begin to build conviction and start to advocate for the health of all of the land that is around us. Once we feel and define our connection and dependence on the land we can begin to develop an ethic for it. We ended our day talking about a man named Aldo Leopold. He to had a patch of land that he took care of for forty years.  Aldo Leopold once said, “Health is the capacity of the land for self-renewal. Conservation is our effort to understand and preserve this capacity.” This statement sums up the relationship the Explorers are cultivating with Connelly Creek. We gave thanks and ended our day snacking on apples in the sun, what a glorious day! 

Please visit the Daredevil’s Club photo gallery for more pictures of the day.

Click here for more information from the City of Bellingham. Once you have clicked the link and are on the COB webpage click on Presentation of 60% design for a presentation and slideshow about the Padden Creek Daylight Project.