Summer at the
SALMON CENTER Summer is the season of outdoor education and adventure with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCESG). Even though necessary changes have been made to our original programs, we are confident that we’ve developed both safe and engaging outdoor experiences for families and students this summer - and we’re excited to get started! Explore the Fjord program is for grades 6-12 and gets together Fridays, July through August. Each week participants head to a new location around the Canal and have the opportunity to hike, explore the beaches, and learn about ecosystems that make up this unique watershed from knowledgeable HCSEG staff. Explore the Fjord supports an essential part of HCSEG’s mission to connect the community with the natural world, and to help students develop a lifelong relationship with the beautiful Pacific Northwest. This year participants will be required to meet camp leaders at that day’s location. Sign-ups will be limited to 8 participants per day.
includes a flock of poultry, and is home to a mixed herd of llamas, alpacas, and goats. You will also have the opportunity to learn about gardening and nutrition, pollinators, wild and domestic animals, water systems, environmental science and restoration, salmon, and the ways that these topics connect to sustainable agriculture and the environment. Register for Explore the Fjord and Farm Stewards at pnwsalmoncenter.org. HCSEG currently need help with a variety of projects on the Farm at Water’s Edge, an organic farm located at the Salmon Center. This farm provides produce on a donation-only basis, as well as serves as an example of sustainable agriculture near vital, estuarine salmon habitat. And starting in August, they will need help with HCSEG’s Adult Summer Chum Program.
HCSEG’s Farm Stewards Family Days is for the youngsters, ages 6-11, and their family, (all kids must be accompanied by an adult family member). Farm Stewards Family Days are on Mondays, Thursdays August through October, volunteers mainand Saturdays from 9 AM -12 PM at the tain a 24/hour fish trap on the Union RivSalmon Center. Farm Stewards also starts er. They collect data critical to the work in June and ends in August. This year restoring Hood Canal Summer Chum, a participation is limited to one family per species that has been listed as threatened day, and HCSEG staff will tailor the day’s by the ESA since 1999. Volunteers are activities to whatever topics you find most provided with all equipment - including interesting! You will be able to specify waders - and learn how to professionally what you would like to do on your Farm handle salmon and other species making Stewards Family Day upon registration. their way upriver. This is a great volunteer Each day your family has the option to opportunity for friends and family. Reginteract with all aspects of maintaining a ister on their website to be notified when fully functioning, organic farm and garden the Summer Chum Program volunteer that produces fresh fruits and vegetables, 63
sign-up goes live - it’s a favorite in the local community, and volunteer slots fill up fast. You can also stay tuned by following the Salmon Center on Facebook and Instagram @the.salmoncenter.
As always when running education programs, the safety of participants and staff is a top priority, and this summer brings new threats to that priority with COVID-19. They have diligently reviewed guidelines from the CDC, Washington State Department of Health, Mason County Public Health and the American Camp Association when creating our safety policies and camp schedules for the season. For full details on new camp guidelines and to stay up-to-date as safety policies continue to change throughout the summer, visit pnwsalmoncenter.org.
FJORD
