Volunteer Planting 2/1 – Discovery Bay
2025-02-01 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Discovery Bay, Fairmount Road, Discovery Bay, WA, 98368, United States
This event is being rescheduled. Thanks to your hard work, we were able to plant 900 native trees and shrubs at our MLK Day of Service event. We expect to return to the Hall Baetz Viewpoint in March to continue planting the shoreline of Discovery Bay. Stay tuned for future events!
Join NOSC on February 1st to plant trees and shrubs at Discovery Bay!
A newly planted tree, with gloves and a shovel. Photo by Lindsey Aspelund.
In partnership with the Jefferson Land Trust and Peninsula Trails Coalition, we will gather to vegetate the site of the new Hall Baetz Viewpoint with native trees and shrubs. The North Olympic Salmon Coalition has been engaged in restoration work at Discovery Bay for over 20 years. This new site covers a large area of shoreline along Discovery Bay. Reforesting this area will provide habitat for the fish, birds, insects, amphibians, and mammals that call the Discovery Bay ecosystem home.
Planting Details:
Saturday, February 1st
10am – 2pm
Please arrive by 10am for site orientation. We’ll take a break for lunch around noon. A site tour will take place at about 1:30pm.
Please bring lunch, water, and layers/footwear you need to be comfortable in our winter weather!
Directions will be provided in RSVP confirmation email.
About the site:
The Hall Baetz Viewpoint is a new wildlife viewing shelter and gathering place along the Olympic Discovery Trail. The property is owned by the Jefferson Land Trust and covers a large portion of the shoreline at Discovery Bay. It is part of greater restoration efforts at Discovery Bay. This viewpoint was named in honor of the late Hall Baetz, a dedicated Olympic Discovery Trail volunteer.

Top: An aerial photo of Discovery Bay. Photo courtesy of John Gussman.

Volunteer Planting 2/15 - Snow Creek
2025-02-15 10:00 - 14:00 | Snow Creek Uncas Preserve, 47°58'07.8"N 122°53'04.8"W
Join us as we plant a forest along the banks of the newly restored Snow Creek Uncas Preserve Reach near Discovery Bay!
February 15th, 10am-2pm
After completing the first stage of floodplain and large woody debris work in the summer of 2023, the next stage of this project is working to restore a healthy and diverse riparian forest on the shores of Snow Creek. We will plant native trees and shrubs from 10am-1:30pm, with a break for lunch around noon. After planting, we will give a tour of the restoration project at around 1:30pm.
Refreshments, gloves and tools will be provided.
Parking is very limited, so please try to carpool if you can!
About the site:
During the summer of 2023, NOSC undertook a comprehensive habitat restoration project at the Jefferson Land Trust’s Snow Creek Uncas Preserve. The Land Trust acquired the property in 2015 to conserve the stream and riparian habitat to support salmon recovery.
This reach of the stream was identified as a major source of bank erosion, contributing fine sediments that were being washed downstream. This erosion impacts downstream redds of endangered Hood Canal Summer Chum. As sediment settles into the gravels around salmon eggs, it limits the flow of water across the eggs and restricts their access to dissolved oxygen.
To minimize bank erosion in the project reach, water traveling through the stream needed to be slowed down. This was achieved by installing 39 engineered log jams in order to slow water flow and add stream complexity. Additionally, ¼ mile of side-channels and 1.4 acres of floodplain were created or reconnected, allowing water to spread out and slow down during moderate to high flows.
Interested in learning more about the whys behind restoration work like this? Check out this talk by NOSC’s Project Manager, Kevin Long, on Stage 8 Restoration from the Port Townsend Marine Science Center’s Future of Oceans Lecture Series
While the first phase of the project is complete, the second phase, reforesting the site with a healthy and diverse riparian forest is just beginning. After an initial planting phase last winter, we aim to complete the reforestation this winter by infilling with additional understory and increasing plant density in some areas.

Photo by Jeremy Johnson.

Winter Twig Identification Course - Jefferson County
2025-02-20 13:00 - 15:00 | Illahee Preserve, Creekview Lane, Port Hadlock-Irondale, WA, 98368, United States
Join NOSC to learn how to identify winter twigs!
Are you interested in plant identification? Have you wondered what the bare twigs you see throughout winter will grow into? Join us as we host winter twig identification courses in both Clallam and Jefferson counties. We will discuss plant identification methods suitable for winter, when you cannot immediately identify plants by their leaves or flowers.
Please RSVP as space is limited.

Jefferson County Class Details:
Date: Thursday, February 20th
Time: 1-3pm
Location: Illahee Preserve
Partner: Jefferson Land Trust

General Information:
Please arrive by 1pm for site orientation.
Please bring water and layers/footwear you need to be comfortable in our winter weather!
Directions will be provided in RSVP confirmation email.

Caption: A newly planted winter twig emerging from the ground. Photo by NOSC.

Volunteer Planting 3/1 - Snow Creek
2025-03-01 10:00 - 14:00 | Snow Creek Uncas Preserve, 47°58'07.8"N 122°53'04.8"W
Join us as we plant a forest along the banks of the newly restored Snow Creek Uncas Preserve Reach near Discovery Bay!
March 1st, 10am-2pm
After completing the first stage of floodplain and large woody debris work in the summer of 2023, the next stage of this project is working to restore a healthy and diverse riparian forest on the shores of Snow Creek. We will plant native trees and shrubs from 10am-1:30pm, with a break for lunch around noon. After planting, we will give a tour of the restoration project at around 1:30pm.
Refreshments, gloves and tools will be provided.
Parking is very limited, so please try to carpool if you can!
About the site:
During the summer of 2023, NOSC undertook a comprehensive habitat restoration project at the Jefferson Land Trust’s Snow Creek Uncas Preserve. The Land Trust acquired the property in 2015 to conserve the stream and riparian habitat to support salmon recovery.
This reach of the stream was identified as a major source of bank erosion, contributing fine sediments that were being washed downstream. This erosion impacts downstream redds of endangered Hood Canal Summer Chum. As sediment settles into the gravels around salmon eggs, it limits the flow of water across the eggs and restricts their access to dissolved oxygen.
To minimize bank erosion in the project reach, water traveling through the stream needed to be slowed down. This was achieved by installing 39 engineered log jams in order to slow water flow and add stream complexity. Additionally, ¼ mile of side-channels and 1.4 acres of floodplain were created or reconnected, allowing water to spread out and slow down during moderate to high flows.
Interested in learning more about the whys behind restoration work like this? Check out this talk by NOSC’s Project Manager, Kevin Long, on Stage 8 Restoration from the Port Townsend Marine Science Center’s Future of Oceans Lecture Series
While the first phase of the project is complete, the second phase, reforesting the site with a healthy and diverse riparian forest is just beginning. After an initial planting phase last winter, we aim to complete the reforestation this winter by infilling with additional understory and increasing plant density in some areas.

Photo by NOSC.

Volunteer Opportunity: Youth Planting Field Trip
2025-03-13, 2025-03-14 | Dungeness River
It is that season again and we are gearing up to get our middle school students out in the field to start executing their restoration planting projects they spent all this winter designing. We have several field trips coming up in Clallam and Jefferson Counties this spring and are in need of volunteers to help guide students as part of the Real Learning Real Work program.
What to expect as an education volunteer:
There are several roles for you to help with! Please communicate with me if you are not comfortable in one of the roles.

Setting-up & cleaning up: this involves transporting equipment to different areas of the site such as tape measure, bins of work gloves, tables, and rain gear.
Floating Guide: float between groups of 4-6 students and help guide them to carry out their assigned tasks, answer questions, and help with task such as planting, using tools, identifying invasives, etc.
Equipment/Gear/Plants: check out tools and equipment to students, help them find work gloves that fit, ensure they return tools/gloves in a clean(ish) and organized fashion. Distribute plants to groups.

I will send out an updated schedule and any additional information you might need the week before the field trip. We will meet 30-45 minutes before the students arrive to answer questions, go over the schedule, and make sure you feel prepared.
Dates & Locations:
Sequim is our largest school we work with and they split their trip into 2 days, ½ the 7th grade class on each day. This is our greatest need for volunteers – the more volunteers we have, the smaller we can keep student groups. Students get way more out of the experience if they are able to work with small groups.
March 13th – Dungeness River, Sequim MS
March 14th – Dungeness River, Sequim MS
March 20th – Salmon Creek, Chimacum Jr. High
March 24th – Salmon Creek, OCEAN (morning only)
March 28th – Salmon Creek, Blue Heron MS
Please sign up HERE.
Feel free to reach out to lmccord@nosc.org if you have any questions!
Image courtesy of Charles Espey.

Volunteer Opportunity: Youth Planting Field Trip
2025-03-20, 2025-03-24, 2025-03-28 | Salmon Creek in Discovery Bay, W Uncas Road

Volunteer Planting 3/29 – Discovery Bay
2025-03-29 10:00 - 14:00 | Discovery Bay, Fairmount Road, Discovery Bay, WA, 98368, United States
Join NOSC on March 29th to plant trees and shrubs at Discovery Bay!
A newly planted tree, with gloves and a shovel. Photo by Lindsey Aspelund.
In partnership with the Jefferson Land Trust and Peninsula Trails Coalition, we will gather to vegetate the site of the new Hall Baetz Viewpoint with native trees and shrubs. The North Olympic Salmon Coalition has been engaged in restoration work at Discovery Bay for over 20 years. This new site covers a large area of shoreline along Discovery Bay. Reforesting this area will provide habitat for the fish, birds, insects, amphibians, and mammals that call the Discovery Bay ecosystem home.
Planting Details:
Saturday, March 29th
10am – 2pm
Please arrive by 10am for site orientation. We’ll take a break for lunch around noon. A site tour will take place at about 1:30pm.
Please bring lunch, water, and layers/footwear you need to be comfortable in our winter weather!
Directions will be provided in RSVP confirmation email.
About the site:
The Hall Baetz Viewpoint is a new wildlife viewing shelter and gathering place along the Olympic Discovery Trail. The property is owned by the Jefferson Land Trust and covers a large portion of the shoreline at Discovery Bay. It is part of greater restoration efforts at Discovery Bay. This viewpoint was named in honor of the late Hall Baetz, a dedicated Olympic Discovery Trail volunteer.

Fill out my LGL Form!

Top: An aerial photo of Discovery Bay. Photo courtesy of John Gussman.

Volunteer Opportunity: Native Plant Potting 4/3
2025-04-03 13:00 - 15:30 | Finnriver Farm & Cidery, 124 Center Road, Chimacum, WA, 98325
Come join us as we pot up plants for future riparian restoration projects. We will be stocking up our nursery with trees and shrubs that will eventually become future forests along our local creeks and rivers. Our nursery is located in Chimacum at the Finnriver Farm & Cidery.
April 3rd, 1pm-3:30pm.
Gloves and tools will be provided.
Click HERE to register.

Volunteer: Chimacum Salmon Release Field Trip
2025-04-10 10:00 - 14:00, 2025-04-22 10:00 - 14:00 | HJ Carrol Park, 9884 WA-19, Chimacum, 98325, United States
Students have spent the last couple months raising coho salmon from eggs and now will get a chance to release them into a local waterway. They will also participate in several other activities such as macroinvertebrate studies, salmon life cycle games, art, and habitat tours. Volunteers help NOSC staff lead activities, set-up and take-down supplies, and ensure students rotate through activity stations safely.
April 15th, 17th, 25th & May 1st, 8th, 9th – Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe House of Salmon Hatchery on the Elwha River. Tentative timing is from 8:30am-1:30pm.
April 10th and 22nd – HJ Carrol Park on Chimacum Creek. Tentative timing is from 10am-2pm.

Photo by Mae Wolfe.

Volunteer: Elwha Salmon Release Field Trip
2025-04-15 08:30 - 13:30, 2025-04-17 08:30 - 2025-05-03 13:30, 2025-04-25 08:30 - 13:30, 2025-05-01 08:30 - 13:30, 2025-05-08 08:30 - 13:30, 2025-05-09 08:30 - 13:30 | Lower Elwha Klallam Hatchery, 700 Stratton Rd, Port Angeles, WA, 98363, United States

Volunteer Opportunity: Native Plant Potting 4/29
2025-04-29 10:00 - 14:00 | Finnriver Farm & Cidery, 124 Center Road, Chimacum, WA, 98325
Come join us as we pot up plants for future riparian restoration projects. We will be stocking up our nursery with trees and shrubs that will eventually become future forests along our local creeks and rivers. Our nursery is located in Chimacum at the Finnriver Farm & Cidery.
April 29th, 10am-2pm.
Gloves and tools will be provided.
Fill out my LGL Form!

Volunteer Mulching 5/29 - Dungeness River
2025-05-29 10:00 - 14:00 | Dungeness River: Caldero Site
Planting volunteers take a break and look at the side channel project. Photo by Charles Espey.

Join us for a fun, community-filled day of mulching on the wild & scenic Dungeness River!
May 29th, 10am-2pm
This winter, NOSC volunteers dedicated their time to planting native trees and shrubs at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s Caldero Side Channel Project. Join us as we return to mulch these plants so they can grow into a healthy future forest that will support salmon and other wildlife on the Dungeness River!
Refreshments, gloves and tools will be provided.
About the site:
In 2022, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe approached the Salmon Coalition to assist in revegetating the site of a newly constructed side channel on the Dungeness River, a short distance upstream of Highway 101. The site was acquired by the Tribe in 2017 and is named Caldero after the former landowner. The Caldero side channel project creates nearly 1,000 feet of off-channel habitat for both spawning adult salmon and rearing juveniles.
Side channels such as the one at Caldero are critical refuges for salmon during flood events. This is particularly the case for juveniles, who can be easily overcome by heavy flows. Off-channel habitat can also be important spawning areas for returning adults. In fact, on a recent visit to the project site, Salmon Coalition staff members observed several adult coho salmon utilizing the new channel!
During January and February of 2023, the Salmon Coalition, our Washington Conservation Corps Crew, and hundreds of volunteers planted 7,000 native trees and shrubs! Large scale planting efforts like this one often require several subsequent plantings to ensure full revegetation.
Fill out my LGL Form!

CANCELLED - Stewardship Day at Snow Creek Uncas
2025-06-13 10:00 - 14:00 | Snow Creek Uncas Preserve, 47°58'07.8"N 122°53'04.8"W
This event has been cancelled. Please check out other upcoming events! We hope to see you at one soon.
Join NOSC for a stewardship work party at the Snow Creek Uncas Preserve to pull invasive species. We will be working to manage Spotted Jewelweed, Himalayan Blackberry, and Bull Thistle at the site to help the newly planted trees and shrubs get established. After completing the first stage of floodplain and large woody debris work in the summer of 2023, the next stage of this project is working to restore a healthy and diverse riparian forest on the shores of Snow Creek.
The work party goes from 10am – 2pm with a break for lunch around noon and a site tour at the end. Tools and gloves provided. Please wear long pants and bring water and a lunch. Footing at the site is uneven. Activity ranges from mild to strenuous and can be adapted to ability level.
About the site:
During the summer of 2023, NOSC undertook a comprehensive habitat restoration project at the Jefferson Land Trust’s Snow Creek Uncas Preserve. The Land Trust acquired the property in 2015 to conserve the stream and riparian habitat to support salmon recovery.
This reach of the stream was identified as a major source of bank erosion, contributing fine sediments that were being washed downstream. This erosion impacts downstream redds of endangered Hood Canal Summer Chum. As sediment settles into the gravels around salmon eggs, it limits the flow of water across the eggs and restricts their access to dissolved oxygen.
To minimize bank erosion in the project reach, water traveling through the stream needed to be slowed down. This was achieved by installing 39 engineered log jams in order to slow water flow and add stream complexity. Additionally, ¼ mile of side-channels and 1.4 acres of floodplain were created or reconnected, allowing water to spread out and slow down during moderate to high flows.
Interested in learning more about the whys behind restoration work like this? Check out this talk by NOSC’s Project Manager, Kevin Long, on Stage 8 Restoration from the Port Townsend Marine Science Center’s Future of Oceans Lecture Series
While the first phase of the project is complete, managing the reforestation of the site into a healthy, diverse forest takes several years of stewardship to allow the newly planted native plants to get established.

Invasive Weed Removal at Dungeness River Center
2025-08-01 10:00 - 14:00 | Dungeness River Nature Center, 1943 W. Hendrickson St, Sequim, WA, 98382
Calling all Deadhead-ers! Help us manage invasive Butterfly Bush on the Dungeness River this summer. Seed banks of this invasive shrub can be managed by the removal of flowers prior to seeding, mitigating the spread of the plant prior to removal.
Tools and gloves will be provided. Please wear long pants and bring water and a lunch. Footing at the site is uneven. We will be working on rocky gravel bars. Activity ranges from mild to moderate and can be adapted to ability level.
About the project:
With the Dungeness Riparian Recovery Project, NOSC is working with willing landowners on the Dungeness River and its tributaries to remove invasive plants like butterfly bush and knotweed in the riparian corridor before planting or seeding the areas with native plants that support pollinators and salmon. Although pretty, these plants quickly take over gravel bars and stream banks, excluding the growth of native plants. In order to prevent reseeding from plants upstream, butterfly bush removal is tackled from upstream to downstream to eliminate seeds from being transported by the water flow. So far, NOSC has removed butterfly bush from nearly 3 miles of the Dungeness and associated side channels. Downstream seeds banks can be mitigated through deadheading plants that are too large to pull – cutting off the flowers before they go the seed. Each flower cluster can produce up to 40,000 seeds!

Fill out my LGL Form!

NOSC at Jefferson County Fair
2025-08-08 - 2025-08-09 | Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 4907 Landes St., Port Townsend, WA, 98368, United States
Summer is arriving and NOSC is gearing up to travel all across the North Olympic Peninsula to attend community events, providing fun educational experiences for the community and sharing about the work that NOSC is doing in our community.
Jefferson County Fair – August 8th & 9th
This community fair draws a lot of folks! NOSC will be bringing interactive salmon activities, including Fin the Giant Migrating Salmon to educate and inspire people about salmon.
Do you like sharing with others about your experiences volunteering and working with the Salmon Coalition? Help us make new connections with community members by signing up to volunteer as a Community Outreach Volunteer this summer!
Help people learn about salmon and talk with people about who NOSC is, what we do, and how to get involved! 2.5-hour volunteer shifts are available
SIGN UP HERE

Volunteer Training: Spawner Surveys
2025-08-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Finnriver Farm & Cidery, 124 Center Road, Chimacum, WA, 98325
Seeking Spawner Survey Volunteers!
Training – August 28th, 10am-12pm
Wow! Summer has nearly flown by, and the Salmon Coalition is preparing for its annual Summer Chum spawner surveys on lower Chimacum Creek. Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed Hood Canal Summer Chum salmon were lost from the Chimacum Creek watershed in the late 1980’s after the failure of the Irondale Road culvert released several tons of fine sediment, smothering salmon spawning grounds and wiping out the already-dwindling population from the Creek.
A grassroots reintroduction effort spearheaded by Wild Olympic Salmon and concerned community members using eggs from nearby Salmon Creek was undertaken beginning in the mid-1990’s. Reintroduction was a resounding success, and summer chum salmon in Chimacum Creek have been self-sustaining since 2003.
The Salmon Coalition has been monitoring the population in Chimacum Creek since reintroduction and we’re looking for volunteers to conduct surveys and collect data on these resilient fish. Surveys entail walking a section of the creek, tallying both live and dead fish, and collecting scale samples from deceased fish. Collected data helps the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) assess the health of the Chimacum Creek subpopulation and is also used to inform future management decisions.
This year’s mandatory training will be held on Thursday, August 28th from 10am to 12pm at Finnriver Farm and Cidery in Chimacum. Early forecasts indicate that this is shaping up to be a banner year for the summer chum return and this tends to be one of our most popular volunteer activities, so register soon by clicking the link below. We hope to see you at the training!

Photo courtesy of Charles Espey.

Forever StreamFest - Volunteer Opportunity
2025-09-20 10:00 - 15:30 | Pebble Beach Park, 301 Marine Dr, Port Angeles, WA 98362
The Salmon Coalition is looking for volunteers to help kids of all ages experience the wonder of Fin the Giant Migrating Salmon!
NOSC will be bring Fin to Forever StreamFest, hosted by the Port Angeles Garden Club, on Saturday, September 20th. Volunteer shifts (2-hour slots) are available from 9:45am to 3:45pm. No experience necessary – training and a helpful volunteer guide are provided!
For more information on the event, visit: FOREVER STREAMFEST – PORT ANGELES GARDEN CLUB

Dungeness River Festival - Volunteer Opportunity
2025-09-26 09:00 - 14:30 | Dungeness River Nature Center, 1943 W. Hendrickson St, Sequim, WA, 98382
The Salmon Coalition is looking for volunteers to help kids of all ages experience the wonder of Fin the Giant Migrating Salmon!
NOSC will be bring Fin to the Dungeness River Festival, hosted by the Dungeness River Nature Center, on Friday, September 26th. Volunteer shifts (2-hour slots) are available from 8:45am to 2:45pm. No experience necessary – training and a helpful volunteer guide are provided!
For more information on the event, visit: Dungeness River Festival 2025 – Dungeness River Nature Center

Education Volunteering Opportunity
2025-10-16 08:30 - 14:00, 2025-10-17 08:30 - 14:00 | Dungeness River
It is that season again and we are gearing up to get our middle school students out in the field to start off their restoration design project. We have several field trips coming up in Clallam and Jefferson Counties this fall and are in need of volunteers to help guide students of their first field trip of the Real Learning Real Work program. This field trip they will be performing site assessments to identify habitat quality concerns for salmon and collecting data on their restoration plots.
What to expect as an education volunteer:
There are several roles for you to help with! Please communicate with me if you are not comfortable in one of the roles.

Setting-up & cleaning up: this involves transporting equipment to different areas of the site such as tape measure, bins of work gloves, tables, and rain gear.
Activity Co-leader: With a staff member, help facilitate an activity for a group of 12-18 students. You will be provided with a facilitator guide that will serve as a quick-reference step-by-step to walk the students through the activity in their journal. Each group of students will have an adult chaperone or teacher from the school with them who will handle all behavior management.
Floating Guide: float between groups of 4-6 students and help guide them to carry out their assigned tasks, answer questions, and help with task such as measuring, using a compass, identifying common plants, etc.
Equipment/Gear: check out tools and equipment to students, help them find work gloves that fit, ensure they return tools/gloves in a clean(ish) and organized fashion.

I will send out an updated schedule and any facilitator guides you might need the week before the field trip. We will meet 30-45 minutes before the students arrive to answer questions, go over the schedule, and make sure you feel prepared.
Dates & Locations:
Sequim is our largest school we work with and they split their trip into 2 days, ½ the 7th grade class on each day. This is our greatest need for volunteers – the more volunteers we have, the smaller we can keep student groups. Students get way more out of the experience if they are able to work with small groups.
October 10th – Blue Heron 7th at Salmon Creek Wildlife Area
October 16th – Sequim 7th at Dungeness River
October 17th – Sequim 7th at Dungeness River
Please sign up HERE.
Feel free to reach out to lmccord@nosc.org if you have any questions!
Image courtesy of Charles Espey.

Orca Recovery Day - Volunteer Planting
2025-10-18 10:00 - 12:30 | Salmon Creek in Discovery Bay, W Uncas Road
Come join us again in celebrating Orca Recovery Day as the Jefferson County Conservation District and the North Olympic Salmon Coalition team up for a planting event at Salmon Creek Wildlife Area! This is important habitat for Endangered Hood Canal summer chum salmon. Recent studies have shown that when Chinook salmon, the preferred prey of Southern Resident Orcas, is in short supply, they’ll supplement their diet with other species, including chum salmon.
Parking is limited. We highly encourage carpooling!
Please bring the following: Gloves, water bottle, snacks, layers for fall weather!
Saturday, October 18th, 10am – 12:30pm.
321 West Uncas Road, Port Townsend, WA 98368
