2025 ORCA RECOVERY EVENTS
Photo by Holly Fearnbach, NOAA
Join us for our eighth annual Orca Recovery celebration! See below for event details and registration.
More events may be added in the coming week, please check this webpage for updates.
Due to space limitations, REGISTRATION is required below for all events.
Dungeness River Tour
Native plant in a plant protector
When: October 15 (Wed) from 10:00AM - 11:30AM
Where: Lower Dungeness River, Sequim, WA (meeting location will be emailed out to registered participants)
Join Clallam Conservation District and Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe staff for a one-to-two-mile educational walk along a historic floodplain of the Dungeness River in Sequim. The Dungeness River has faced many challenges in the past century, including winter flooding, low flows during summer months, and impacts to riparian habitat.
This tour will talk about past, present, and future projects designed to restore this watershed, which is home to threatened Chinook salmon utilized as a food source by Southern Resident orcas. The tour will also incorporate in identification of the 20+ species of native trees and shrubs that have been planted in the floodplain over the past five years to help create long-term habitat for fish and wildlife.
Volunteer Event: Beach Cleanup - Freshwater Bay
When: October 18 (Sat) from 9:00AM – 11:30AM
Where: Freshwater Bay, Port Angeles, WA (driving directions will be provided to registrants)
Freshwater bay beach access
Join Clallam Conservation District and Washington CoastSavers for a beach cleanup at Freshwater Bay in west Port Angeles and learn about the impacts marine debris has on the Southern Resident orca whale population.
Bags and information will be provided for volunteers. Families are welcome to come enjoy a relaxing morning of tide pooling while searching for marine debris to remove from the beach. The beach area at Freshwater Bay is part of a 21-acre park owned and maintained by Clallam County that includes picnic areas and a boat launch.
Volunteer Event: Elwha River Planting
When: November 8 (Sat) from 10:00AM - 12:30PM
Where: Lake Aldwell Road in Port Angeles, WA
Volunteers at the 2023 elwha river planting
Volunteers are needed to help the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and Clallam Conservation District staff plant over 1,000 native trees and shrubs in the former Lake Aldwell reservoir in Port Angeles. All ages are welcome.
Removal of the lower Elwha dam in 2011 and the upper Glines Canyon Dam in 2014 opened 35 miles of spawning habitat to Chinook salmon, as well as other fish species. Removal of the dams left roughly 700 acres of former lakebeds to return to native forests. Harsh growing conditions, such as a lack of topsoil and direct exposure to wind, rain, and sun, have made it a challenge to establish conifers in the old lakebeds, so these restoration plantings are crucial to restore the ecosystem. In time, these seedlings will provide vital shade to the river and contribute large woody debris to create excellent instream fish habitat.
Join us to plant trees and draw inspiration from the life returning to the Elwha watershed.