May is Volcano Awareness Month

Mount St Helens, May 18, 1980. Photo: DNR.

May is Volcano Awareness Month in Washington State. This Saturday, May 18, will mark 33 years since the deadly explosion of Mount St. Helens. The eruption produced a blast that, traveling at the speed of sound, mowed down thousands of acres of forest and showered hot ash and gases across the landscape. Fifty-seven people died, including two people who were watching the eruption some 25 miles away from the mountain.

Helping us to prepare for the next time one of the state’s five active volcanoes threatens to erupt is the Washington Emergency Management Division with some helpful reminders.

Visit the website of the U.S. Geological Survey to view an informative, illustrated paper about Mount St. Helens and what the mountain has been up to since 1980. Throughout the week, we will look at what’s known about Mount St. Helens and the four other active volcanoes in our state: Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams. And we should not forget Mount Hood, just over the border in Oregon, which is considered the most potentially hazardous of the five active or potentially active volcanoes in Oregon.

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Volunteer at a National Trails Day event and make a difference!

Trails Day 2012 volunteers in Blanchard Forest. Photo by: Diana Lofflin, DNR

The American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® is June 1. With the recent heat wave, it’s a great time to get out there and enjoy some of Washington’s beautiful trails. Celebrate National Trails Day® by volunteering to improve and develop the trails you love, at one of the many Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) events.

National Trails Day® is a celebration of the vast system of trails in the United States. All across the country organizations, as well as individuals, are organizing events to encourage people to experience the nature that surrounds them.

National Trails Day® is also a day to celebrate the volunteers that make it all possible. For every breathtaking view we have the chance to experience, there’s a volunteer who gave their time to share it with us.

Introduce a friend to Washington’s beautiful trails and invite them to one of these National Trails Day® volunteer events on June 1.

Tiger Mountain National Trails Day Event® – Near Tacoma

Help DNR and the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance construct a new non-motorized trail in East Tiger Mountain State Forest. To join in the fun, please sign-up through the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance.

Volunteers work on the Tarbell Trail. Photo: Josh Riepe, DNR

Little Pend Oreille ORV Trail Maintenance Day June 1- National Trails Day – Near Colville

Come out to Little Pend Oreille ORV Trail and help get the trails ready for the busy season. Volunteers will clear trails of brush, limbs, and other debris. We will also be working to replace boards on bridges, clean out culvert headwalls, and digg out or install waterbars.

Blanchard Forest National Trails Day® Event – Near Bellingham

Join a variety of groups as they work together to clean up Blanchard Forest. There is work for all skill and fitness levels. North Cascade Soaring Club, Pacific Northwest Trail Association, Skagit Chapter BCHW, Whatcom Chapter BCHW, and Whatcom Trails Cooperative are co-sponsoring the event.

Selah Cliffs NAP National Trails Day Event® – Near Yakima

Help pull knapweed along the valley bottom and clean-up the interpretative trail at Selah Cliffs Natural Area Preserve. Bring along work gloves, sturdy work shoes, lunch, water, sunscreen, and small digging tool if possible. Some tools will be available to use.

Reiter Foothills National Trails Day Event® – Near Gold Bar

Volunteers will work on ATV trails. Please bring your ATV and trailer to haul rock. If you don’t have one, there will also be opportunities to use powered wheel barrows, install signs, and other activities to build trails.

Tarbell Trail National Trails Day® Volunteer Event, Yacolt Burn – Near Vancouver

The Chinook Trail Association and volunteers will work on the Tarbell Trail between the L1300 Road and Cold Creek Day use area. We will harden the trail, do drainage maintenance, and possibly install skid resisters on puncheons.

Wedekind Trail National Trails Day® Volunteer Event, Capitol State Forest – Near Olympia

Join the Friends of Capitol Forest in replacing a section of old wooden puncheons with a number of culverts and improving drainage along the trail. Volunteers will also work on rehabbing the Wedekind Trail to remove fallen rocks and debris from the C-Line fire and fire fighting operations.

National Trails Day® on Mailbox Peak – Near North Bend

Join DNR and the Mountains to Sound Greenway at mailbox peak to continue construction of the new sustainable hiking trail. Visit the Mountains to Sound Greenway website to sign up for the event.

Nicholson Horse Trails Maintenance - Near Elbe

Join DNR and the Pierce County Backcountry Horsemen to do maintenance on Nicholson Horse Trail. Backcountry Horsemen will provide a late lunch at the end of the day for the trail workers.  Coffee and sweets in the morning!

Mt Tahoma Trails Maintenance June 1 and June 2- Near Ashford

Mt. Tahoma Trails Association and DNR will be working together to do trail maintenance on June 1 and June 2. To join in the fun meet at the Ashford Fire Station, at 29815 Hwy 706 E, by 10 a.m. Dinner on Saturday will be provided in Ashford by the Mt Tahoma Trails Association.

We’ll see you on the Trails!

If you’d like to know more about volunteer opportunities on DNR managed lands check out the DNR volunteer events page.

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DNR weekend reading: Economic value of urban trees, forests shifting northward and other stories

A snag like this one in Capitol State Forest can provide shelter and forage to birds, small mammals, and other wildlife. Photo: Jessica Payne/DNR.

Here are links to articles about natural resources, climate, energy and other topics published recently by universities, scientific journals, organizations, and other sources:

US Forest Service: US urban trees store carbon, provide billions in economic value
America’s urban forests store an estimated 708 million tons of carbon, an environmental service with an estimated value of $50 billion, according to a recent U.S. Forest Service study. The annual net carbon uptake by these trees is estimated at 21 million tons and their economic benefit at $1.5 billion.

NASA–Jet Propulsion Laboratory: NASA Opens New Era in Measuring Western U.S. Snowpack
A new NASA airborne mission has created the first maps of the entire snowpack of two major mountain watersheds in California and Colorado, producing the most accurate measurements to date of how much water they hold. The agency plans to exand the mapping to other mountain watersheds.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: New Study: As Climate Changes, Boreal Forests to Shift North and Relinquish More Carbon Than Expected
Boreal forests will likely shift north at a steady clip this century. Along the way, the vegetation will relinquish more trapped carbon than most current climate models predict.

University of Wisconsin: Decline in snow cover spells trouble for many plants, animals
In a warming world, winter and spring snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere is in decline, putting at risk many plants and animals that depend on the space beneath the snow to survive the blustery chill of winter.

University of Calgary: Human impacts on natural world underestimated
A comprehensive five-year study by University of Calgary ecologists indicates that conservation research may not giving enough consideration to the influence of human activity on natural ecosystems and food chains.

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Cle Elum community is the 100th ‘Firewise Community/USA’ in state

Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark congratulates residents of a community near Cle Elum for reducing wildfire threats to their homes. Photo: Janet Pearce/DNR.

Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark joined with other officials this morning in Cle Elum to congratulate residents of Hidden Valley Meadows/Vista Community for becoming the 100th Firewise Community in the state. At a special event this morning, residents of the Kittitas County community displayed wildfire prevention techniques they put in place to protect their homes and property from fire. The Hidden Valley Meadows/Vista Community was evacuated, but spared from, last year’s destructive Taylor Bridge Fire, which came within a mile of the development.

CLICK on image to see eight simple actions you can take that will greatly reduce wildfire risks to your home. Image: firewise.org.

Communities can earn national recognition from the Firewise Communities/USA® Program for taking steps to reduce wildfire threats to their homes and other structures.

Attending this morning’s event with Goldmark were several members of the media, along with representatives from the Washington Conservation Commission, Kittitas County Fire District #7, Kittitas County Commission, Kittitas County Conservation District, and Skagit Conservation District.

We’ve already had several wildfires this year in Washington State, and the fire season just begun. Here are eight things you can do this weekend to improve the odds of your home surviving a wildfire.

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Washington Geologic Wonders: Dry Falls was really flowing during the last Ice Age

The Dry Falls formation in Grant County was created by massive flooding during the last Ice Age, 12,000-18,000 years ago. Photo: Rian Skov/DNR.

The majestic Dry Falls formation near Coulee City was created by the Missoula floods about 12,000-18,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. A cycle of damming and breaching of the ice surrounding Glacial Lake Missoula (a massive lake situated in current-day western Montana) produced numerous large floods. In their wake, the floods left the many large carved landforms (including Dry Falls) that we see today across parts of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The floods sculpted Dry Falls by cutting into the Columbia River Basalts rock formation. It is estimated that the volume of water coming over the falls during those Ice Age floods was about ten times greater than Niagara Falls.

This impressive spot is easy to visit and learn about, thanks to the Washington State Parks-maintained visitor center there. Dry Falls also is a principal stop along the proposed Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail.

Learn more about the geology of Washington state by reading  Washington State Geology News, published by DNR’s Division of Geology and Earth Resources. Sign up for a free subscription

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Wildfire in Capitol State Forest causes some recreation closures

A helicopter fighting the fire in Capitol State Forest. Photo by: Chuck Turley

5/7 Update: Fire is now 90% contained at 80-acres. Roads are open. Use caution. There may be heavy equipment still in use. 

 The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is fighting a wildfire that started early Sunday morning in Capitol State Forest; the cause of the fire is still under investigation (more information on the fire).

The fire has burned 60 acres, affecting hiking, mountain biking, and horse trails.

Roads and recreation sites affected by the fire

The C-line road is closed starting from the Delphi Entrance near Noschka Road (see Capitol State Forest map). 

Location of fire activities in Capitol State forest. Photo: DNR

From the Rock Candy Entrance, C-4000 is closed as well. Fall Creek Campground and Trailhead, Little Larch Trail, Wedekind, and Green Line Trail are just a few of the main recreation sites affected by these road closures.

The closure may land right in the middle of our recent wave of nice weather, but you don’t have to let this inconvenience keep you from enjoying the sunshine. Here’s a list of a few great alternative recreation areas within 50 miles of Capitol State Forest.

Tahuya State Forest. Tahuya offers recreation opportunities for a variety of activities, including off-road vehicle riding (ORV), horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, camping and other uses.

Green Mountain State Forest. Located a few miles west of Bremerton, Green Mountain offers 13 miles of trails and recreation opportunities for a variety of activities including horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, camping, and other uses.

Elbe Hills and Tahoma State Forest. Located 6 miles east of Elbe, Elbe Hills offers trails for horseback riding, ORV riding, hiking, and camping.

Outdoor burning is the leading cause of wildfire ignition. One of the best ways to protect access to your local recreation area is to manage your campfires responsibly. Be sure to follow these tips next time you enjoy an evening around the fire:

• Never leave a campfire unattended at any time.
• Drown fire thoroughly with water.
• Stir until cold.
• Drown fire again and stir.
• Never leave a campfire until it is completely out and cool to the touch.

It looks like it’s shaping up to be a beautiful summer! Be safe out there and remember, you are our eyes and ears in the forest. That makes you our best chance in catching wildfires and other issues early on. To report a fire, call 9-1-1. To report other illegal activities call 1-855-883-8368 or email forestwatch@dnr.wa.gov .

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New Capitol State Forest map gets a tip of the hat from ThurstonTalk

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently updated its Capitol State Forest map. Thurston Talk got their hands on a copy of the new map and wrote an article for their website.

The author points out that many trails and roads in the forest have changed over recent years, bringing about the need for updates to the Capitol State Forest map. DNR used the update as an opportunity to improve on the older version of the map.

While the new map has increased the accuracy of the listed trails, it also added a few new features. One of these new features mentioned in the article is the Fun Guide. The Fun Guide is a large section of the map dedicated to pointing out several popular features of Capitol State Forest. With points of interest such as best mountain biking loop, most peaceful walk, best drive and best camping, users are guaranteed to find something new whether they’re newcomers or regular visitors to Capitol State Forest.

The author of the article was able to provide an interesting perspective on the map and its new features. Check out the article on Thurston Talk, and for more information on the new Capitol State Forest map check out these related links:

Top 5 reasons to download the new Capitol State Forest map onto your smartphone
New Capitol State Forest map is hot off the presses!

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DNR invites public to meeting on Reiter Foothills recreation plan

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a public meeting on May 7 to receive comments on the proposed non-motorized recreation trail plan for Reiter Foothills.

DNR and the public have been collaborating since 2009 to develop a recreation plan that takes into account the many users, as well as the environmental well-being, of the Reiter Foothills in Snohomish County.

Join DNR Recreation staff on May 7 to learn about proposed non-motorized trails at Reiter Foothills. Photo by: DNR

The plan is currently going through the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review process. The May 7 meeting will be a great opportunity for the public to learn about the SEPA process, discuss their concerns, and submit their SEPA comments.

The meeting will take place:

When: Tuesday May 7, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Park Place Middle School
1408 W. Main Street
Monroe, WA

Join us and invite your friends on facebook.

Those attending the meeting will have an opportunity to share their thoughts about the environmental impacts of the proposed trails. Comments and suggestions about how to limit damage to the natural or built environments will be carefully considered by in the SEPA review.

Comments from the public about the SEPA process must be received before 4:30 p.m., May 14, 2013, by the SEPA Center at sepacenter@dnr.wa.gov or PO Box 47015, Olympia, Washington 98504-7015

Visit the SEPA website for more information about the proposed project and to review the plan.

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Reiter Foothills Test Rides Draws a Crowd

Riders leave first tracks at Reiter Foothills

Calling all trailblazers! Rare opportunity on September 30 to lay out hiking, biking and equestrian trails at Reiter Foothills!

Invite your friends to the event on Facebook!

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DNR wildland fire crew members honored for swift actions in civilian rescue during Taylor Bridge Fire

Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark presents a commendation certificate to DNR employee Bob Stein recently in Ellensburg. Additional recipients were Dave Adams (center) and Dave Brown (behind Stein). Photo Koshare Eagle/DNR.

Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark recently honored three employees of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for their efforts to ensure the safety of citizens caught up in the Taylor Bridge Fire last summer.

David Brown and Bob Stein, who work in DNR’s Southeast Region Office based Ellensburg; and David Adams, from the DNR Aviation Program in Olympia, successfully coordinated their efforts to rescue two civilians who were at imminent risk during the first hours of the wildfire. Goldmark, who also oversees DNR, presented the three workers with special commendations during a visit to Ellensburg in April.

Rescue effort was success 

Native Plant Appreciation Week continues through May 4

Red columbine (Aquilegia formosa). Photo: DNR

Red columbine (Aquilegia formosa) is one of the many plants we celebrate during Native Plant Appreciation Week in Washington state, April 28 – May 4, 2013. Find out about Native Plant Appreciation Week events on the Washington Native Plant Society website or visit DNR DNR on Facebook.

DNR conservation and restoration efforts, include the Natural Heritage Program and the Natural Areas Program.

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