Daredevil's 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!

Clip, clip, dig, dig - Grey Fox Kits and Barred Owlets finish Connelly Creek fall service

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” Rabindranath Tagore

BEFORE: Car parts, broken bottles, rusted nails (thousands of rusted nails!), wire fencing, miscellaneous trash…numerous bags of trash. Rats - several of the deceased and the scurrying kind observed. Invasive Himalayan Blackberryand Reed Canarygrass that had largely overtaken the restoration site alongConnelly Creek. Humans and plants had invaded and degraded several acres along the creek, which feeds Padden Creek. 

WHY BOTHER? Ecological biodiversity is the mix of ecosystems, natural communities and habitats. It’s the variety of ways that species interact with each other and their environment. Change one factor (e.g., plant diversity), and everything else is affected. Biodiversity is an important part of ecological services that make life livable on Earth. They include everything from cleaning water and absorbing chemicals, which wetlands do, to providing oxygen for us to breathe - one of the many things that plants do for people. Biodiversity also allows for ecosystems to adjust to disturbances such as fires or floods. If a reptile goes extinct, a forest with 20 other reptiles is likely to adapt better than another forest with only one reptile. 

So, our humble restoration site at Connelly Creek offers an excellent opportunity for our explorers to learn first hand how ecosystems work while causing a real and observable positive impact on something that really matters. 

THE WORK: For several years now, the Boys Explorers Club (BEC) has worked under the guidance of Bellingham Parks and Recreation to restore the site to greater health. Using tools provided by the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, your boys have cleaned out the garbage, cut back and uprooted blackberry vines, stamped down the Reed Canarygrass, planted native trees and shrubs, and spread bark mulch…..yard after yard of bark mulch!

This is a long-term project. We’ve made mistakes, such as when we cut down the Canarygrass, which it turns out encourages future growth! So, we stomped it down, a la Godzilla, and covered the site with several inches of bark mulch, only to return to the site after a few month’s absence to find the Canarygrass having returned to its former “glory”. It’ll take years for the alders, ninebark and other species we planted to shade out the grasses and reclaim the land, the best long term solution. In fact, the project just might outlast the Grey Fox Kits and Barred Owlets time in Explorers Club! Of course, it’s a shame we have to do this work. But the lesson for the boys is clear: there will always be work that needs to be done for the good of the larger society and each of them can have a positive impact. In fact, there is joy is service to others and to the land.

This weekend, we worked to clear blackberries from an area roughly 20 by 50 feet along the creek. While that might not seem like a big area, consider the number of blackberry root balls that needed to be extricated, or the fence that saw the light of day for the first time in years, or the tree that was liberate from the strangle hold of the prickly vines. The scratches they proudly display came from the 10-15 foot long vines they cut down to a size that could be bagged and carted off. The tired, sore muscles are the result of wrestling (2 or 3 working in tandem, at times) with stubborn roots or digging holes to plant more trees and shrubs. The goofy smiles on their faces can be traced back to the hard-earned satisfaction of having done meaningful work, and done it well, as the photos will attest. 

While the boys worked hard and accomplished much on this day, we cannot claim unblemished pride in our actions. Some boys could be seen climbing trees or exploring the creek when work waited; we get it, they’re boys. Not a problem. With a little prodding, they usually return to the work. However, when the mentors learned that someone had apparently cut down a spruce sapling that had been planted as part of the project, we decided to call all the explorers together to re-emphasize the serious, important nature of the work and of the responsibility each of us has to behave with honor and respect for each other and the land. Message delivered, we returned to the work and mustered a strong finish for the day and for our service work this season.

AFTER: While there is still work to be done, check out the photos here and in the gallery. The results speak for themselves…your explorers are officially part of the solution!

They have earned the right to stand tall because they have performed with honor and to great effect. They each can rightfully echo the words of one of their colleagues as he walked away from the site after completely his work: “I feel proud.”

Check out the rest of the photos from our service outing here (Grey Fox Kits) and here (Barred Owlets), and check the web site for the details on your explorer’s next outing - Grey Fox Kits, click here. Barred Owlets, clickhere.

The Barred Owlets traverse Padden Creek to Connelly Creek

As the old saying goes: The best laid plans.....

Our intention for our first traverse as a group was to follow the lifecycle of the salmon by hiking from MarinePark to the Connelly Creek service site on the trail that follows the creek through Fairhaven Park. You may remember we began the spring season by talking about the water in our bodies. Of course, mother nature complemented our conversation by providing all sorts of water in the form of a steady downpour! On the next outing, we talked about estuaries when we visited Clayton Beach. Then, we worked hard to restore the Connelly Creek service site to foster the salmon traverse. So, it made sense to tie it all together with this nicely organized hike.

But, like I said, the best laid plans....

We took off from Marine Park and headed to the estuary where Padden Creek empties into the bay. We talked about the near shore habitat as we observed the low tide, then crossed over to the south to follow Padden Creek. So far, so good. 

We hadn’t gone 50 yards, though, when the draw of the creek proved too powerful for the explorers. Several boys dropped down from the trail to the creek and splashed in. Can you feel the nice, neat plan falling by the wayside? A few more boys in the creek and we faced a decision as a group...should we abandon the trail and hike the creek bed? Thanks to our dry spring, the water level is low, which tempted even those without water ready footwear to try rock-stepping, rock-hopping, trail-side wandering and otherwise following the water without getting too wet. Or so we thought...

The explorers were excited to venture off the beaten path. A few saw a trout, all figured out how to vault over the log lying across the creek and several tested the echo-level in one of the tunnels. We were feeling pretty good about ourselves when we got to a spot that was a bit deeper - a bigger challenge for the boys trying to stay dry, more excitement for those who were OK with getting wet.

Of course, we don’t shrink from a reasonable challenge at Explorers Club (check out our Stretch Your Edge and Challenge by Choice mottos here). And that’s a key takeaway from this outing. We challenged the boys to accomplish their first traverse and then raised the stakes by dropping into the creek for much of the hike, and they responded. It’s nice to see their connection with the land deepen with each outing. And just as nice to see them stretch their edges to accept the challenges that come with spending time in the outdoors. They’re doing great! So, all’s good, right? Well......

Back to our intrepid explorers in that higher level water. A few were doing their best to keep their boots and socks dry by edging along on what turned out to be wet clay, not the Chuckanut sandstone they thought (hoped?) it was. Quicker than you can say, “It’s raining, it’s pouring; let’s go exploring!” they were in the creek up to their navels! 

By now, everyone was wet to varying degrees. Fortunately, the boys were ready to deal with the consequences of our adventurous nature, the weather cooperated (I wouldn’t wanted to have this happen on that first outing!), and we still had enough time hiking to dry most of the pants, socks, and boots. 

When the creek and Interurban Trail parted ways, we climbed back up to the trail and headed east toward the Connelly Creek service site. Hiking the trail was a nice break that lasted until we crossed Old Fairhaven Parkway. Connelly Creek is in the tall grasses, but access is limited at this point. So, back off trail. This time, we bushwhacked our way to Connelly Creek and back into the water!

Amazingly, we arrived at the service site right on time to make some tea and enjoy the cookies Steve made to atone for forgetting the apples at Clayton Beach. A sit spot to reflect on nature’s wonders and a round of thanks in our closing meeting, and the Barred Owlets’ spring 2015 season passed quietly into posterity. 

Sincere thanks to you for entrusting your boys to our care during the spring. Try as we might, we couldn’t keep them dry (even when the sun was shining) but we believe their time in the outdoors is therapeutic. We look forward to spending more time with them at camps over the summer and back to Explorers Club in the fall. Check here for photos from our traverse.

Serving Connelly Creek with the Salamander Efts and Barred Owlets

The headline might read “Connelly Creek Restoration Work Continues Apace”. Because it does, in part thanks to the efforts of the Salamander Efts and Barred Owlets on Saturday. Reed Canarygrass was “walked down” (it turns out the grass cutting we did in the fall was misdirected effort that actually encouraged growth!): bark mulch was shoveled, hauled and spread over the flattened Canarygrass: Himalayan blackberry was clipped and hauled off. TheConnelly Creek restoration site (see Happy Valley Park on the map) is better off for the strong effort put forth by these two Explorers Club groups. Service is an integral part of the Wild Whatcom mission. This work is a good thing and would make a nice story in the local newspaper.

At Wild Whatcom, we expect and strive for more, however. And for this outing, the deeper story is more nuanced. So let’s look past the headline by reviewing my admittedly arbitrary benchmarks for a service outing. 

Focus/hard work - Once I’ve seen three 60 - 80 pound boys struggling under the weight of a trash can full of bark mulch, I can’t easily question effort. However, pull the camera back during the outing and the boy sitting in a tree comes into the picture, as do the boys battling each other with bark chips as projectiles. Much work was done but the effort was inconsistent across the members of the Salamander Efts and Barred Owlets and rippled unevenly across the afternoon. 

Teamwork - I bring you back to the three boys carrying the loaded trash can. Two boys couldn’t carry that can, nor could the three of them get it to where it was needed without active communication. Likewise, a sole explorer couldn’t have dismantled a roughly 10 by 10 foot section of blackberry on his own. The mentors saw many examples of excellent teamwork throughout the afternoon. We were especially proud to observe the older Salamander Efts modeling good work habits for the Barred Owlets. 

Initiative - There’s a small ditch that bisects the work site about 3/4 of the way back. Thanks to explorers’ efforts over the past several years, most of the blackberries have receded to beyond the ditch. At one point a few hours into the outing, I jumped (ok, stepped) across the ditch to check on the blackberry work, only to find 3-4 explorers slicing through thorn-thrusting vines with the intensity of a family of beavers in spring. Rather than cut across the front of the infestation, they were tunneling from two directions and working back through the segregated area to clear a small room size area in a single effort. Nice work! I’m sure the two boys sitting along the creek, Huck Finn style and out of sight, would agree that the blackberry ravaging boys were making a real difference.

Task completion - Those who were part of the initial effort to restore Wild Whatcom’s Connelly Creek service site to ecological balance tell me the area was all but covered with invasive plants, such as Himalayan blackberry, and human trash (broken bottles, discarded beverage cans, car parts, piles of nails, and the like) when they first arrived. Well over half has been cleared and native trees and shrubs planted. Even since I joined the effort in the fall, the improvement is dramatic. Saturday’s work pushed this effort forward. It is gratifying to see the progress: these explorers are to be congratulated. 

Integrity/Honor/Respect - More could have been done on this day, however, with greater focus and discipline. There was too much squirreling out; too often did I turn to see bark being hurled at another; too often were individuals content to allow others to carry the load. I, for one, was disappointed.

Of course, what is life if not a succession of trials offering lessons and the chance to do better next time? The boys are young. This is the time for them to learn the satisfaction that comes from performing well and honorably. We’ll be back at this soon with more opportunities to help carry the heavy trash can and cut the irascible berry bushes. 

And, no doubt, I’m right in there with the boys. I can think of several times during the outing where a guiding word from me might have encouraged an explorer to lend a hand rather than squirrel out or start a bark battle. Fortunately, I get to put my lessons to work soon as well. Life is forgiving in that it offers second, third and, sometimes, fourth chances. Now there’s something for which we all can be grateful!

The Salamander Efts get back to it on Saturday, May 30, with an exploration of Blanchard mountain's alternate incline trails. Click here for the schedule.

The Barred Owlets pick up their water curriculum on Saturday, May 30 as well, when we traverse from Marine Park in Fairhaven to the Connelly Creek location. You'll find that schedule here.

Finally, check out the photos from our service work here (Salamander Efts) and here (Barred Owlets). See you out there.

Vespula Veterans Serve Connelly Creek with the Barred Owlets

Serving the land is a critical component of the Boys Explorers Club.  Service is an act of humility and the land demands that—ask any of the boys who were on our “mellow” backpacking trip to the Lilly and Lizard lake this summer.  In Boys Explorers Club we often use the land more than other folks traveling in our area.  We leave the trail to seek deeper connection to the place where we live by studying the abiotic and biotic elements in the landscape.  We leave the trail to practice sit spot, and play games that teach us to move quietly through the land and pay attention.  Our service outing is a way for us to repay the land and our community for the gentle impacts we do make.

Steve and Greg spent quite some time discussing how to best prepare the Vespula Veterans for working with the younger boys—The Barred Owlets.  Though the age difference between the two groups isn’t vast, they are in very different places in they journey with Explorers Club as well as their broader lives outside.  So when all of the Vespula Veterans had arrived we quickly gathered and headed to the service site.  Steve and Greg presented the work that needed to be accomplished before the Barred Owlets arrived and tasked the Vespula Veterans organize and run our opening meeting.  They quickly dispersed and got to work.  They organized the tools and gathered in a circle to both discuss how they would present tool safety to the Barred owlets as well as listening to Greg and Steve present so background and useful tools on working with the age group that the younger boys were in. 

The Vespula Veterans have become very efficient at group work.  They have a healthy balance of keeping our circles light and fun but also getting the work done and being willing to struggling with things that are more complex or difficult to discuss as a group.  Because of this efficiency the Vespula were able to hide and ambush the younger boys.  This has become somewhat of a tradition at this point.  It provides the older boys with an opportunity to see how well they can camouflage themselves and the younger boys (who arrive an hour later) a chance to see how well they are paying attention to the land.  For the first time the older boys remained completely undiscovered!  It was also a sneaky way for Steve and Greg to disguise a 25-minute sit spot!

With both groups together the Vespula presented how to safely use tools and set our collective service team up for a good day of work.  Our tasks at the service site remain the same as last season.  We are trying to get the Reed Canary Grass under control by promoting the growth of Red Alder trees, and various native shrubs such as Willow, Red Osier Dogwood, and Hardhack to create shade and eventually displace the Canary grass.  We are still digging out Blackberry Roots and spreading much and wood chips to aid in this process.

The Vespula and the Owlets worked side-by-side getting the work done.  This service day was very focused in where we applied our efforts compared to other service days in the past.  The boys were focused and their efforts digging, cutting and hauling were tremendous.

At 3:15 Steve and Greg called the Vespula Veterans out of the service area and we headed to a different part of Connelly Creek a couple of minutes away.  This section had been restored about 10 years ago and is free of the invasive species that are in our service site.  Under the shade of alders we held our closing meeting.  Once the apples were sliced we were able to give thanks and then hold a discussion about the day.  Steve and Greg wanted to hear from the Vespula Veterans about their experience and asked “What surprised you the most about working with the younger boys?”  There were many rich comments.  Some were surprised at the Owlets strong work ethic.  Some were surprised by the inability to ignore the machete that was “off limits” to them.  One sibling was surprised (and apparently relived) to discover the typically rambunctious behavior of his younger brother was not present in Explorers Club.  Our conversation was rich especially given that this has been the first opportunity for the Vespula Veterans to take on their EMA (Explorers Mentoring Apprenticeship) work as a whole group.  At our next two outings Greg and Steve will be making space at our opening meetings to hear and EMA stories or puzzles so that the mentors can continue to support the growth of the Vespula Veterans in their Four Shields Journey.

Our day concluded with a look ahead to our upcoming outing on Sunday, October 12^th.  We will be piling aboard Stubbs and heading to Hovander Homestead Park to meet community member Time Flores who will show us some ancient hunting tools and offer us the opportunity to learn how they work.  If you still have your atlatl from the summer backpacking trip bring it along.  If you left it behind, or accidentally put in the fire like Greg do not fret as there will be many to share.

As always thank you Vespula Veterans for your hard work helping to restore balance to the land, your compassion for the younger boys and your willingness to take on all the leadership roles we have thrown at you.  It is such a pleasure to work with you and I am glad to joining you again so soon.  Finally thanks again to the parents and families that support all of us in this work.  Steve and Greg feel so fortunate to be working with your sons and appreciate your trust!

Barred Owlets Connelly Creek Service Outing - 10/4/14

It was a perfect Saturday afternoon for the Barred Owlets to partake in a day of service. We met near Connelly Creek, all thankful for the morning showers and the life they bring, but also glad things had cleared up a bit before we got to work healing the land that heals us. As the boys were dropped off, they quickly made their way down to the creek scampering back and forth across natural bridges of fallen trees making it safe and dry to the other side, well at least a majority of the boys and their feet remained dry. Little did they know the eldest group, the Vespula Veterans who had arrived an hour earlier, were staked out in the nearby shrubbery waiting patiently to surprise the younger group. Once all the Barred Owlets had arrived, we meandered our way to the service site all whilst being watched unbeknownst to the younger boys. As we rounded the bend in the path and arrived at the service site there was a rustling in the bushes. In the blink of an eye a dozen elder boys had joined our group, ready and willing to teach these younger boys the importance of our service work and how to do it safely and responsibly.

We gathered in a circle, much larger than usual with two groups, and all shared our names and familiarized with one another. Next came a quick briefing by the Vespula Veterans on all the different tools that NSEA (Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association) had lent us to use for this outing. The older boys taught us which tools to use for which job, and how to properly handle the tools in a safe and responsible fashion. Armed with knowledge and a plethora of shovels, shears, loppers, and clippers the boys were now ready to begin understanding the Boys EC motto; “Many hands make light work.”

There was much to be done at the service site. There were still many fearsome and resilient Himalayan Blackberries tangled amongst the trees and bushes. The ones that had been cut back the previous week still had their powerful roots dug in deep, clinging to the soil. Many of the boys tackled this dilemma by quickly setting up a system; some of the boys hacked away at the thorny vines while others jammed the freshly cut pieces into a large garbage can where still more boys were waiting at the ready with clippers to cut them down to size for bagging. While this was going on, the rest of the boys were snipping away at the rugged reed canary grass with their shears stemming the tide in the grasses battle with the native red alders over the nutrients in the soil.

Once we had made good progress on the blackberries and cut and flattened a good patch of reed canary grass it was time to spread the huge pile of mulch that was left by the park service. Boys young and old scurried over the large mound like ants over a nest, busily shoveling mulch into empty garbage cans so they could be carried off by more boys, dumped, and spread. We focused our work around a juvenile dogwood that is struggling to establish itself and join forces with the native red alders in shading out the invasive grasses. As the mulch pile slowly shrunk, it was time for the older boys to leave providing the Barred Owlets an opportunity for some good group bonding while finishing up the rest of the mulching process.

With the elder boys gone, the younger boys didn’t miss a beat and took after their hardworking elder brethren. In fact, it almost seemed as though the younger boys were on a mission to outdo the older group. The mulch pile seemed to shrink as though a sink hole had opened up beneath it. The boys were demonstrating a tremendous work ethic in conjuncture with impressive group management skills that will serve them well in their bright futures. With the mulching done, the boys transitioned seamlessly from labor to leisure as they took turns crawling into the empty garbage cans and rolling one another around the service sight leaving a wake of smiles and laughter.

Because the boys worked so hard and finished their service work with time to spare we were able to play a fantastic game of Fox Tails in the field. As the game began, a light drizzle settled in adding a new, rather slippery element to Fox Tails. However, it was impossible to tell a difference in the boy’s attitude and demeanor and an epic round of Fox Tails began to unfold before us. The boys were diving for one another’s bandanas, sneaking up on one another, and even attempting to lure in an unsuspecting pursuant by pretending to be oblivious of their presence only to spring their trap at the last second and snag the bandana of the opposition.

Before we knew it, the time had come for our closing circle. We gathered up and each boy took a turn sharing something they were thankful for while apple slices were shared amongst the circle. Many of the boys were thankful for the land we have been honored with the responsibility of caring for. Other boys were thankful for various acts of kindness from the other boys that helped make our service outing that much more enjoyable. We then gathered up our packs and trudged back to meet the parents after a long day of service. Most reasonable people would have figured the boys tired and ready for a meal and some relaxation, however this was not the case. On the way back boys battled one another with their bandanas establishing a few playful rivalries and sowing the seeds of strong friendships for the future. The boys briefly acknowledged the presence of their loving parents before slipping back down the muddy bank to the creek to continue their bandana duels and splash around in the water clearly unconcerned with the interior of their parental unit’s vehicle; just another day in the life of a young explorer.