Each year in November and December, hundreds of salmon return to Piper’s Creek at Carkeek Park. To educate the public about the salmon run, a group of volunteer Salmon Stewards greet park visitors and explain the salmon’s life cycle and habitat. The annual salmon run is coming up fast, and the stewards are looking to grow their volunteer base: on Saturday, Oct. 20, there will be a training for new stewards, and an opportunity to sign up for a few three-hour shifts on weekends in November and early December.
“By attending this training you’ll become a volunteer docent educated in best available science,” the event info reads. “This program allows you to communicate effectively on how the adoption of certain individual actions can positively affect the health of the many waterbodies surrounding Seattle and thus promote the ongoing health of local salmon.”
Salmon Stewards’ duties include staffing a salmon information table near Piper’s Creek, roving the creek while talking to visitors, and answering questions about the salmon return. Volunteers also keep a tally of the number of salmon that return to the creek.
The salmon run is also celebrated each year at festival, the Piper’s Creek Salmon Celebration, to welcome the salmon home; the festival will be Sunday, Nov. 18 from 11am to 2pm. There will be music, food, and activities throughout the park, with the Salmon Stewards on hand to answer questions.
Any questions, contact Bill.Malatinsky@Seattle.Gov or Becca.Reilly@Seattle.Gov. To sign up for the training, call 206-733-9697.