Monthly Meeting & Guest Speaker

10 am: Featured Speaker

Bree Turner, Puget Sound kelp and eelgrass recovery efforts – the weaving of research,
protection, restoration, and community engagement

Our nearshore environments are home to numerous marine vegetation
species, such as kelp and eelgrass, which serve as the foundation for diverse and
productive ecosystems. Join us to learn more about the challenges facing marine
vegetation and the inspiring work, occurring across partners and approaches, to
accelerate recovery.

About our speaker:  Bree Turner was raised on the shores of Puget Sound and has
developed a coastal conservation career devoted to fostering science-based and
community-supported management. She has 20 years of experience working in
the coastal management sector with federal, state and tribal governments and agencies,
nonprofts, private sector and universities. In 2023 she joined Washington State Department
of Natural Resources as the Marine Vegetation Strategy Lead with Puget Sound Habitat
Strategic Initiative. Prior to her current position, she was a Senior Coastal Management
Specialist supporting the work of NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management to implement
the National Estuarine Research Reserves program. She has a bachelor’s degree
from The Evergreen State College, where her senior thesis explored heavy metal
concentrations in bivalves across Puget Sound. She has a master’s degree from
University of California – Davis, where she conducted her thesis in partnership with the
Seldovia Village Tribe in Alaska on the braiding of indigenous knowledge and Western
science in their tribal-led programming.

11:00 am: SWS Business Meeting – reports from board and committees

Business Meeting Agenda

11:30 am: Breakout Rooms for Camano and Whidbey

Camano Breakout Agenda (click for dropdown)

Reports:

• Social / Coffee breakfast gathering, Cama Lodge, June 6th (Paul Williams)
• VET (Fran)
• Beach Monitoring (Louis and Diana Craig)
• Beach Litter Cleanup, Iverson Spit (Anyone who participated)
• Conway classes at CISP (Meredith)
• Nature Discovery Days (Anyone who was there…)
• Marine Mammal Stranding Network Training (List of volunteers have been submitted to organizer.)

Events:

• Sep 20 – A Day at the Beach at Camano Library (Scott will contact those who signed up for a planning meeting at the library for summer meeting)
• July 5 – CISP events – at CISP Boat Ramp : -Hand out Crabber Education & Escape Cord 8-10 am and/or – Beach Litter Cleanup 10 am – noon (Sign up sheet, or contact Scott Chase ), other educational tabling
• July 20 – Potluck SWS Summer Picnic, Bowman Bay Shelter, Whidbey Island, 11 am – 3:30 pm
• August 1, – First Friday Social/Coffee breakfast gathering, Cama Lodge (Paul Williams)
• July 26 – Kids Fest (Teresa M, Camano Coord)
• July or August ? TBD – Camano Events Team – brainstorm and determine SC Give project for Giving Tuesday (deadline August 31)
• Every Saturday All summer – assist Meredith at State Parks with fun activities for community and park visitors – contact Meredith
• date TBD – tabling at Stanwood Farmers Market – Gaylen
• June 15 – deadline for application to SCAF Floyd and Delores Jones Community Grants – Teresa and Joan

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Camano hosts in January, March, May, and September
Whidbey hosts in February, April, June, and October