Harrison Reserve-Kendall Community Outdoor Education Initiative

This initiative is a collaboration with Whatcom Land Trust (lead), North Cascades Audubon, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, Whatcom Conservation District, the Mount Baker School District and Kendall Elementary PTA.  It is providing environmental education to rural, under served elementary school students using a 5.4-acre site owned by Whatcom Land Trust and 10 acres of additional pond and wetlands located adjacent to Kendall Elementary School. To facilitate the initiative the site is being replanted with bird-friendly plant species, and a boardwalk and viewing platform/bird blind will be constructed.

NCAS Role: NCAS is responsible for raising money for the viewing platform/bird blind, for assistance procuring birding education resources for Kendall Elementary School, for guidance on bird-friendly plants for habitat restoration, and other assistance related to birding education. The birding education program will be integrated with the bird-friendly habitat restoration and our partner’s salmon and water quality curriculum. This will help students develop a better understanding of the conservation value of the connected natural systems of Harrison Reserve and learn actions they can take to improve natural systems function.

Last spring and this fall approximately 5,800 red osier dogwood, Sitka willow and Douglas spirea have been or will be planted with grant money received from National Audubon. The planting was done with guidance by the Land Trust but was primarily accomplished by students from 11 classrooms at Kendall Elementary School.

Construction of the boardwalk and viewing platform are projected to be finished in the Summer of 2020 and has taken much longer than anticipated because of the number of permits required by the myriad of agencies having jurisdiction over the wetlands.  To date, a wetland delineation and geotech survey are finished, County permits are drafted, construction contractors have been lined up, and we are waiting on final designs from the engineer.

Fundraising Goal: NCAS has committed to raising at least $5,500 from our members which we will match from our reserve funds dedicated to education. So far, thanks to generous donors, we have raised $3,475 but we still need to raise an additional $2,025.

How Can You Help? Please consider donating money to the Harrison Reserve Initiative. Donations are tax deductible and if donated as part of your retirement RMD, tax free. All donations up to $5,500 will be matched dollar for dollar. Donations can be sent to us at our mailing address - PO Box 5805, Bellingham, WA 98227-5805. For more information on the project please contact Steven Harper at sharper@northcascadesaudubon.org or 360-650-9065.