We are certainly not sacrificing quality for quantity; each classroom will receive six lessons from the Task Force's education staff extraordinaire, Cara Ianni and Erin Meyer. Perhaps the highlight so far of our education program was our first proper experiment. By building physical models using clay, sand, soil, and toothpicks for trees, we tested the question "How do trees affect erosion?" We "rained" on two models, one with trees and one without, and in the process got a little muddy and had a lot of fun. Being good scientists, we were sure to change only the presence of trees, while keeping other variables, such as the amount of water we added to our models, the same. Students were able to observe first hand the effects of trees on soil erosion, and, by noting how trees help prevent erosion by slowing down water and binding the soil in place, they are making good progress towards understanding exactly why we plant trees to help fish.

Besides the erosion experiment, students have learned about watersheds, water quality, and salmon life history. First, students found their group members for these lessons much in the same way that salmon find their natal streams - by using their sense of smell! In addition, while watching the ink run as we squirted water on our paper watershed models, students observed how water first passes through the land before entering local waterways. Then, they were able to apply their learning in the field by performing water quality tests on the streams they will eventually help to restore. Our results found high levels of phosphate, a nutrient that can come from excess soap, and students were quick to hypothesize that these high levels were likely the result of car washing in the adjacent neighborhood.

On many of our restoration sites, invasive Himalayan blackberry is a tough non-native plant to eradicate and control. Concerned over what may be the best approach, students set up and planted field experiments. How does planting density affect blackberry re-growth was one question they set up to test. What about the effects of evergreen versus deciduous trees? Many students predicted that the denser plantings of western redcedars, and evergreen tree, will perform the best in competing with the pesky blackberry. Only time will tell, and students will be able to return to their restoration site for years to come and check on the progress of the experiment.

Besides planting, students in the Task Force education program have been busy spreading the word to their community about what they can do to help ensure the future of salmon in our watersheds. Students from Mariner High School, in the Mukilteo School District, stenciled over 50 storm drains, reminding neighbors to, "Dump No Waste, Drains to Stream." In addition, Jessica Kirby, a 6th grade student at Machias Elementary in Snohomish, designed an interpretive sign about the life history of Pacific Salmon, which will be posted at three Task Force restoration sites this summer. Keep an eye out for it at Jones Creek in Marysville, Krueger Creek in Arlington, and Buck Island in Monroe.

Overall during the 2004/05 school-year, 18 classrooms participated in the Task Force's Education Program, including the 7 classrooms which took part in the in-depth series of ecology lessons and capstone restoration project. It has been a wonderful learning experience for all involved, students, teachers and Task Force staff alike. We are hoping to keep up the good work for next year, and have applied funding from the state's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in order to do so. Stay tuned and keep your finger crossed…