And That's a Wrap, Folks: Saying Farewell to Our WCC Crew

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Written by Thomas Bulthuis, SCD’s restoration project coordinator.

The crew this year has been nothing short of fantastic. While a normal year can be challenging and requires a large amount of flexibility, the addition challenges, such as a January with 27 days of rain and suspension of field labor due to Covid-19, made this particular year unique. Our WCC crew responded to these challenges with extraordinary flexibility and impressive positivity—traits we can hope for in a crew but can never guarantee. 

The crew has enjoyed:

  • Installing beaver management devices

  • Planting over 30,000 native trees and shrubs

  • Controlling invasive weeds on restorations sites (blackberry, reed canary grass, bittersweet nightshade, and knotweed!)

  • Guaranteeing improved salmon habitat throughout Snohomish County. 

Highlight projects

  • Installing a beaver pond leveler in Lake  Stevens

  • Maintaining the native plant nursery

  • Restoration sites on North Creek in Bothell (removing tons of blackberry, planting hundreds of plants, and helping to restore an active floodplain along north creek)

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It has been a joy working with this crew, and I look forward to see what they will accomplish in their future pursuits. Following their service term, crew member plans include additional education, a second year with the Washington Conservations Corps, and the continued search for a career in the environmental field. 

Crew Supervisor

Danielle Vandenberg

Crew members:

Ariana Winkler

Ben Lindner

Steven Eddington 

Delores McDowell

Lily Wirth

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Individual placement: Restoration Project Assistant

Jay Nelson has served this year as our in-office restoration project assistant, taking on a large role with management and logistics of our restorations sites. Jay has also managed our native plant nursery, ensuring our plants stay healthy and happy until they are installed on restoration projects across the county. From analyzing unknown plant pests to creating restoration plants from concept to implementation, Jay has played an important role on our habitat team.