Adopt-a-Stream 40th Anniversary

About 5 weeks ago Tom called me; he had tracked me down through the Leeward Planning Commission. He told me they were going to hold the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Adopt-a-Stream Foundation today & wanted to know, was I going to be in Washington? He wanted to honor those of us who were there with him when he started the Adopt-a-Stream program. I told him I had no plans thus would not be there. Then a couple days later I found out about Norm's complications from surgery & thought, perhaps I should go; but still sat on the fence. A week later in a conversation with Tomiko, she asked if I could take her bag of equipment to Seattle if I decided to go; that was the 3rd thing that tipped the scales in favor of a trip. So here I am today at the Adopt-a-Stream 40th Anniversary celebration at the Northwest Stream Center! Besides seeing Tom, while there I also saw Lorna & Darrell, Keith, Tong, Daryl, Tim, Louise, Barb, Dr. Tom, Kerry, & David! 

Tom with the current staff & volunteers.

Tom (center with mic), Barb is to Tom's right.

After the presentation, Kai & I walked along the 1/2 mile long Elevated Forest & Wetland Walk; it was very different from the Bonhoeffer Botanical Gardens trail we walked on yesterday. The return portion of the trail was not visible at all from the portion of the trail we were on, unlike Bonhoeffer. There was also no artwork placed in the stream or wetland. 

Entrance to gift shop.

Kai checks out one of the signs.

There were several interpretive signs along the way, though not as many as the Bonhoeffer Gardens & much smaller in size & impact area. They also weren't as jam packed with so much information that the font & photos had to be reduced in size. The individual plant signs also gave you a brief description of the plant & its ethnobotanical use; it was easy to find the plant the sign indicated.

This is sign Kai was reading.

This is duck he saw.

Close-up of duck.

The cedar cathedral. 

You can easily find this plant.

 

There was also a wetland restoration area (& more) that was part of the process to mitigate for impacts caused by putting a boardwalk in the critical area & buffer. We did not get to see everything at the Northwest Stream Center. On a future visit, I would definitely like to see the Trout Stream Exhibit & Native Wetland Plant Pollinator Meadow. If there is enough time, I would also like to see the Gate House, Entry Trail, & Solar Demonstration Project. Nearly all of these things became operational after I moved back home.

The Forest Loop Trail is on the other side of North Creek from the Northwest Stream Center. It is part of the McCollum Park facility. I would also like to walk that trail on a future visit.  

Northwest Stream Center is cluster of buildings below creek near center of map. 

I like the sign for the bathroom at the Northwest Stream Center. It is humorous but points out the most important part about using the restroom, Wash your hands!

  

Darla's guest room that I am staying in has a great view of a snag that is frequented by many birds who greet me in the morning. When she bought the house a number of years ago, it was a live Black Cottonwood tree. But after several years of watching it lean towards the house during storms, she had it topped & girdled to keep the house & its occupants safe while creating useful habitat. It is a very beneficial addition to the natural area behind her house!

 

We ended the day with dinner with Darla & Jim. Jim cooked the main meal & Darla made a side dish to go along with it. Everything was delicious & the staff was delightful! I would come back to this place to eat again! We also talked about them coming to visit; Darla was all for it, but Jim initially said he would not go but she could. But then he found out he could hunt for invasive Axis Deer, Mouflon, & feral pigs. My homework for when I return home: find out about hunting regulations & guides!

The presentation was also well done!

 

The next episode of the eruption at Kīlauea is expected by late next week.

 

Hauʻoli lā Hānau e Pam, Wendy, & Yvonne!