State parks recognize volunteer role of Island County Beach Watchers

OLYMPIA – Two Beach Watchers contingents from Island County were recognized as top volunteer groups today by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.

The Washington State University Beach Watchers of Island County and the WSU Beach Watchers of Camano Island received awards from State Parks Director Rex Derr in a ceremony under the dome at the Capitol.

“The Beach Watchers value to the community is incalculable,” said Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island. “This group raises everyone’s knowledge of natural resources and stewardship.”

The Beach Watchers’ 250 volunteers in Island County educate the public at local parks.

“It’s all about education,” said Don Meehan, the Washington State University extension agent for Island County. “Our group focuses on engaging our local community in learning about its natural resources. We do that through stewardship, research and education.”

The Island County Beach Watchers have been volunteering at Rosario Beach and Deception Pass State Park. In 2005, they spoke to more than 6,000 park visitors about tide pools during low tides. In addition to assisting with the interpretive programs, they also removed invasive plants, watched over seal pups and conducted an ongoing survey of the tide pools.

The Camano Island Beach Watchers have been involved in many aspects of Camano Island and Cama Beach state parks. They have assisted in interpretation, education and participated in clean-ups. In 2005, the Beach Watchers gave evening interpretive talks to more than 1,200 park visitors and provided beach education to local school groups. In late 2005, the Camano Island Beach Watchers teamed up with Starbucks to hold a beach clean-up. Sixty-five volunteers spent nearly 200 hours cleaning and removing leaves and debris from the park.

Meehan said volunteers receive 100 hours of training in everything from “the tops of mountains to the depths of marine waters” so that they can teach the public about beach etiquette and inter-tidal life. The group has more than 450 volunteers in seven counties in north Puget Sound.

Not all volunteers work in parks, Meehan said, but all spread their passion throughout their neighborhoods. “Once we educate them,” he said, “they’re always teaching in their communities.”

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