Deception Pass Park Foundation

The Current – February 2012

samwotipka — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:15:44 +0000

The Bridge – February 2012

samwotipka — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:14:13 +0000

Shop Local & Support the Deception Pass Park Foundation (at the same time!)

samwotipka — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:18:49 +0000

From January through March, the Deception Pass Park Foundation will be one of several groups featured in the Skagit Valley Food Co-op’s Tokens for Tomorrow program.

Tokens for Tomorrow encourages Co-op shoppers to re-use bags, offering a nickel Token for customers who bring their own bags to donate to local and international programs and organizations.

Thank you to the Skagit Valley Food Co-op for the support!

The Skagit Valley Food Co-op has two locations in Mount Vernon. They are a non-profit, member-owned business dedicated to natural and organic foods. For more information, please visit their website at www.skagitfoodcoop.com.

The West Beach Sand Dunes Interpretive Signs

samwotipka — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:21:02 +0000

The Foundation helped fund the production and installation of 18 interpretive signs detailing the natural history of the West Beach Sand Dunes and other nearby ecosystems. Much of the research and all of the artwork for these signs was done by Victor Garcia’s Marine Biology Class at Anacortes High School under the guidance of park staff and a local artist. The panels can be viewed in the slideshow below; but to truly appreciate them, you’ll need to make a visit to the park.

[Show as slideshow]

The Current – January 2012

samwotipka — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:49:33 +0000

Click here to download the January 2012 issue of the Current

The Bridge – January 2012

samwotipka — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:03:52 +0000

In this issue:

The enduring legacy of the CCC at Deception Pass
New maps are headed to press
An early blooming flower!

Click here to download the newsletter.

Goose Rock Interpretive Signs

samwotipka — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:39:06 +0000

Goose Rock is the highest point on Whidbey Island and one of the most popular hikes in the park. At the summit, visitors are treated to spectacular views of the surrounding area and a chance to see a rare ecosystem: rocky balds. Over thousands of years, a thin layer of soil has built up and created a meadow. This is one of the best places in the park to find wild flowers.

The Foundation funded the production of interpretive signs to help visitors understand and protect this unique and fragile ecosystem.

Civilian Conservation Corps Stove Restorations

samwotipka — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:21:22 +0000

The stove shelters at Cranberry Lake and North Beach are among the most popular of the many Civilian Conservation Corps-built structures at Deception Pass. They were constructed in the 1930s and until recently, they were really starting to show their age. A generous donation to the Foundation made it possible to have these beloved, historic stoves professionally refurbished. However, many other CCC structures around the park are critically in need of restorative and protective work. Visit our Current Projects page to see how you can help.

Rosario Beach Interpretive Center

samwotipka — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:16:55 +0000

One of the Foundation’s biggest long-term goals is the construction of an Interpretive Center at Rosario Beach.

The Rosario Beach Interpretive Center will be a place to learn about the unique cultural and natural history of Deception Pass. There will be exhibits on marine biology and the history of this area’s native peoples. Plans have already been drawn up; money is the missing ingredient.

Maintaining Education and Interpretation

samwotipka — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:16:37 +0000

In 2010, the park’s Interpretive Specialist was lost due to State Parks budget cuts. This left the park without any staff dedicated to educational work. The Foundation believes that interpretation and environmental education are among the most important functions of any park. Hundreds of school children visit Deception Pass (and especially the Rosario Beach Tide Pools) on field trips each year, and the park’s annual visitation rate is nearly two million. Education and interpretation allow the natural and cultural wonders of this unique and special place to be shared with park visitors.

In order to ensure that these activities continue at Deception Pass, the Foundation hired an Interpretive Intern for the summer of 2011. In the fall of 2011, the Foundation provided matching funds to the Washington Service Corps to bring in an AmeriCorps member to perform interpretive duties at the park for the next 10 and a half months.

While exciting, these are only temporary solutions. A successful and effective interpretive program requires continuity and a team of dedicated staff. The Foundation would like to build a sustainable and robust interpretive program at Deception Pass, but we need your help to make it happen.