Location: Padilla Bay Breazeale Center, 10441 Bayview Edison Rd.

Time: 11am - 2 pm

Join the Friends of Skagit Beaches Board for their annual meeting and potluck lunch.

Jack Hartt, retired Deception Pass State Park Manager will be our highlighted speaker. He'll be sharing stories and thoughts from a career of working within the park system - and the most famous of Skagit Beaches, Deception Pass State Park.

The Board is bringing main dishes and a green salad. If you would like to bring a dish, a side or dessert would be greatly appreciated!

Biological Invasions: How Species Become Invasive and Impact Salish Sea Shorelines 

 Presented by Emily Grason, PhD

Natural processes and mechanisms enable living organisms to move into new habitats where they compete with both native species and others already present. The success, impacts, and long-term effects of these introduced populations determine whether or not they become invasive species. Dr. Grason will illustrate these potentially environment-changing processes with real-time examples.

Emily Grason, PhD, studies ecological interactions through the lens of non-native species. She is an aquatic invasions specialist and the Crab Team program coordinator with Washington Sea Grant, College of the Environment, University of Washington. Dr. Grason has worked with local scientists and volunteer citizen scientists in pocket estuaries and salt marshes on detection, monitoring, and control of the European green crab. She holds a master’s degree in biology from Western Washington University and ain biology from the University of Washington.

Presentations are free and open to everyone. Donations—always welcome—support Friends’ ongoing efforts to provide outstanding educational programming for our community. Hope to see you there!