Trail Tales Brings People Together

Trail Tales looks ahead to bringing people together Trail Tales program celebrated 3 years of trail and shoreline activities in 2014 and looks ahead to continuing and expanding opportunities for the community to enjoy, understand and connect with the waters surrounding Fidalgo Island. Besides the 15 docent-guided walks (and a bike ride) along the Tommy Thompson trail from May to September, and again celebrating National Estuaries Day with engaging "stations" along the trail, we had two "firsts" in our third year: a pre-season and post season Birding walk and the October and November Films with Friends Environmental film series.

All of our activities – new and renewed – have some common characteristics that make them especially rewarding:

• Small or large, the groups are a combination of familiar faces and new participants.
• The people that gather share an interest in nature and better understanding our local environment, and leave with a stronger appreciation and sense of community.
• Whether volunteers are behind-the-scenes or holding-the-microphone, a friendship sneaks into the relationships among the volunteers who make each Trail Tales event happen, and
• The events bring partner organizations together to enhance the capacity for individual groups to accomplish their missions where goals are shared.

Trail Tales volunteers may set the stage – and yes, that is important, but the partnerships and participants are what make the activities and events meaningful for the community! So this is a good time to say THANK YOU to ALL our partners and volunteers!

And what is ahead for 2015?

Monthly informational meetings and field excursions for volunteers in the program. If you would like to become a volunteer, please contact Nancy Olsen, volunteer coordinator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. OR This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . We will have a couple of orientation sessions in March for new volunteers to join the program.

In April, we will sponsor 3 presentations at the 4th Annual Fidalgo Shoreline Academy. Monthly walks along the Tommy Thompson trail  will run between May and September with volunteers to interpret and expand on the themes of the current and new signs along the trail. Nature-Stations on occasional weekends along the trail – for the walkers, riders and visitors to stumble across us – well, not literally! But we'll have some fun stations with hands on interpretive activities there to be discovered. Presentations for groups – to bring some of the walk programs indoors for those in the community who may not be out on the trail. If you are a member of a group who would like a presentation, please contact Nancy Olsen to receive a list of the topics and schedule a program.  In late May or early June, Trail Tales will also hold a special event for the dedication of the new interpretive signs in the Cap Sante marina area. Trail Tales will expand its website to become more of a central portal for information about the history, biology, restoration and conservation of the Fidalgo Bay waters, shores and communities. We will also be celebrating National Estuaries Day along the shores of the Samish Fidalgo Bay RV Park in late August this year with Fidalgo Bay Day. There is a lot to look forward to and I hope we see you at an event or along the trail!