2021-09-15 Forest Advisory Board Agenda Packet Published

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Bob Vaux, Assistant Director August 30, 2021 ACFL Maintenance Report AUGUST – 2021 by Steve Phillips August 26, 2021 Looking back at my iPhone photos that I took over the month of August, I see one from Saturday, August 14 at 1:46pm of empty cliffs. I have a picture of a Northern Alligator Lizard from trail 204 on August 13, and several from the same day of desiccated vegetation. It’s been very dry and strangely lacking in visitors in the forest this month. Water in all the lakes is noticeably low. The Green Mile project (repainting the handrails at the four lookouts on Mount Erie) continues. To date, only the small south-facing platform remains. Warm, sunny weather next week should permit completion. July 29 I was on a slow, methodical hike in search of a ground nest for yellowjackets. It was a hot and very calm day, and I noticed I could actually hear the peeling of Madrona bark that day. It has been noticeable again several days since then. August 4 I finally hung my traps (a few weeks late) to monitor for Asian Giant Hornets. Just last week a nest was eradicated in Blaine, about 2 miles from the nest located and eradicated in 2020. A suspicious looking hornet, though dead, was found near Marysville in June. Other than these, there have been no other confirmed 2021 sightings, but drawing a line between these two points puts us in range. So, it’s worth monitoring! I check my two traps weekly. See agr.wa.gov for more info. August 6 Taking advantage of cooler weather, Alli, Gabe, and I began work on Trail 113. There is a section near Big Beaver Pond that becomes squishy for months, and we think we can improve it with addition of puncheon and a drainage culvert. To date, that project is partially complete, still needing the culvert. We all had some time using the power wheelbarrow, which is fun for about 25 seconds. But it is very helpful in moving material. August 13 was seasonal worker Alli Schuh’s last day. Thank you Alli and happy trails! The same day I noted an Air Quality Index reading of 122. We speculated that the smoky air that week may have been the reason that we lacked visitors despite such warm weather (daytime highs in the upper 70s – low 80s). A persistent ground yellowjacket nest near the 17th street end of Trail 121 was eradicated after a few spray attempts (8/6, 8/18) and a digout/spray. Gabe finally dug it out on 8/22 (without getting stung), sprayed the combs, and declared victory. August 15 I worked this Sunday and was happy to encounter tables with Friends of the Forest Trail Ambassadors at Cranberry and Whistle Lakes. They told me that visitors appre ciated their presence – if nothing else, to act as a deterrent to vehicle break-ins. But also they reported that they were able to answer some questions about navigation and nature. Thanks FoF! August 17 I joined two members of Rotary at Rotary Park/Cap Sante to flag a future trail corridor. The flagging was preparatory work for an ecologist coming the next day to survey. It will be fun and helpful to the community to define a formal trail here this fall. August 18 I replaced two broken split rail fence posts at the Little Cranberry parking lot. One still awaits, but I hope to get there soon.