Written by Jodie Toft, Senior Marine Ecologist
Photographed by Jason Toft

Here in downtown Seattle, residents are dusting off sunglasses and sandals, in hopes that the mercury finds its way past 65. Let's not kid ourselves, 60 degrees is completely shorts-worthy. The market is full of tulips and daffodils and nature's perfume of choice is part cherry blossom, part salty smelling water.

One of the best parts of this aptly named season is what's going on with one of the Pacific Northwest's biggest icons. Yes ma'am, it's baby salmon time. Millions of tiny salmon are springing - actually just swimming - through Puget Sound towards the big ocean. Over the next few months, pulses of hatchery and wild juvenile chum, Chinook, coho, and pink salmon will be out migrating. They'll make the journey from fresh to salt water, looking to feed themselves and also serving as food for other members of the marine food web. And after a few years - how long depends on the species of salmon - those who've endured life in the big blue will run home.

Seeing the big salmon return is a powerful experience for locals and tourists alike; seeing the little ones set out, however, also definitely strikes a chord. If you find yourself in downtown Seattle, head towards water's edge and you'll find yourself next to a baby salmon highway (aka, a migratory corridor). Take a moment to peek into the water. This year, three species in particular – Chinook, pink and chum salmon - are your best bet for baby salmon viewing. These three use nearshore habitats more than the other species of salmon. Accordingly, as natural shorelines in Puget Sound were hardened, or armored, over the last century and a half, Chinook salmon bore the brunt of that habitat loss. That habitat loss and myriad other factors, landed Puget Sound Chinook with a listing of threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Yet with creative restoration can hopefully come recovery. Efforts right here in downtown Seattle are benefiting salmon, from creation of habitat during construction of the Olympic Sculpture Park, to habitat enhancements associated with replacement of the aging seawall along Seattle's central waterfront. Other efforts, such as those that we at The Nature Conservancy are taking, are aimed at finding innovative solutions that tackle pollution caused by toxic stormwater run-off.

In coming weeks and months, if you’re on the lookout for nature in cities, don’t forget to look to the salty environs. See if you can catch a glimpse one of Seattle’s best kept secrets - our very own charismatic mini-fauna.

Learn More about Our Marine Work

LEARN ABOUT OUR WORK IN CITIES

Resources

University of Washington’s Olympic Sculpture Park (OSP) salmon science

Brighter future for salmon at downtown seawall

Rethinking shoreline armoring

Protecting your Property and Puget Sound

Written and Photographed by Linda Urbaniak

Wildflowers abound in Washington State. They start blooming early in the spring and continue late into the fall with the greatest blooms in April and May. Very few have blossoms in the winter. Their bloom time depends on elevation, amount of sun and temperature so with a warm spring everything will bloom earlier, with a late, cool spring everything will bloom later. They may bloom regularly in an area for years and mysteriously disappear when sought the following year. Part of the fun in discovering our wildflowers is the search for them.

Although there are areas where many wildflowers bloom at the same time, they usually are more sparsely situated. It isn't at all unusual to find just a few flowers in an area. On the other hand, where they bloom in profusion the sight can take your breath away.

One of the earliest is the lovely Grass Widow, Olsynium (once called Sisyrinchium) douglasii, which starts blooming in wet, sunny meadows just after the snow melts. This small bulb has shiny purple/red flowers and soon disappears as the land dries. It can be found north of the Olympic Mountains or east of the Cascades at mid elevations (about 1800-4800 feet above sea level).

Another early bloomer is Spring Gold (Lomatium utriculatum). This is one of the many desert parsleys found primarily east of the Cascades in the same vernal meadows as the Grass Widow as well as in drier slopes, meadows and rocky places. Starting to bloom very early, sometimes even in the late winter, this golden flower will continue to bloom until summer. The ferny leaves resemble fine leafed parsley and are topped with several heads of tiny bright yellow flowers. It can easily be confused with 5 or 6 other Lomatium that are similar and bloom somewhat later.

One early spring flower that almost everyone can recognize is the Skunk Cabbage. Growing primarily on the wet sideand on the eastern slope of the Cascade mountains from sea level to mid elevations, Lysichiton americanus can be found in bogs and wet places in sun or part sun locations it is easily recognized by its bright yellow bract surrounding the spike of small yellow-green flowers.

Our wildflowers are everywhere once you start looking, but few are easily found until you get out and walk through our forests, meadows and dry-lands. Few are exceptionally showy and some are so small you really have to bend down to see their delicate beauty. The Nature Conservancy has preserved areas that will thrill you with the discovery of their blooms, so head for the outdoors to discover the beauty Washington has waiting for you.