Eeach month, Thurston Community Media (TCMedia) nonprofit mission connects with local organizations and agencies that have a positive impact on our communities. This month, Mission Nonprofit host Robert Kam spoke to Daniel Einstein and Sarah Hamman about Olympia Coalition for the Preservation of Ecosystems (OlyEcosystems) to discuss their work to conserve and preserve forests and wetlands in the fragile urban coastline ecosystem.

OlyEcosystems was founded to “protect, preserve and restore the diverse ecosystems of Olympia, Washington, which include the freshwater, coastline, tidal waters, and upland forests that are home to the Great Blue Heron. Pacific, cutthroat trout, salmon and companion species. In coordination with community members, local agencies and other nonprofit groups, we work to ensure that these ecosystems remain vital in perpetuity. “

“We’re a conservation organization,” says Einstein, who started the association with neighbors. “We are conserving the land and we are restoring the land and we are a little different from a lot of conservation organizations in that our focus is urban, and so a lot of the properties that we are conserving are actually degraded and require a lot of work, but our the key focus is really on restoring the city’s ecosystem function.

Launched in 2014, OlyEcosystems began by keeping a few properties near a development. The group works to preserve and restore areas of land in urban settings, which not only benefits humans by providing us with green spaces, but helps maintain the balance of the delicate ecosystem by providing much-needed habitats. local wildlife and improving ecological health. from the Puget Sound area.

Among the projects underway is the West Bay Woods, which, according to the OlyEcosystems website, is: “a remnant of riparian forest that sits above the southern part of the Budd Inlet estuary in the south. of Puget Sound. These woods have experienced various uses over the past 200 years that have left them marked, modified and degraded.

“This area along West Bay Drive drains an incredible amount of water, which comes from the northwest neighborhoods,” says Hamman. “The stormwater infrastructure to drain water after all of our winter and spring storms is not adequate to essentially collect and clean up all that water before it goes down into Puget Sound. Thus, the wood acts as a filter. If the woods are not functioning properly and are not filled with native plants and soils that can properly and effectively filter this storm water, it will flow into the Strait.

Part of the West Bay Drive plot will be reforested with redwoods and will become the largest coastal redwood grove in South Puget Sound.

They always need helping hands to continue their mission. Volunteers can help by joining task forces that restore and maintain these important urban green spaces. For those looking for a bigger role, you can also join the board or committee, which includes everything from website design to developing conservation strategies. They are especially looking for someone with communication skills for their board, especially social media.

For more information, watch the full video and visit the Website of the Olympia Coalition for Ecosystem Preservation.

You can watch Mission Nonprofit on Channel 77 Sundays at 4:30 p.m., Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m., Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. You can also watch on TCMedia.org, Video on Demand or our Roku Channel. To learn more about what TCMedia does, visit Thuston Community Media YouTube Channel or the TC Media website and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.