Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary

Mergus merganser (common merganser), one of the animal species found in the park.

Alnus rubra (Red Alder) along a pathway.

The most interesting thing that I learned about wetlands is that their net primary production per acre is on the same level as the tropical rainforest. Primary production is the rate at which ecosystems capture and store carbon. This makes wetlands incredibly important for offsetting carbon pollution from human activity. Its interesting to think that we have these pockets of wild nature in our back yards, full of biodiversity, all working to save us from ourselves.

They are incredibly important to us in many other ways. Wetlands can act as buffers and reduce storm damage for coastal areas. They can protect against floods by slowing down the movement of floodwaters and holding excess water. Wetlands help filter out pollutants that run into our rivers, lakes, and oceans. They also recharge and replenish our groundwater, which in turn maintains streamflow as well as lake and reservoir levels that provide water for irrigation and drinking.

I found it cool that the marsh was a mitigated wetland. It is encouraging to know that people have realized the importance of wetlands and are taking action to keep them. It is also cool to think that this area is constantly changing. As secession continues we will see in different plants that will continue to change the environment. While walking around I noticed areas with tall trees that were too old to have been planted after the mitigation took place, giving a glimpse of what the area would have looked like before it was a wetland.

A species of the genus Typha (Cattail) surrounding a pond.

Northwest Trek

NW Trek was a very interesting place, and it was nice seeing all the cute animals! There was a lot of information about the different types of animals to gather and I was certainly pleased to have learned about them, thank you! My favorite animal was the wolverine as it was running around it's cage pleading to be let free, losing it's sanity in front of the paying customers who keep this prison from hell alive and running- because I can relate. Poor lad.

Flying Pupper

Spiky Pupper

???? Pupper

Cat

Overall the experience was neat, I am not one for animal enclosures but at least some of the animals were being kept well for the sake of their injured self. I liked learning about owls and how they can't move their eyes because they are too big, and that their ears are slanted for better focused hearing. Also learning about how you can tell how an animal eats and if their hearing is more dominant than their sight and vice versa. I sure do love me some nature!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Narbeck wetland!

    Going to the Narbeck wetland was very interesting, especially since I live a few blocks away from the Edmonds wetlands, learning more about their ecological importance was cool. One thing that I really appreciated about this particular field trip is that,  before attending this class,  I honestly would have merely seen a body of water with some shrubs and trees...Now,  having taken and almost completed this class,  I see a vast array of ecological diversity within our wetlands; something I would not have considered before.
     I was very intrigued to learn that there are many different types of wetlands, and that they serve different functions. From bogs to marshes,  they all serve invaluable roles within our planet, especially with regard to our oceans. Wetlands filter runoff from the cities and farms that can harm the ocean, they serve as a reprieve for birds during migration, and they are also a place where marine animals can mature before they go out to sea, among other things.
     I was interested to see and learn about the different plant species that thrive in the wetlands, one of which was the Snow Berry. The plant bares a white, small and round bulb that resembles a marshmallow. I also saw a tree that appeared to have been cut by a beaver, as well as some ducks, both male and female, as well as a Chickadee.
     Wetlands are such a vital part of our planet, and it is really important for the public to be aware of this importance. Too many people look at wetlands, marshes, bogs and such as just a nuisance that attract mosquitoes, or put a damper on their building projects. In truth, the world that we have created is even more dependent on wetlands, because of the pollution that we have put into our water systems. Without wetlands, the runoff and with it, pesticides and herbicides and fertilizer get washed into our oceans and cause severe damage.

Narbeck Wet(and cold!)lands

Alice L. - Yelp.com (I forgot to bring the phone that can take pictures)

Our excursion to Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary was an interesting and educational visit. I think I was most interested in learning how valuable these habitats are to raptors and also how adaptable certain organisms have to be to be a permanent resident of wetlands. This is because any organism that remains in these environments year-round have to be able to sufficiently benefit from the wetland's varying provisions through every season.

I learned more about how important of a role they play in flood protection as well as processing harmful chemicals and toxins from urban runoff. Much of this is due to their incredible absorptive properties and biodiversity. This also reminds me of the awesome fact that they have the same Net Primary Productivity (NPP) as Tropical Rainforests per acreage! If only our government knew about that before trying to rid us of every last one.

Lindsay - Blogspot.com

I thought the topographic features were pretty cool, especially how the berms would cause some areas to have lightly flowing water and other areas virtually no flow of water that gave it a glass-like quality. As far as animals, I enjoyed getting to watch the chesnut-backed chickadee work away right above me (Of course when I didn't have my camera phone). I  think the coolest thing I saw though was the Hooded Merganser -a really cool looking duck compared to the Mallard. I also saw a big bullfrog, but since it was another pair that told us where it was, I'll let them post about it!

Lophodytes cucullatus (Hooded merganser) - Peter Massas

Northwest Trek

      Northwest Trek is a Wildlife Park in Eatonville, Washington that houses a variety of northwest mammals. The park is over 700 acres, and the tram tour takes guests throgh over 400 acres of land in which American Bison, Roosevelt Elk, North American Moose, Black-tailed Deer, Mountain Goats, Bighorn Sheep, and Trumpeter Swan are able to roam free. Other animals in the park include Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, Red Fox, Gray Wolves, Coyotes, Barn Owls, Beaver, Fishers, Raccoons, Wolverines, Cougars, Skunks, Bobcats, Snowy Owls, Lynx, Turkey Vulture, River Otters, and even a Badger. The only animals we were unable to see were the bears, which were off exhibit. Inside the Cheney Family Discovery Center we also saw a few reptiles, including a Red-legged frog, Gopher snake, Western toad, and Rubber boa.


      I learned some unique facts about a few of the animals during the field trip. I most enjoyed hearing about the predatory birds. Turkey vultures start out with feathers on their heads, but lose them over time due to sticking their heads into bacteria-ridden carcasses. The shape of a barn owls head is actually to help them take in sounds and locate where they are coming from.

      Overall, the field trip was great. I loved getting to see so many great Northwest species up close.

 

Narbeck Wetlands

      One of the most interesting things I have learned about wetlands is that there are different types. A marsh always has water flowing in, which gives the plant life moist soil to grow in. A bog depends on rain or snow for the water it holds, and receives no water from streams or other sources, and also doesn't put out water into any other source as well. A swamp is a wet area that is able to grow many trees and shrubs. A slough can be a swamp, or lake system that has slow-flowing water that goes through it. Narbeck is classified as a marsh because of the water that is constantly flowing through it. This flow of water is what allows for the red alders we saw to grow in such extensive numbers, along with a variety of shrubs and other plants.


      Wetlands are incredibly important to the ecosystem because of the variety of functions they have. Wetlands are habitats for insects, fish, birds, and other wildlife to reproduce and exist comfortably. They also play host to some migratory species of birds. Wetlands are also capable of purifying water by way of holding excess nutrients and pollutants. Because of their ability to hold water, wetlands are also able to help with flooding by holding the excess water that comes down during a storm. These are just a few of the functions of wetlands that make them so important to the ecosystem. That is why when a company destroys a wetland, it is expected to replace it, as is the case with Narbeck.



      One of the things I thought was cool about Narbeck is how such an amazing and healthy ecosystem can exist in the middle of Boeing, Fluke Manufacturing, ITT, Snohomish County PUD, and other local businesses. I think that Narbeck is a really good example of how there can be some level of balance between human and nature productivity. We are perfectly capable of finding ways to preserve important natural areas while still managing to go about our daily lives. It definitely takes a lot of work to get these places in good shape for producing wildlife and growing such a wide variety of plants, but the end result is clearly worth it.

 

NW Trek

The field trip to NW Trek was by far the most fun field trip so far. I had a great time and also learned a TON of info about different species of animals. It was really cool to go on the tram and see the animals in their natural habitat, although most of them were just sleeping. My favorite animal was probably the skunk, she was adorable! Although it is really hard to pick favorites.


I think that one of the most interesting things I learned would have to be that owl's eyes touch the back of their skull, because of this, they can't move them and have to rely on precise head movements to track their prey. This is why owls adapted to be able to move their heads at such crazy angles. I was also interested in how much you could tell about an animal just by looking at its skull. Overall, the field trip was a lot of fun and I learn a ton about animals that I previously did not know.