At our annual Cherry Point Science Forum, we invite local researchers to talk about amazing research happening at Cherry Point in our backyard and the Salish Sea at large.

This year’s theme is Threats to the Salish Sea. The Cherry Point Science Forum is free and open to the public. It will be held virtually via Zoom on Saturday, January 11th from 10am to 1pm.

Register here

Speakers and topics

Microplastic Pollution

• Assessing Microplastics at a Macro-scale: Using GIS to Model Ecotoxicological Risks of Microplastics in the Salish Sea. How can we consider the potential impacts of such small plastic particles from an ecosystem-wide perspective? This talk will discuss how GIS can be used to model the ecotoxicological risk of microplastics in the Salish Sea, as well as how the modeling could be applied to future research and policy decisions.
  Presenter: Melina Sorensen, MSc., PAg., Environmental Sustainability Manager (Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Ranges), Department of National Defense.

Stormwater Pollution & Salmon

• Urban Stormwater and Salmon: A Toxic Cascade Through Life Histories in the Salish Sea. Urban stormwater runoff in the Salish Sea creates a cascading crisis for salmonids, combining toxic pulses of contaminants like 6PPD-quinone with hydrological disruptions caused by hard surfaces and culverts. This talk will highlight the urgent need for integrated solutions, including advanced stormwater infrastructure, low-impact development, and ecosystem-based restoration strategies to reconnect fragmented watersheds and restore resilience to salmonid populations.
  Presenter: Nathan Ivy, Graduate Student at the Salmon Toxicology Lab, Washington State University

Oil Spill Prevention

• An overview of Ecology’s Spills Program and the Board of Pilotage Commissioners’ Tug Escort Rulemaking. This presentation will focus on an overview of the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program. The presentation will also provide an overview of Ecology and the Board of Pilotage Commissioners’ Tug Escort Rulemaking.
  Presenters: Brittany Flittner, Research and Policy Unit Supervisor and Haley Kennard, Project Manager and Tug Escort Environmental Analysis Coordinator, both with the Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program at the Washington State Department of Ecology.

Located in Whatcom County, the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve is one of eight Aquatic Reserves in the state. Established by DNR on state-owned aquatic lands in Puget Sound, Aquatic Reserves include important biodiversity and aquatic habitat critical to Salish Sea health.

Register here