Adopt-a-Block aims to keep Birch Bay clean

Birch Bay residents who are interested in cleaning up their neighborhood, reducing stormwater impacts and protecting water quality can participate in a new volunteer program.

The Adopt-a-Block program allows concerned citizens to adopt a section of road, beach, stream or park within the Birch Bay and Terrell Creek watersheds. The program provides them with equipment in order to conduct regular cleanups of their adopted areas, keeping them free of garbage, debris and other contaminants.

“It’s a new program in Birch Bay,” said Whatcom County stormwater programs specialist Holly Faulstich. “The county has had an Adopt-a-Road program for a long time, but this is something more. We’re really trying to reach out to the public and get people involved in the community.”

The program is a collaborative effort between the Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management District (BBWARM), the Whatcom County Health Department, the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce and community volunteers.

In order to participate, volunteers must agree to clean up their adopted section of the watershed as often as possible, and at least once every six months. Whatcom County will supply the equipment: a bucket, high-visibility safety vest, trash grabber, trash bags, gloves, hand sanitizer, traffic cones, brushes and storm drain markers.

During cleanup events, volunteers are expected to remove litter and other contaminants, mark storm drains and reduce human impacts on their adopted section. After a cleanup, volunteers can dispose of waste at the Birch Bay Visitor Information Center, where an Adopt-a-Block dumpster is located, and must report their volunteer hours on a monthly basis.

Volunteers will receive a free and personalized yard sign to post along their adopted section or at their home in order to recognize their efforts and spread community awareness. The yard signs say “I protect Birch Bay” and will be available for pickup after a volunteer’s second reported cleanup event.

To get started, volunteers should review a volunteer packet and complete a release of liability form. To obtain these materials, contact Lars Olson, Whatcom County stormwater education specialist, at lolson@co.whatcom.wa.us or call 360/778-6298. Alternatively, you can visit the Birch Bay Visitor Information Center at 7900 Birch Bay Drive and fill out all the forms there.

As of October 10, 19 people had already expressed interest in the program, and five of them had already checked out equipment kits from the Birch Bay Visitor Information Center.

A volunteer training and appreciation event will take place on Tuesday, November 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the BP Heron Center. At the event, county staff will recognize Adopt-a-Block volunteers with certificates. There will also be a speaker from RE Sources, a non-profit environmental education organization based in Bellingham. The speaker will provide information about Water Reporter, an app that allows people to report flooding, drainage issues or sightings of hazardous waste. “It’s a really great tool for people to report issues,” said Faulstich.