Bayshore FieldSTEM®
Since the fall of 2015, Capitol Land Trust has hosted Oakland Bay Junior High 7th graders at Bayshore Preserve in Shelton, WA. Students visit the preserve to gain a connection with the local landscape and participate in hands-on lessons in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. In collaboration with Pacific Education Institute, Shelton School District, Puget Sound Estuarium and with support from the Keta Legacy Foundation, the program serves 300+ students each year.
Stream Life
Students will learn about aquatic macroinvertebrates that live in Johns Creek at Bayshore Preserve and how we can use them to determine water quality.
Stream Flow
Students will learn about the role stream flow has in a creek ecosystem and practice measuring stream surface velocity. Students will understand ways humans can harm and help stream ecosystems.
Intertidal Life
Students will learn what an estuary is by viewing examples at Bayshore Preserve. Students will understand what limiting factors are in the intertidal zone and the basic concepts of adaptation.
Salinity
Students will learn what a salt marsh is and how the salt content of the solution (salinity) is measured. Students will also gain a better understanding of how the salt marsh recovered after the soil berm was removed and observe the vegetation changes associated with the soil berm removal.
Bayshore Preserve Self-Guided Tour
Take a walk through 74 acres of upland and salt marsh habitat preserved by Capitol Land Trust. Bayshore Preserve features 27 acres of pristine salt marsh habitat, over 4,000 feet of Oakland Bay shoreline, and the lower portion of Johns Creek. At Bayshore Preserve, 47 acres of the property were formerly golf course that have been restored to native habitat.
The Bayshore Peninsula is an important cultural location for the Squaxin Island Tribe, who were one of the only Salish tribes in Puget Sound to not depend on a river system. It is thought that the Bayshore Peninsula once hosted the largest longhouse in south Puget Sound. The marine and freshwater ecosystems of Bayshore Preserve provide important habitat for several species of salmon, marine mammals, and a multitude of waterfowl and bird species.
Photo Monitoring Project – Check out the instructions on the signs to find out how to contribute to our photo monitoring efforts at various locations.
