For more than two decades, the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) has been working to restore the health of Terrell Creek, a shoreline stream that begins at the 200-hectare Lake Terrell in northwest Ferndale and flows over 7.5 miles through agricultural, residential, and conserved landscapes before reaching Birch Bay in Blaine. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife manages the Lake Terrell Wildlife Area, a popular site for waterfowl hunting and fishing.

One of the key restoration techniques used in Terrell Creek is the strategic addition of large woody debris (LWD). This practice brings significant benefits to salmon and other aquatic life. LWD creates essential habitat offering places for fish to rest, hide from predators, and conserve energy during their migration. These refuge areas are especially important for returning adult salmon as well as young fry navigating the freshwater environment.

LWD also plays a vital role in shaping the physical structure of the stream. By altering water flow, the wood encourages the formation of deep pools, helps sort and transport sediment, and can even expose cool groundwater. These changes improve spawning conditions by moving and depositing gravel where salmon can successfully lay eggs.

In some cases, LWD is installed to stabilize banks and reduce erosion. When anchored carefully, it can guide flow away from vulnerable structures or toward areas where reconnecting the stream to its floodplain adds valuable habitat complexity. In Terrell Creek, NSEA has implemented LWD projects that achieve all of these functions—creating a more resilient, diverse, and healthy system for salmon and the broader ecosystem.

2020 LWD placement by helicopter into Terrell Creek between Kickerville Rd and Jackson Rd

Through long-term commitment and thoughtful restoration practices like these, Terrell Creek is steadily becoming a stronger home for salmon and the community that depends on them.

NSEA has completed the following LWD projects in Terrell Creek:

2003 – 2013: We placed LWD just upstream and downstream of Jackson Rd. This was in partnership with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and British Petroleum (BP).
2007 – 2013: We placed LWD just upstream and downstream of Kickerville Rd. This was in partnership with a private landowner and WDFW.
2013: We placed LWD just downstream of Brown Rd. This was in partnership with a private landowner, WDFW and the Whatcom Conservation District.
2014 – 2021: We placed LWD between Aldergrove Rd. and Brown Rd. This was in partnership with multiple private landowners, WDFW, and Birch Bay Watershed & Aquatic Resources Management District (BBWARM).
2020: We placed 200 pieces of LWD by helicopter into Terrell Creek between Kickerville Rd. and Jackson Rd. This project was in partnership with BP, WDFW, and BBWARM.

For the fifth summer in a row, three- to six-year-olds returned to NSEA for another season of adventure at Camp Keystone. For all nine weeks, our campus was alive with laughter, singing, and play. Both returning campers and newcomers spent the summer learning about salmon—a keystone species vital to our region.

Each day began with our salmon circle, which included salmon songs, salmon yoga, and a land acknowledgment to honor our Indigenous neighbors who have stewarded this land since time immemorial. Throughout the week, campers learned about the PNW ecology through the lens of a salmon.

This summer, instead of weekly themes, we adopted an emergent curriculum approach, tailoring learning to the unique interests that arose during play. It was a huge success, giving campers the chance to connect with the outdoors on a more personal level. Educators introduced creative activities such as obstacle courses to illustrate the salmon life cycle, crafts made from scavenged natural materials, and even a chance to study water bugs from NSEA’s pond. In the forest, campers whipped up concoctions in the mud kitchen, tested their skills on the climbing wall, built stick forts, pretended to sail the Salish Sea in our boat, and learned the five species of Pacific salmon using the five fingers on their hand.

Field trips were a highlight each week. Campers explored a private property along Ten Mile Creek, where they wandered trails, searched for frogs and bugs, and played in wide-open fields. Other excursions included beloved favorites like Fairhaven Park, Larrabee State Park, and Birch Bay State Park, along with a new adventure at Hovander Homestead Park. There, campers explored a vibrant garden of native plants, strolled boardwalk trails through wetlands, and climbed a watchtower for a bird’s-eye view of Tennant Lake.

Every camper was delighted by the adventures and surprises, and thanks to our partnership with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), we were able to make camp more accessible by offering financial subsidies. Parents shared heartfelt stories about how much fun their children had, and how camp helped them grow socially and emotionally over the summer.

At Camp Keystone, kids learn, play, and explore—while forging a lifelong connection to salmon and the natural world.

Registration for next summer will open on February 1st – look for more information at n-sea.org/camp-keystone or contact Nathan Zabel at nzabel@n-sea.org.

See you next summer!

By Harper Huntington
NSEA Education Program Coordinator

Restoring Terrell Creek: How Large Woody Debris Supports Salmon Recovery

Celebrating 5 Years of Camp Keystone!