Celebrate Earth Day with us next month
Save the date for Earth Day on April 22! We are hosting several events throughout April to celebrate, including:
- Free First Friday at the Whatcom Museum with activities around the new exhibition, Painted Forest: The Science and Beauty of Petrified Wood
- Earth-themed Children’s Storytimes with the Bellingham Public Library
- Volunteer work party to improve water quality and habitat at Squalicum Creek
- A recycling drop-off event for your hard-to-recycle items – hold onto your sensitive documents for shredding, electronic waste, batteries, and used athletic sneakers
- A tour of our Padden Creek fish passage project
- And more!
Check out a full list of events with details online, and learn about our upcoming tree giveaways below.
Looking ahead at Bellingham’s public safety needs
Public safety needs have grown a lot in the past decade, and so have the costs to keep police, fire, and emergency medical services running strong. Tune in to the City Council Committee of the Whole meeting at 2:40 p.m. on Monday, March 23, to hear staff share what we’ve learned from a recent assessment of our long‑term public safety needs — and why we are recommending a Regional Fire Authority as the most stable, sustainable way to fund fire and EMS in the years ahead. You can also read the full assessment report online or watch the presentation recording later on our meetings page.
Join the library for a salmon send-off
The tiny chum salmon eggs hatched at Bellingham Public Library have grown into little fry eager for more room to stretch their fins. Now it’s time to release them into Whatcom Creek, and you are invited to help! Join representatives from Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) and Bellingham Public Library at Maritime Heritage Park Pavilion to wish our fishy friends farewell. Footwear with strong traction is encouraged. A salmon storytime will follow for children of all ages and their families.
Event details
- Salmon Release: Thursday, March 26, 4 – 5 p.m., Maritime Heritage Park Amphitheatre
- Salmon Storytime: Thursday, March 26, 5:15 – 5:45 p.m., Maritime Heritage Park Pavilion
Free tree saplings for Bellingham community members
As part of our efforts to grow Bellingham’s tree canopy, we are continuing our beloved tree giveaway program this spring. Stop by our City booth at the Bellingham Farmers Market on March 21 and April 4, or find us at the Sunnyland Earth Day event on April 18 and our volunteer work party on April 25. Available species include cascara, paper birch, and other native trees – while supplies last! Learn more about our Community Tree Programs.
Thanks for joining our South Bellingham Ask Us Anything event!
More than 200 community members joined Mayor Kim Lund, City department leaders, and staff at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal on Wednesday, March 18. We enjoyed refreshments courtesy of the Fairhaven Association, heard an update on the City from Mayor Lund, and listened as City leaders answered questions on topics ranging from how new developments get approved to traffic safety. Stay tuned for future events later this year.
