March 2026 Newsletter
Introducing the DERT Team!
As our supporters know, DERT has successfully advocated for the removal of the 5th Ave. Dam and we are well on our way to a fully restored watershed. Now DERT is moving forward as a staff-led, education and advocacy centered organization. And now it's high time we introduce you to the team!
Executive Director
Phoebe Cross
(she/her)
Phoebe Cross is an environmental educator and community engagement professional dedicated to connecting people with the natural world. With a background in Communications and post-graduate study in Humane Education, she develops programs that explore marine life, riparian habitats, estuaries, and the impacts of wastewater and stormwater systems on ecosystem health, highlighting the links between compassion, human behavior, and environmental stewardship.
Phoebe currently serves as the Executive Director for the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team and as Strategy & Growth Lead for Eco-Net, a regional network that connects, supports, and amplifies the work of environmental educators across the South Sound. Her goal is to foster collaboration among organizations, enhance the visibility of individuals and groups advancing environmental protection, and strengthen collective capacity to achieve meaningful environmental outcomes. A lifelong animal lover and advocate, she’s passionate about fostering empathy for animals and inspiring care for the ecosystems we share. She lives with her husband Ryan and their rescued dogs, cats, and rabbit, who are a constant source of joy and inspiration.
Communication Coordinator
Jesika Westbrook
(they/them)
Jesika grew up in Olympia and has worked in the local political and non-profit scene practically since they could walk. They received their BFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2018. They had the great honor and pleasure of working for Lt. Governor Denny Heck from 2021 until September of 2025. They now live in Vancouver with their partner and step-daughter, and are a working musician in the live theater scene - but you will frequently find them traveling the I-5 corridor to come home to Olympia. Beyond DERT, they work with their mother and local legend Danielle Westbrook for her firm Westbrook Music & Consulting, supporting non-profits and getting progressive candidates elected in Thurston County and beyond.
Community Development Assistant
Ivy Major
(she/her)
Ivy Major grew up in Olympia, where she became passionate about environmental issues at a young age. She loves wetlands, and developed success metrics for salt marsh restoration at the Deschutes Estuary as part of her coursework for the University of Washington's Wetland Science and Management program. Ivy has a BS in Environmental Science from Western Washington University, and she uses her scientific background to support DERT's mission of estuary restoration and watershed health. Ivy and her wife live in Olympia with their perfect little dog, Clover.
The Future of DERT:
15 years of restoration work and what comes next!
In 1951 the Deschutes River in Olympia was dammed to create the reflecting pool and sediment reservoir we know today as Capitol Lake. This created a myriad of environmental and public health issues, and the culturally and ecologically significant Deschutes Estuary ceased to exist. Since 2009, the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team (DERT) has advocated for the removal of Olympia’s 5th Avenue Dam and the full restoration of the Deschutes Estuary. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in 2011. We actively educate our community on the benefits of estuary restoration and advocate for funding and necessary studies. We envision a restored urban estuary and functioning ecosystem all the way to the headwaters of Puget Sound.
The debate of whether to restore the Deschutes Estuary or maintain Capitol Lake has lasted for decades. Meanwhile, water quality conditions in the lake and adjacent Budd Inlet have declined, endangering salmon and violating federal water quality standards.
In 2022, the State of Washington released the final Environmental Impact Statement on the management of the sediment reservoir, with a “preferred alternative” to remove the dam and restore the estuary. The Washington State Legislature has been consistent in providing funding for design and permitting for dam removal and estuary restoration. The current timeline calls for project completion by 2032. For the latest updates, please refer to Washington State Department of Ecology’s project site: deschutesestuaryproject.org. The Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project (DERP) will be the largest estuary restoration project in an urban setting in the United States.
How You Can Help!
As DERT celebrates 15 years as a non-profit in 2026, we are seeking community input to guide our development of a long-term strategic plan. We would like your help in setting priorities and deciding how best to use our limited resources.
Thank you in advance for your participation in this 10-minute survey! Participants may opt into a drawing for DERT merch on the last page of the survey.
This survey is open until April 15th, 2026.
Shout Out for a Long Time DERT Supporter!
Prairie Appreciation Day!
With no admission charge, explore Glacial Heritage Preserve, one of the largest remaining remnants of Western Washington’s endangered prairie ecosystem. Thanks to on-going restoration for over 30 years, the prairie now looks much the way it may have looked 200 years ago. Click here for up-to-date information about the event.
