May 2026 Newsletter
Event Recap: 2026 Donor Appreciation Dinner
On Friday, May 22, DERT welcomed dozens of our supporters for a night of gratitude and celebration. The continued support of our community has sustained us for 15 years and counting.
We were incredibly lucky to be joined and addressed by our local elected officials: Mayor Dontae Payne, Representatives Beth Doglio and Lisa Parshley, and Port Commissioner Krag Unsoeld. We even had Olympia City Councilmember Paul Berendt drop by! Being able to bring them into a room full of enthusiastic support for the restoration of the Deschutes Estuary is vital to continued work on the state and local levels. And the Department of Ecology has made some amazing progress - last night we learned that the restoration project will be at 90% design by the end of the year and they've already begun permit and grant applications! In the world of government, they're moving lightning fast.
Some might think this is the finish line for DERT, but Representative Parshley's words really stuck out to us: the restoration of the Deschutes Estuary is not just a Budd Inlet issue, it's a Puget Sound issue.
To us, that means this moment is not a conclusion, but a beginning. There is still a lot more work to do and this work opens the door to larger conversations about our collective responsibility to our watershed and the health of the Puget Sound.
So stick with us, friends. We're just getting started.
We want to thank everyone in our community that stepped up and helped us raise $3,075 during May's GiveBig campaign! All of us at DERT are grateful that you continue to make our mission to realize a fully restored Deschutes Estuary a priority. These funds will go towards continued community education and advocacy efforts! We hope to see you at our upcoming events!
Missed out on GiveBig? Don't worry! You can still support DERT here.
Sea Stroll: Historic Shoreline Tours
Join the Puget Sound Estuarium and Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team (DERT) as we loop around the downtown core to track the historic changes to Olympia’s shoreline. Learn about geologic events that created the estuary, Native tribes that stewarded these lands, and why an estuary was important for making it into the city we see today. Plus we’ll dive into the restoration plan for Capitol Lake and the vital role of estuaries in our ecosystem’s health. It’s a journey through time and nature you won’t want to miss!
When: June 14 @ 10am
Where: Puget Sound Estuarium - 309 State Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98501
Registration Policies and Event Info:
Preregistration is required as there is limited space available.
Adults (Ages 13 and older) - $18
Children (Ages 12 and younger) - Free
Community Access Ticket - Free
Our mission is to make sure everyone feels welcome here. Made possible by our supporters so cost is never a barrier.
June CEDE Workshop: Water Resources
Join DERT for our first Community Envisioned Deschutes Estuary workshop of 2026!
Our freshwater resources in the Deschutes Watershed face serious large-scale issues, from climate change to population growth. Responsible solutions to these issues must be organized at a watershed-scale and enacted systemically. DERT's first workshop in the 2026 CEDE series will allow our community to engage with speakers from the Squaxin Island Tribe, the LOTT Alliance, Thurston County, and Conservation Northwest. They’ll share how their organizations are protecting our natural resources, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask them questions about their work and what we can do to ensure that our water is sustainably managed for generations to come.
When: June 23 @ 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Where: 222 Columbia St NW, Multipurpose Room A, Olympia, WA, 98501
Attendance is free and pizza will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there!
Questions? Email our Community Development Assistant, Ivy Major, at ivy@deschutesestuary.org.
We're excited to share that DERT and the Squaxin Island Tribe are currently planning the 2026 Festival of the Steh-Chass, which will take place on Friday, August 14th at Heritage Park in Olympia from approximately 12-4pm.
The Festival of the Steh-Chass is a community event centered around Squaxin culture and connection to the area, public education, estuary restoration, environmental stewardship, and envisioning the future of a restored Deschutes Estuary. We are hoping to include a thoughtful educational and outreach area featuring organizations doing meaningful work throughout the Deschutes Watershed and South Sound region.
At this stage, we are primarily trying to gauge interest as we continue shaping the event layout and educational programming opportunities. If your organization may be interested in hosting an outreach or educational booth, please feel free to fill out the interest form: HERE
Submitting the form is not confirmation of participation at this stage, it is intended to help us better understand interest levels, space needs, and the types of educational activities organizations may want to bring to the event.
Our goal is to include a variety of interactive and educational opportunities that help community members and attendees connect with local ecology, restoration, wildlife, stewardship, cultural learning, sustainability, environmental and social justice, and other community resources.
Thank you all, and please feel free to share with any other organizations you think would be a great fit. We will share more information as planning progresses!
