Pierce County events celebrate Puget Sound in May

Pierce County residents are invited to celebrate Puget Sound during Puget Sound Starts Here Month in May.

Organizations in Pierce County and across Western Washington are hosting a variety of events to teach residents simple ways they can protect Puget Sound, local rivers, lakes and streams. A complete list is of events is available at PugetSoundStartsHere.org.

“We must protect our waterways, as they are crucial to the quality of life our residents and industries have come to expect in this region,” said Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy. “By taking simple actions to protect Puget Sound, each of us can help take care of this unique place for future generations.”

Local events include:

May 4 at 10:30 a.m. — Natural Yard Care Family Fun event at Wapato Community Center, 6500 S Sheridan, Tacoma. Register online at hhhnworkshops.eventzilla.net.

May 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Key Peninsula Livable Community Fair at the Key Peninsula Civic Center, 17010 S Vaughn Road.

May 11 at 6:10 p.m. — Puget Sound Starts Here Night with the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. Visit mariners.com/pugetsound and use the promotional code “salmon” for discount tickets.

May 16 at 7 p.m. — Puget Sound Starts Here Night with the Tacoma Rainiers at Cheney Stadium. Buy discount tickets online here and use promotional code “pugetsound” for discount tickets.

May 25 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — Get your feet wet with Harbor Wild Watch’s beach naturalists at Penrose Point State Park and Kopachuck State Park. Get an up close look at the creatures that live under the water in Puget Sound. No reservation required, look for the blue tent.

As part of the Puget Sound Starts Here consortium, Pierce County participates in regional campaigns with many other jurisdictions around the Puget Sound region. Participating in these programs gives the county the opportunity to leverage funds for large regional programs that provide more resources to residents and a consistent message about the importance of protecting local waterways.

To learn more about local activities and how you can help keep local lakes, streams, rivers and the whole Puget Sound watershed healthy, visit PugetSoundStartsHere.org.