We invite all residents and visitors of Newport and Lincoln County to a Community Celebration at Don Davis Park, 840 W. Olive Street in Newport on Saturday, August 11, 2018 from 10 am to 1 pm.

This community celebration is being held by the American Cetacean Society – Oregon Chapter along with a Whale Trail Interpretive Sign Dedication. The event is free outside in the park so please dress accordingly.

This is a standing event, wheelchairs can be accommodated on the sidewalk.

Refreshments will be served following the speakers. The Newport Performing Arts Center has donated use of their parking lot which is across the street from Don Davis Park.

Several years ago the American Cetacean Society (ACS) – Oregon Chapter partnered with the Oregon Marine Reserves Partnership and it’s other nonprofit members to bring The Whale Trail to Oregon. The Whale Trail has over 90 sites along the west coast where people can observe whales and other marine mammals from shore.

Five sites in Oregon were added to existing sites in British Columbia, Washington and California. In addition to Don Davis Park in Newport, the other sites are Cape Falcon Marine Reserve and Protected Area, Cape Perpetua, Sea Lion Caves and Battle Rock Wayside Park in Port Orford.

The first official Whale Trail Interpretive Sign is being installed at the Don Davis Park site. We invite the community to come out and celebrate the sign dedication with us. Goals of this project are to increase awareness of the area as a place to view whales and other wildlife, complement the existing whale art sculpture, build community and educate park visitors.

The Whale Trail network of viewing sites helps to inspire appreciation and stewardship of whales and the marine environment. It encourages intentional travel while also connecting with the casual passerby.

Sponsors of the Don Davis Park Whale Trail interpretive sign are the City of Newport, American Cetacean Society-Oregon Chapter, Hallmark Resort Newport, Point Blue Conservation Science, and The Whale Trail.

Sponsors of the Community Celebration include Anchor Pier Lodge, Fred Meyer Newport, JC Thriftway Newport, Marine Discovery Tours, and Safeway Newport.

Speakers at the celebration include Dr. Bruce Mate, Director of the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, Dr. James Sumich and Dr. Leigh Torres also of the Marine Mammal Institute, Charlie Plybon of Surfrider Foundation and the Oregon Marine Reserves Partnership, Donna Sandstrom, Executive Director of the Whale Trail, Colleen Weiler of Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Kaety Jacobson, incoming Lincoln County Commissioner, and Joy Primrose, American Cetacean Society-Oregon Chapter President.

“The Only Thing That Is Certain Is Change” (Heraclitus, 500 BC). And so it is with the natural world and our interactions with it. We are the keystone species on this planet that influences every living thing, including their futures. We must live responsibly, which means embracing all parts of the earth’s ecosystems with respect, even those that we do not yet understand. “The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think and what you do is who you become.” (Heraclitus, again) and collectively our choices also become the earth’s fate and our destiny. – Bruce Mate, Director, Marine Mammal Institute

 The Whale Trail is a Seattle based nonprofit conservation group founded in 2008 to promote recovery of the endangered southern resident killer whales through public education and awareness. Since then, its mission has expanded to inspire stewardship of all marine mammals. For more information, check out the Whale Trail at http://thewhaletrail.org .

The American Cetacean Society protects whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats. The non-profit organization was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in San Pedro, CA. Information on the ACS can be found on the website: www.acsonline.org. You can also find us on Facebook at American Cetacean Society-Oregon Chapter

Contact Joy Primrose, ACS Oregon Chapter President at [email protected] or (541) 517-8754 for more information.