Orca Recovery Day
This regional day of action aims to improve conditions for the critically endangered Southern Resident Orca Whales. To support the recovery of our local orca pods, we all can contribute to the restoration of habitat for their food source, the Chinook Salmon.
Join us for Orca Recovery Day - 2025!
The 8th Annual Orca Recovery Day will be October 18th, 2025.
9AM - 12PM
5862 N Fork Rd Deming, WA 98244
This year Orca Recovery Day will focus on restoring Kenney Creek, a tributary of the North Fork Nooksack River that provides spawning habitat for Chinook, chum, coho, and pink salmon, among other salmonids (steelhead, bull trout, cutthroat trout).
The property we will helping to restore was recently acquired by the Whatcom Land Trust and is near the confluence with the North Fork Nooksack River, where an undersized culvert was removed in the Summer of 2025 to improve fish access to over four miles of upstream habitat. Alongside in-stream habitat improvements, upcoming restoration work on the property includes planting over 6,000 native trees and shrubs in pursuit of restoring 9 additional acres of degraded streamside habitat.
Plant a tree, leave a legacy. You can help orca by restoring streamside habitat for salmon. Bring your pod and join us for Orca Recovery Day on Saturday, October 18 from 9 am–12 pm. We will be planting trees to support the health of Kenney Creek, the salmon that call it home, and the orca that rely on those salmon.
Driving Directions: From Bellingham, take 542 East for approximately 17 miles. Turn right on Mosquito Lake Road and continue for 1 mile, then turn left onto North Fork Road. Continue for 1 mile and pull in on the right-hand side of the road.
Thank you to our Orca Recovery Day Partners!
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Why Are Southern Resident Orcas in Decline?
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They don't have enough food. Chinook salmon make up 80% of a Southern Resident orca’s diet, and they are also endangered due to habitat loss, climate change, and increased pollution.
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Contaminants in the water and their food decrease their health and make it harder for their calves to survive.
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Vessel noise and disturbance makes it harder for them to communicate and use echolocation to find their food.
What You Can Do
There’s strength in numbers. With all of us working together, we can all take actionable steps to save our orcas. You can plant native shrubs and trees, collect trash along roads and beaches, or expand your green space outside your office building--anything that makes the environment better than how you found it. You can also bring awareness by using the hashtag #OrcaRecoveryDay and donating to organizations that are helping with the cause.
Check out Past Orca Recovery Day Events!
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