The lecture series Crossroads: Ideas for a New Century will feature Joe Gaydos, Regional Director of the SeaDoc Society, who is presenting“It’s All Connected: 10 Ideas for Saving the Salish Sea” on Friday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. at the Episcopal Parish Hall.

Residents of the Pacific Northwest depend on the Salish Sea for the economy, well-being, and quality of life of the area. One of the world’s largest and most biologically diverse inland seas, the Salish Sea includes the San Juan Islands, Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Gulf Islands, and the Strait of Georgia. With a surface area of almost 17,000 kilometers, the Salish Sea is a single vast ecosystem that is home to an estimated 20 species of mammals, 128 species of birds, 219 species of fish, and over 3000 species of invertebrates. Of these, 64 are already threatened, endangered, or especially vulnerable.

As Orcas resident, a wildlife veterinarian, and one of the leading experts on the Salish Sea, Gaydos brings multiple perspectives to the conversation. He will discuss how the Salish Sea be restored, and maintained and provide an understanding of its complex ecology and the ways in which human activity can play a role.

Gaydos received his veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. Tickets may be obtained at Darvill’s Bookstore and the Orcas Library at no cost.