FALL NEWSLETTER 2019

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Photo courtesy of NOAA NMFS AKFSC PROTECT HEALTHY WATERSHEDS CONTENTS FOR SALMON AND ORCA! Healthy Watersheds for Salmon and Orca Swimming Upstream: How Wild is Advocating for a Right now, we are fighting a mining proposal in the Skagit Headwaters and advocating Healthy Future for Salmon | Salmon Journeys: Opportunities and for stronger protections for our salmon-bearing rivers and streams. Will you join us? Obstacles for Recovery | Conservation Voices: Protecting the Skagit WAWILD.ORG/EOY2019 | Trump Administration Targets Old Growth Forest Protections Photo courtesy of Ben Curran

How Washington Wild is Advocating for a Healthy Future for Salmon

Washington Wild protects and restores wild lands and waters in Washington State through advocacy, education and civic engagement.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tom Uniack

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Evan Lepine Welcome from the Board The health of our watersheds is DEFEND OUR RIVERS third of the freshwater inputs PROGRAM MANAGER connected to the health of our salmon, AGAINST EMERGING THREATS to Puget Sound and is the only Laura Buckmaster Southern Resident orca, and us. At IN THE SKAGIT HEADWATERS river in the lower 48 states that As a native Washingtonian, I feel like the outdoors have always been part Washington Wild, the core of our work to supports healthy runs of all six of my identity. Growing up, my family prioritized spending time outside MEMBERSHIP & protect, defend, and restore wild places in Earlier this year, word spread species of wild pacific salmon. In – whether it was camping, cross country skiing, or hiking. Looking ENGAGEMENT MANAGER Washington directly benefits the recovery about a mining proposal in the 1978, approximately 158 miles of around at the incredible landscapes, it was always hard to imagine why Hillary Sanders of salmon and Southern Resident orca. headwaters of the iconic Skagit the Skagit and its tributaries — the we wouldn’t want to protect these wild places. With daily reminders of the growing River. The proposal targets an Sauk, Suiattle, and Cascade rivers impact of climate change, increasing area of largely intact watershed — were designated under the Wild Along with getting outside, my other passion in life is craft beer. In 2014, OFFICE MANAGER threats to our salmon-bearing rivers and surrounded by Manning and and Scenic Rivers Act. The Skagit my wife and I opened Watershed Pub and Kitchen, a local neighborhood Jordan French streams, and the disturbing reality of our Skagit Provincial Parks in was featured in the U.S. Postal watering hole where we pride ourselves on our high-quality beer declining orca population — the time to British Columbia, Canada. While Service Wild and Scenic River selection. Right after opening Watershed, we were introduced to BOARD OF DIRECTORS act is now. originating in BC, the Skagit stamp collection in 2019 and draws Washington Wild and the Brewshed® Alliance. Watershed Pub and Mark Walters, President River flows primarily through Washington Wild is proud to be a millions of locals and visitors to Brewshed Alliance – it was a natural connection! And so, I began my Fritz Wollett, Vice President Washington State, winding through grassroots conservation leader for 40 its banks each year for its pristine involvement with Washington Wild, including hosting annual Tap Harriet Bakken, the scenic North Cascades National Secretary years, and we look forward to carrying beauty and clear waters. Takeovers and joining the Board of Directors. Park, the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Richard Lintermans, Treasurer this important work into 2020 and Washington Wild is currently I’m excited that this fall, Washington Wild teamed up with Bale Breaker National Forest, and through the Ben Curran beyond. As new challenges brought by a leading an international coalition Brewing Co. to create a special charity beer, Brewshed IPA, to raise funds renowned Valley Andrew Escobar changing climate and destructive public of 140 partners, including Tribes, to protect healthy watersheds and critical salmon habitat. I’m especially before reaching Puget Sound. lands policy rise, so will we. Join us. First Nations, elected officials, thrilled that Brewshed IPA is brewed with Salmon-Safe certified hops Kevin Kelly The Skagit River provides one- local businesses, and conservation from Roy Farms. The Salmon-Safe certification ensures that farmers Raymond Kwan use resilience-building practices including protecting water quality, Maureen McGregor maintaining watershed health, and restoring habitat to keep streams Erin Miller Photo courtesy of Joe Foy healthy for salmon. Salmon are an indicator species, meaning their Sheryl Rothmuller “It would be hard to imagine a worse place for a mine than the health weighs heavily on the health of their environment. Roger Mellem, Board Skagit Headwaters or a mining company with a worse record From a business owner’s perspective, there is a lot of desire for a Member Emeritus sustainable product. People want to enjoy craft beer but also know to be involved than Imperial Metals. Even after the largest that they’re doing something good for the environment. Through tailings dam failure in Canadian history, spilling billions of liters the Brewshed Alliance, Washington Wild is tapping into a need for of mine waste, tailings and slurry-filled water into Quesnel collaboration between the conservation and craft beer communities. I’m Special thank you to Chris Bauer of Lake from their Mount Polley tailings dam in 2014, Imperial proud to use our business as a vehicle for philanthropy and advocate for Cascadia Photography for the cover photo. a wild, green, and more sustainable Washington. Metals has never faced charges or paid a penny in fines." Graphic Design by Kristen Proctor Cheers! Joe Foy, Co-Executive Director of Wilderness Committee Ben Curran 3 and recreation groups from both diversity of organizations uniting sides of the international border. around a call for reasonable reform Coalition efforts resulted in more had a powerful impact during the “We are successfully restoring salmon habitat in than 30 media stories on the Skagit 2019 Congressional session. big ways like the massive Elwha Dam removal, but Headwaters proposal in the U.S. Legislation passed the key we also need to be making sure the intact habitat and Canada and more than 6,000 committees but ran out of time emails sent to British Columbia in the remaining days of the 2019 we still have is permanently protected for the Premier John Horgan to deny the legislative session. Washington future. The Wild Olympics proposal does just that permit. Wild and coalition partners are by protecting wild rivers, salmon habitat, and the The permit applicant, Imperial working to renew the call for Metals Corporation, was reforms in January 2020 to make sources of clean water for future salmon runs and responsible for the infamous Washington rivers and streams a our Puget Sound orcas.” safer place for salmon to call home. Mount Polley mine disaster of 2014, Peter Bahls, Director of NW Watershed Institute one of the biggest environmental disasters in Canadian history. The PROTECT THE WILD risk of such a disaster in the Skagit, OLYMPICS FOR FUTURE home to Puget Sound’s healthiest GENERATIONS remaining runs of Chinook salmon — a vital food source for the In addition to defending salmon imperiled Southern Resident orca habitat and intact watersheds from — is simply unacceptable. active threats, we know it is equally important to proactively protect The approval of Imperial Metals’ Photo courtesy of Alex Winburg our remaining wild forests and permit application would blatantly rivers. Places like roadless areas ignore opposition by indigenous threatening rivers and streams Lewis River, Spokane River, and and land allocations under the nations on both sides of the across Washington State that you Puget Sound rivers such as the Northwest Forest Plan are too easily border. The Skagit originates in the have probably never heard of -- it’s Skykomish, Skagit, and Nooksack placed on the chopping block under unceded indigenous territory of called motorized suction dredge have been especially affected. the leadership of a President who the Upper Skagit, Stó:lō, Syilx, and mining and it is as horrible as is does not value these protections. Nlaka’pamux people, who have Scientific studies have shown sounds. accessed the forests, meadows, the impacts of suction dredging Washington Wild is a founding and streams surrounding the Miners in scuba gear use high include erosion and sedimentation, member of the Wild Olympics headwaters since time immemorial. powered suction motors to suck up mobilization of mercury and Campaign which is working to rocks, gravel, and sediment from other heavy metals, physical permanently protect more than Washington Wild continues to work river and stream beds in search impacts to fish eggs, juvenile fish, 126,000 acres of new Wilderness with coalition partners to push for of gold. What is left behind is a invertebrates, and other aquatic in the the denial of the mining permit river bottom that is completely organisms, destruction of habitat and more than 460 miles of Wild and work toward a long-term unrecognizable. features like large woody debris, and Scenic Rivers on the Olympic solution for protecting the Skagit and degraded riparian zones vital Peninsula. The legislation was Headwaters for salmon, orca, and Effective and commonsense to watershed health. introduced by Senator Patty Murray all of us downstream. rules limiting suction dredging (CD-WA) and Representative Derek in neighbor states of Oregon, In May of this year, Washington Kilmer (D-WA 06) earlier this California, and Idaho have made Wild drafted a letter signed by year and had a successful hearing PROTECT INVESTMENTS the practice increasingly common 84 conservation and recreation in the House Natural Resources in Washington State, placing groups, hunting and fishing IN SALMON RECOVERY Subcommittee. THROUGH MINING REFORM even greater pressure on our organizations, and local businesses rivers and streams. Areas like the supporting the need for suction The legislation would permanently There is a destructive practice Yakima Basin, Upper Columbia, dredge mining reform. The protect critical salmon habitat and sources of clean drinking water for local communities, while also “Suction dredge mining is destroying fish spawning habitat. protecting and expanding outdoor Photo courtesy of Our salmon and the species that depend on them, like our recreation opportunities like Elisa Rogers hiking, camping, boating, hunting, orcas, are on the verge of extinction. We spend hundreds and fishing without closing any businesses, elected officials, Townsend, Hoquiam, Aberdeen, of millions of dollars on habitat restoration, yet the state roads. The legislation has been farms, faith leaders, sportsmen, Ocean Shores, and Elma, among continues to allow people to suck up river bottoms and run carefully crafted through extensive and conservation and outdoor many others. More than 12,000 community input to ensure the recreation groups has grown to local residents have signed them through a sluice destroying the very habitat that has proposal will not impact existing more than 800 endorsers, including petitions in support. We hope to see just been repaired.” timber jobs. the Quinault, Quileute, Elwha and this legislation finally become law Brad Throssell, Chair of the WA State Council of Trout Unlimited The total number of local Olympic Jamestown S’Klallam Tribes and during the current congressional Peninsula and Hood Canal area the mayors of Port Angeles, Port session which ends in 2020. 4 5 Southern Resident Orca ocal endangered orcas rely on dwindling salmon populations for of their diet. The Southern Residents prefer the large, fatty Chinook salmon to other species. There are only remaining Southern Warm Waters Resident orcas remaining in the Salish Sea including Tokitae, the Salmon need cool, clean, oygenated pod orca confined at the Miami Seaquarium. THREATS water to surie. Warm water TO encourages the growth of SALMON diseasecausing bacteria, reduces oygen in the water, and delays migrating fish in their journey Pollution upstream. Sustained temperatures of and aboe are fatal to eaily polluting practices salmon. such as mining threaten salmon by contaminating the water where salmon spawn, deastating entire populations. Deforestation Destruction of forests leads to erosion into salmonbearing streams and runoff from roads. Healthy forests help filter out contaminants in the water, air, and soil before they reach salmon streams.

Parr Salmon begin to deelop 4 markings on their bodies to hide them from predators.

Fry Very few eggs surie to become uenile salmon known as fry. At this stage, salmon must begin to feed on their own. 3

Smolt After to months, salmon SALMON Adult Adult salmon spend anywhere begin their long ourney to the sea. They 5 undergo a process called “smoltification,” from months to years in the ocean 6 in which their bodies adapt to salt water. before returning to spawn. Some will trael thousands of miles during this time.

ortunitiesJourneys and ostacles for recovery Alevin In late winter, the eggs hatch. The young salmon stay hidden in the Sal r re are trl. Da, atat stream bottom, feeding from a yolk sac deradat, llt, ar ater, ad ter attached to their underside. atr ae aed tee dele al lat Wat State. I at, al r tda are tall ard 5 ter tr er. e at 2 t reer t e a ea e, t e drat at eeded . Sa t samon, sa t ora.

Eggs emale salmon dig nests in graely stream bottoms, called redds, Spawning Adult salmon return to where they were born to and lay anywhere from , to , 1 spawn and continue the cycle. Those that do make it to their eggs depending on the species. spawning waters die soon after, their bodies proiding nutrients to 7 the surrounding ecosystem. Conservation Voices: Protecting the Skagit A MINING PROPOSAL THREATENS THE SKAGIT RIVER Trump Administration By Brian Cladoosby, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Chairman "As the People of the Salmon, Targets Old Growth he Swinomish Tribal Community are People of our way of life has been T the Salmon, and the Skagit is our home. It is an sustained by our connection Forest Protections essential part of who we are as a people. We have paddled the waters of the Skagit and the Salish Sea to the water and lands where since time immemorial, when the rivers were thick we have fished, gathered, and with salmon. hunted for over 10,000 years." Photo Courtesy of Today, the Skagit River still provides habitat for all six Brian Cladoosby wild salmon species and produces nearly half of all wild Puget Sound Chinook. If we are to recover our historic salmon runs and help save our starving orca, the Skagit River is essential to achieving those goals. As the People of the Salmon, our way of life has been sustained by our connection to the water and lands where we have fished, gathered, and hunted for over 10,000 years. We combine this traditional knowledge and stewardship with contemporary science to care for and protect the natural environment on behalf of our people. As a sovereign nation we engage in local, state and interstate commerce, manage our natural resources, and exercise power over our homeland and waters. When needed, we defend and protect our lands, Photo Courtesy of Wilderness Committee Photo Courtesy of Howie Garber waters, and wildlife from activities and proposals that threaten our tribal lifeways and treaty rights. dependent upon these sacred fish. he Trump Administration sweeping “exemptions” to the salmon populations and all those Recently, we stood together with other Washington We believe the proposed mining is the type of intensive, T is stepping up its assault on Roadless Rule will not stop with who rely on them, including Treaty Tribes and British Columbia First Nations extractive development that is incompatible with long- our public lands. This time, they Alaska. Others will follow, as Utah Southern Resident orca, Tribes, to express our alarm over the proposed gold term efforts to protect and restore the Skagit River, plan to allow excessive logging, already has expressed intent to do. local fisherman, and outdoor mining exploration in the headwaters of the Skagit and disregards the sacrifices our people have made road building, and other industrial Washington State has nearly two recreationists. River, which flow from Canada through northwest for thousands of years. Seven generations from now, development in the wildest million acres of national forest Washington Wild is leading the local Washington to Puget Sound. We strongly oppose any we want to be able to tell the story of our salmon, our places left in the United States by roadless areas. These intact opposition to this extreme proposal mining in the Skagit Headwaters. people. To make sure we can, senseless proposals like dismantling a two-decade-old policy watersheds support healthy by engaging local media, organizing known as the "Roadless Rule.” We were happy to partner with Washington Wild this must be stopped. salmon runs for all six species of a community public meeting in who coordinated an international coalition of 140 Other threats to our salmon abound, including the The 2001 National Forest Roadless Pacific salmon, as returns across Seattle, and mobilizing hundreds entities opposed to the proposed mining including Trans Mountain oil pipeline being proposed through Area Conservation Rule is one of Washington State continue to of Washington residents and local Tribes, First Nations, conservation and recreation the Salish Sea and the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project. our nation’s bedrock conservation decline. Opening these forests stakeholders to oppose the roll back organizations, elected officials, and local businesses As Coast Salish People, we must restore the balance to protections intended to safeguard up to logging and road building of roadless forest protections. from both sides of the border. That coalition our ecosystem, especially our salmon, and preserve more than 58 million acres of wild would pose major threats to demonstrates the power and support for healthy the rights of all those for whom salmon are a cultural national forests. This rule was salmon populations, which in turn support a healthy lifeblood. created through extensive public orca population in this region. input, with an overwhelming “Our roadless areas are what make so many We believe that the health of the Skagit is not only majority supporting protections for Mining in the Skagit River headwaters is antithetical important to our people but for all the people who call communities in Washington State and roadless areas. to salmon recovery and our way of life. Our the Pacific Northwest home. We celebrate this common throughout the west such an incredible place subsistence, cultural, and commercial activities Now, the Trump Administration is ground with organizations like Washington Wild as we to live, work, and play. These wild landscapes are dependent upon wild salmon, and are central work together to protect the Skagit River, its ancient seeking to chip away at Roadless pillars to Washington tribes’ treaty-protected forests, and recover our magnificent salmon and orca Rule protections starting in the are all we have left to pass onto our sons and rights. Allowing more industrial logging or mineral populations for future generations. world’s largest remaining intact daughers, and they must remain protected” exploration in the Skagit headwaters could hinder coastal temperate rainforest – Brian Cladoosby has been Chairman of the Swinomish Indian Alaska's iconic Tongass National our salmon recovery efforts and the struggle to Tribal Community since 1997 and is a former president of the Jen Syrowitz, Executive Director of Washington Outdoor Women Photo Courtesy of maintain our cultural practices that are wholly National Congress of American Indians. Forest. We know that these Jen Syrowitz 8 9 Conservation Updates Wild Profiles OPPOSITION TO IMPERIAL METALS’ PROPOSED MINING PERMIT IN SKAGIT HEADWATERS GROWS WHITNEY NEUGEBAUER CHARLIE CLARK

Executive Director, Whale Scout Director of Impact, MiiR An international coalition of more than 140 conservation, recreation, and wildlife groups as well as local elected officials, businesses, and Tribes and First Nations A PNW native, Charlie Meet Whitney continues to grow to a proposed mining permit in the Canadian headwaters of the Clark was born in Seattle Neugebauer, a life- Skagit River. Earlier this year, Washington Wild coordinated a letter signed by more and grew up in Portland. long whale lover and than 30 British Columbia organizations and local businesses as the latest evidence He holds a Masters in advocate. She completed of opposition to Imperial Metals’ proposed mining permit near Manning and Skagit Nonprofit Leadership from degrees in Geology and Provincial Parks. An earlier letter with 53 signers opposing the proposal was sent Seattle University, and Anthropology from during a formal public comment period. To date, more than 6,000 individuals helps ensure MiiR's robust Eckerd College in Florida have sent letters or emails to the British Columbia government and other entities philanthropic endeavors before returning home opposing the mining permit. Photo courtesy of Wilderness Committee to pursue her master’s are sustainable, equitable, degree in Marine and and transparent. Environmental Affairs A Product to Project™ WASHINGTON WILD CELEBRATES 5TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE from the University of company, MiiR partners ADDITIONS Washington. In 2013, she with some of the most founded the organization respected nonprofits in Photo Courtesy of Whitney Neugebauer Photo Courtesy of Charlie Clark Whale Scout, as Puget the world to fund projects On August 15, Washington Wild hosted a celebration for the 5th anniversary of Sound’s endangered orca which support clean water, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions at Elliott Bay Brewing Company. In 2014, population was plummeting to all-time lows. a healthy environment, and strong communities across Washington Wild successfully led a coalition of conservation and recreation groups to develop local support for permanently protecting more than 22,000 Whale Scout is a nonprofit focused on bringing land- the globe. This past summer, MiiR surpassed $1 Million in grants made to their nonprofit partners. acres of additions to the existing Alpine Lakes Wilderness area and designating based whale watching experiences to communities nearly 40 miles of new Wild and Scenic Rivers. The event featured guest speakers across the Puget Sound region. You can find vested “We're incredibly proud of the businesses and who were intimately involved in the development and implementation of the volunteers at prime whale-watching locations around organizations which helped make this possible,” said legislation including Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, the Mayor of Snoqualmie, the area, their eyes glued to the water, ready to greet Clark. “Obviously a huge part of these partnerships and representatives from the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, Washington excited onlookers. involves aligning values and vision, but equally Photo courtesy of Raymond Kwan Trails Association, and American Rivers. Whale Scout also hosts their “Helpin’ Out” events, important is increasing awareness and visibility for all where volunteers can get their hands dirty helping parties involved.” restore salmon habitat. The idea is to channel Washington Wild and MiiR have enjoyed a deepened people’s interest and passion about whales into on- relationship this year, partnering on an Earth Day THANK YOU TO OUR the-ground salmon habitat restoration projects aimed cleanup of the Burke Gilman, Brewshed® Beer Fest, WILD NIGHT OUT SPONSORS! at protecting the primary food source of struggling and Wild Night Out. Attendees at Beer Fest in June all orcas in Puget Sound. received a co-branded insulated tumbler and guests TITLE SPONSOR “From the treetops to the tips of the whales’ fins, at Wild Night Out left with a 40-year anniversary everything is connected,” said Neugebauer. commemorative stainless-steel pint cup. Washington Wild and Whale Scout are new members “For a small, local environmental nonprofit to be of the Duwamish Alive! Coalition, an organization celebrating 40 years of impact is amazing,” said Clark. working to bring community, municipalities, non- “It’s that type of determination and focus that gets the MiiR team excited for the future and the role we can play profits, and businesses within the Duwamish River Photo courtesy of Dan Wix WILDERNESS LEGACY SPONSOR Watershed together to preserve and enhance habitat in helping them protect Washington’s wild lands and for people and wildlife. waters for years to come!” On October 19, Whale Scout hosted a restoration With every MiiR product, there is a Give Code™ that can TOGETHER WE RAISED $75,000! be registered on MiiR.com to receive project updates and event with Friends of North Creek Forest in On October 10th, our community came together in Pioneer Square to Bothell for Orca Recovery Day. Volunteers planted information related to advocacy, volunteer opportunities, and more. celebrate our 40th Anniversary at our annual auction and awards event native trees near the salmon-bearing North Creek. -- Wild Night Out. The evening featured a silent and live auction, local WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS SPONSORS Meanwhile, Washington Wild was restoring natural food and drink, and a new video highlighting the accomplishments of areas of Camp Long in West Seattle, just up the hill Washington Wild. In total, we raised over $75,000 to continue our work from the Duwamish River and Puget Sound. Learn more about to protect wild lands and waters across the state. We are so grateful for the support -- from new and long-time friends! We were also honored “The more we can replicate wild ecosystem functions CASCADE PEAKS SPONSORS in urban environments, the better.” said Neugebauer. Washington Wild and our to recognize the following individuals and groups who championed our "Preserving the forests surrounding salmon streams mission in the last year: Meghan Wolf of Patagonia, Tim Manns and Brenda is critical, both in wild places in urban spaces." supporters at wawild.org Cunningham of The Skagit Audubon Society and Skagit Land Trust, and Hellbent Brewing Company. 10 11