Future Leaders of Whatcom Waters
Hands-on experience in salmon recovery.
NSEA’s Future Leaders of Whatcom Waters (FLOW) program provides real-world experiences and professional development opportunities for future leaders of environmental and educational fields through internship positions.
FLOW interns get hands-on experience in stream restoration, environmental education, and community outreach, and they help NSEA accomplish more on the ground and improve our programs.
Fall 2026 applications closed August 21
Stream Stewards Internship
The Stream Stewards Internship offers hands-on experience in community education and riparian restoration. The primary focus of this quarterly position is to help lead Saturday community work parties, where volunteers come together to restore salmon habitat across Whatcom County. Interns play key roles from guiding small volunteer groups and supporting educational activities to shuttling participants and assisting the event team. These work parties involve planting native species, removing invasive plants, and other vital stewardship tasks that contribute directly to healthy stream ecosystems.
This internship is a chance to inspire and connect our community, grow your communication skills, and explore facets of a career in the environmental and nonprofit sectors. Interns also engage with the community through salmon sighting events, where we join together in local parks to watch salmon as they return to freshwater to spawn.
Check back here or sign up for Fish Bytes to hear when applications open again.
Fall 2026 applications closed July 31
Environmental Education Internship
Help deliver our Students for Salmon program, leading curriculum-based field trips for fourth-grade students at sites throughout Whatcom County, Wednesday through Friday. In the spring, interns support our salmon fry releases, guiding students as they release the salmon they raised in their classrooms.
Recruitment opens each summer for the fall cohort. Check back here or sign up for Fish Bytes to hear when applications open.
Strengthening my leadership skills has been a major component of this experience, and I feel more confident. I am now comfortable initiating suggestions in professional groups and feel comfortable speaking knowledgeably with the public about restoration, local watershed issues, and salmon recovery goals.
Alexa Jones, NSEA intern
Questions about internships? Email sbrown@n-sea.org or call 360-715-0283.