By Wendy Scherrer, aka the Salmon Lady
30 for Thirty #11

In 1985, I was an elementary science teacher and went to Project Wild, Project Learning Tree, Project WET and Adopt-a-Stream teacher training workshops. I initially connected salmon education, learning how to use egg tubes in a stream with my students, and also operating a coldwater egg-to-fry aquarium in my elementary school. WA Dept of Fisheries and WA Dept of Game (now WA Dept, of Fish and Wildlife) and Port of Bellingham, gave our school grants for a salmon tank, boots, supplies for the salmon incubation tubes, and we also did a salmon stream restoration project on Connolly Creek.

The Nooksack-Samish Regional Fisheries Group board was supportive of hatchery fish production and salmon supplementation with eggs and fry in streams. I was a board member from 1986-1989. This group eventually evolved to become the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association.

As NSEA’s first Executive Director in 1999, I felt that we needed to immediately strengthen the capacity our organization; including getting a stable base of operations, supporting staff with benefits and consistent policies, building a strong volunteer program, getting a strong and diverse board, establishing strong finances by increased funding and fundraising, implementing science-based programs and projects, and increasing collaborations with private citizens, public, nonprofit, business, federal, state and local partners.

NSEA was part of the Nooksack Recovery Team; we worked with tribal, state agencies, farmers, fishers and other partners to work on projects collaboratively, and to implement an annual Salmon Summit conference. I loved the idea of such a diverse group of folks working for common goals—to restore salmon populations. I believe that NSEA’s work in fish barrier removal, restoration of riparian corridors, and education is valued most by the community. I was proud the year we planted 40,000 trees, combining NSEA’s Dislocated Natural Resource Worker crew, WA Conservation Corps/AmeriCorps crews, Whatcom County Sheriff’s office Alternative Correction crews, with added community volunteers! I found that working with the Board and staff was a great adventure, which resulted in lifelong friendships and collaborations. I was happy to be able to leave NSEA with a strong staff, strong financials, and functional base from which to work.

Working with NSEA was the best job in my career! Having previously worked in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors as an environmental planner and educator, I was happy to work at NSEA with all of the public, private, business, and community partners to get win-win solutions on behalf of the environment.

Today, I continue to volunteer with WDFW and salmon education in the schools, keeping the Salmon in the Classroom egg-to-fry coldwater aquariums going in all of the schools in Bellingham, put some in Ferndale and Everson.

1986-1989 Board member and volunteer for Nooksack-Samish Regional Fisheries Group.
1999-2007, NSEA’s first Executive Director
2009-2015 NSEA Education Advisory Committee & volunteer with the NSEA Native Plant Teaching Garden and salmon education in schools.

By Andrew Dawson
30 for Thirty #10

I was a student board member during the 2004/2005 school year. That is, I was an environmental science student at WWU, somehow heard about this program, applied, and was given the opportunity for one year to sit on NSEA’s Board of Directors.

Fly Fishing on the North Fork Nooksack River

I chose NSEA because I really wanted to help our local salmonid populations, connect with my community, and learn more about environmental efforts to preserve our natural world.

I learned that the most important entity in adulthood is community. I saw where NSEA was faced with major challenges in how to retain its amazing, talented staff while having the monumental effort of raising funds to complete the salmon restoration efforts we were engaged in. The pressures brought on by rising health insurance costs, economic ups/downs, and the rise in the cost of living were huge pressures and NSEA made choices that we on the board really felt were best for the well being of the employees and their families. It was awesome to see that the board at NSEA truly cared about their employees as that is what made up NSEA, the caring and dedicated people who made the mission statement a reality. As a person just setting out in the big world, with very little guidance, it showed me that there are people out there who cared about each other. It still warms my heart and fills my soul 18 years later.

NSEA gave me the confidence to not be afraid to strive for more. It also got me plugged into the major concerns and threats the local salmonid populations are facing. I later graduated WWU and twice worked for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. NSEA’s name came up both times during the interview [and at other job interviews] all with positive responses and I felt a sense of pride/accomplishment being able to say I was a part of NSEA.