I thought I knew nature. As a lifelong outdoor enthusiast, organic gardener, wildlife lover, and environmental advocate, I know and treasure the beautiful and biodiverse ecosystems that surround and support my Island home. That said, my first twelve months in this Executive Director role have been a crash course in environmental science and policy. I’m getting to know nature better, and I’m getting to know her legal rights. The more I learn about the functions of and threats to ecosystems, the more I recognize the imperative to advocate when possible and litigate when necessary to defend them from irreparable harm. 

This work is about building relationships—with partner organizations, with whom we defend and protect forests, prairies, shorelines, and farms; with government staff, volunteers, and elected officials, with whom we shape public policy for the health and wellbeing of all; with members and donors, whose energy and generosity are the lifeblood of our work; and with a phenomenal, growing team of founders, board members, consultants, and staff. 

This work is also about building relationships with land; with the deep history and indigenous cultures of this place; with diverse and sometimes competing land use needs and practices; and with the other-than-human life with whom we make our home and whose rights we work to defend and expand. 

GiveBig, a regional giving event, runs through May 8! This is your opportunity to have your donation to WEAN doubled by a $25,000 matching fund. Your support funds our work in three priority areas: 

Creating and promoting a model for ambitious county-wide conservation. This means reforming how landowners are incentivized to protect forests, prairies, shorelines, and critical aquifer recharge areas and ensuring that more land can be permanently protected. 

Educating, engaging, and activating community members from all Island County areas and generations. This means nurturing connections on Camano Island and North Whidbey and helping more people of all ages to get to know nature and get to know her rights.

Building capacity to hold Island County accountable on current and arising priority issues. This means assessing the threats to our ecosystems, understanding where environmentally protective policies are ineffectual or un-enforced, and holding our government accountable to follow the law. 

When we protect functioning ecosystems, we protect what is most fundamental to our own survival and that of other species. Thank you for giving now, when your gift will be doubled for greater impact. It’s no stretch to say this work saves lives. 

With gratitude,