Our featured Local Resource for this edition of Get to Know a Resource is Nooksack Salmdon Enhancement Association. Lindsay Taylor, Volunteer Coordinator at NSEA took the time to fill out our questionnaire so you could get a chance to learn their story.
For those unfamiliar with your organization, give us your thirty second elevator speech.
The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring sustainable wild salmon runs in Whatcom County.
As you can tell from our website, we love data. Share with us three interesting data points that highlight your work.
- NSEA implements at least 15 salmon habitat enhancement projects and maintains more than 30 previously planted sites in watersheds throughout Whatcom County each year.
- NSEA plants over 10,000 native trees and shrubs along Whatcom County streambanks each year.
- NSEA's environmental education programs reach nearly 1,500 students in all seven Whatcom County public school districts each year.
Though we love data, we still have heart. Tell us about an experience that has made your work worthwhile.
NSEA volunteers donate more than 25,000 hours of service each year to restore streamside habitat for salmon in our local watersheds. These amazing individuals participate in on-the-ground streamside habitat restoration work parties, salmon and stream ecology focused environmental education programs, community outreach events, and scientific monitoring projects. Rain or shine, these folks are always ready and willing to give of themselves - and we couldn't be more inspired by their dedication to this critically important species.
Community health issues cross a number of sectors and agencies. Tell us about your organization's role in the complex web of community health.
Salmon are a keystone species - a totem of our culture and an icon of environmental fragility here in the Pacific Northwest. NSEA provides opportunities for citizens to actively participate in solving their local environmental problems at the grass-roots level. We educate them about the watershed they live in and reinforce the connections between healthy streams and clean water, healthy fisheries and sustainable food sources, healthy forests and clean air, as well as how these factors contribute to a healthy community.
Dream big here; if your organization received a sizable grant, what would you do with it?
If NSEA were to receive a sizable grant, we would use those funds to accomplish successful on-the-ground riparian restoration projects within our local watersheds ensuring that our water, wildlife, and working farms are preserved for the future generations of Whatcom County residents.
Give us your pitch! What are ways for a person to get involved with your organization?
Volunteering with NSEA is a great way to stay connected to the community. Environmental stewardship, meeting new people, completing community service hours, and good exercise are just a few of the benefits associated with NSEA volunteer projects. We provide a wide range of volunteer and internship opportunities and actively seek to match willing volunteers to the tasks that they most enjoy. Many volunteer positions involve outdoor activities and working in some connection with the streams in our local watersheds. We do have need for assistance in the NSEA office as well. We encourage everyone to get involved and welcome calls to NSEA at 360-715-0283 or email inquiries at
volunteers@n-sea.org to discuss volunteer possibilities.
Any final words for our readers?
NSEA is committed to working cooperatively with local landowners, public agencies, tribes, local businesses, schools, service organizations, and community volunteers to foster a sense of stewardship towards our Whatcom County streams and salmon. Our message to volunteers? "You too can be a part of this commitment. Become a member, make a donation, get your hands dirty at a work party, and watch our seedlings grow into the promise of a better future for Whatcom County salmon."
Now that you've learned a little about Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, head on over to their
Local Resource Listing for information on how you can get involved.
If you would like to have your organization featured in a Get to Know a Resource article, fill out our short Questionnaire!
