Northwest Ecosystem Alliance - A Giant in Our Backyard

Margi Polland Fox has written numerous articles and essays for regional and national publications. In her current business, Fox Profiles, she writes bios, booklets, brochures, and annual reports for nonprofits.

Editor’s Note: Over the coming months, Margi Fox will be profiling the region’s environmental organizations for Whatcom Watch. With the current challenges to environmental protections, we need these committed and innovative groups more than ever. It is in this light we offer their stories.

“There are still pristine wild salmon runs, large expanses of old growth forests, roadless areas, and intact species habitat. We aim to keep it that way.”—NWEA

Northwest Ecosystem Alliance (NWEA) is a “lean organization that sets big, ambitious goals,” says Hudson Dodd, outreach and volunteer coordinator. He adds, “We propose these wildly ambitious campaigns. People say, ‘Yeah, right,’ and then we do them.”

This organization has met seemingly impossible aims. For instance, NWEA (pronounced na-WEE-a) led the effort that raised almost $17 million to purchase timber rights to 25,000 acres on the Loomis Forest—in just over a year’s time. They’ve reviewed most of the timber sales on federal lands in the state, halting or altering many damaging proposals. And they’ve participated in 40 lawsuits to enforce environmental regulations, winning almost three-quarters of those battles.

In all they do, they keep focused on a clear objective, conserving and protecting the environmental integrity of the Pacific Northwest. The single-mindedness of the vision provides a dramatic contrast with their methods: they employ an enormous array of strategies and orchestrate a wide range of activities.

A scientific approach forms the basis of their advocacy. Their strength comes from the intensity of their focus, credibility of their scientific information, and willingness to use whatever strategy works. “It’s not about the tactics,” says community relations coordinator Lisa McShane. “It’s about the goal.”

Established in 1989 by executive director Mitch Friedman and others, NWEA has grown from an all-volunteer organization to one with 11,000 members and 22 paid staff. They now occupy an office in Bellingham—where they’ll soon move into a larger space in downtown Bellingham—and another office in Seattle focused on The Cascades Conservation Partnership.

At the time of NWEA’s creation, the founders thought an ecosystem approach was lacking. Most environmental groups aimed at preservation, dealing more with specific threats and saving lands for recreational or scenic value. NWEA offered a different angle, that of conservation. The distinction has been an important one: while preservation saves lands in pristine or wilderness condition, conservation deals with land management on a large scale.

Friedman and the others realized they had to work to protect the entire ecosystem, “the whole shebang together,” says Hudson Dodd. Science tells us we needed more than the islands of preserves to save species because ecosystems are so big and complex. NWEA seeks to connect the islands of preserved land in the Cascades, extending all the way through Washington to the vast forested lands of British Columbia, from the east side of the mountains to Puget Sound.

Many nonprofits are shaped by their executive directors, and this is especially the case with NWEA. Raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Mitch Friedman has an innate passion for wild places. He is driven, organized, focused and intense. In a radio interview last fall on KUOW, Friedman outlined the progression through his youth. He earned a zoology degree at the University of Washington and was an early activist with Earth First!, taking a stint as one of the first tree sitters. In time, he wanted to do less rabble rousing and follow more of a scientific path.

During one of his early campaigns for old-growth ecosystems, Friedman showed his tenacity and willingness to take risks for what he cared about. He toured the country with a logged, old-growth tree in the “Ancient Forest Rescue Expedition.” Embarking on the venture with musicians, a slide show, and no funds, Friedman visited 42 states and Washington, D.C., talking with people in small towns and larger cities, often in mall parking lots.

This inventiveness and dedication are still evident in his approach. In his radio interview with Gordon Black, Friedman said he works with NWEA to “resolve the tension between incrementalism and vision.” He explained that he’s tried to bridge the two, keeping an eye on the vision and gaining strength through each incremental victory—and those increments have included some pretty big moves forward.

In many of their activities and projects, ranging from legal and legislative work to land purchases and scientific studies, NWEA has created and participated in coalitions. NWEA often administers and fiscally manages these joint ventures involving other environmental organizations, government agencies, and timber companies. Staff members have even joined forces with groups in Canada addressing timber and wildlife issues. These partnerships help NWEA go much further in realizing the goal of protecting Northwest wildlands and wildlife.

The involvement in so many coalitions also sets up some challenges, especially when it comes to delineating NWEA’s specific accomplishments. They bend over backward not to claim too much but focus instead on what the coalitions are doing together. As a result, the public may not always realize how much NWEA is actually contributing.

Describing all of NWEA’s projects here would make for a very long article. Included below are some of the major campaigns and projects of local interest:

Saving the Loomis: This campaign, which received a great deal of media coverage, exemplified NWEA’s ability to change strategies quickly. In 1997, timber harvests threatened the Loomis State Forest, in areas with very few roads. NWEA and others filed lawsuits claiming violations against the Endangered Species and Clean Water Acts. The next year NWEA et al. settled with the courts. They agreed to drop the lawsuits in exchange for DNR protection of 25,000 acres of mostly roadless area if the groups could raise the money for timber rights.

In a little over a year, NWEA spearheaded the effort, known as the Loomis Forest Fund. They raised nearly $17 million, including a last minute scramble to find another several million when the DNR increased the assessment of the timber’s worth. When asked if he’d had any doubts about taking on a challenge this size, Friedman answered, “Who had time for doubts?”

The Cascades Conservation Partnership: In order to purchase 75,000 acres essential for wildlife corridors connecting Washington’s North and South Cascades, this partnership is attempting to raise $125,000,000. Private funds help leverage public monies for the project. NWEA administers and does the fiscal management for the group, made up of other environmental organizations, government agencies, and timber companies.

This coalition is buying some of the checkerboard lands from the timber companies, trying to connect Mt. Rainier National Park and Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Then The Cascades Conservation Partnership is transferring these parcels to the Forest Service to manage for conservation purposes. So far they’ve raised over $50 million, nearly a third from private donors. The three-year campaign for private funds will end in June. Already they’ve protected 19,780 acres.

Lake Whatcom: The Department of Natural Resources owns 48 percent of the Lake Whatcom watershed, and NWEA worked with others to help pass the Lake Whatcom Watershed Protection Bill in 2000. It’s aimed at safeguarding the drinking water and promoting public safety. In addition, NWEA has provided technical, scientific, and organizational support to local groups trying to protect the watershed.

Blanchard Mountain: In conjunction with the Department of Natural Resources, NWEA helped fund an economic study of environmental, social, and financial values of Blanchard Mountain. Located south of Larrabee State Park, the area attracts 46,000 visitors each year. On state Trust land administered by the DNR, Blanchard Mountain offers one of the few undeveloped swaths of land between Puget Sound and the foothills of the Cascades. It’s slated for logging over the next 20 years, and NWEA has joined with local groups to protect the integrity of the site. Recently, Lisa McShane wrote an op-ed piece for The Bellingham Herald, explaining the study and promoting Blanchard Mountain’s assets.

Northwest Old-Growth Campaign: Northwest Ecosystem Alliance administers this large campaign to save mature and old-growth forests in western Washington and Oregon. Twelve forest conservation organizations have formed this coalition, and NWEA provides assistance with policy development, strategy, and scientific advice. This group is particularly important in light of recent attacks on the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan and the destructive possibilities of the Bush Administra-tion’s so-called Healthy Forests Initiative—designed to promote logging under the guise of forest fire management. As a result, the Northwest Old-Growth Campaign has shifted into the defensive mode, working to safeguard the protections already in place.

Endangered Species Act Program: Much of NWEA’s work has focused on endangered species. The Loomis campaign was so important, in part, because it protected essential lynx habitat. Many of NWEA’s lawsuits have involved the Endangered Species Act. Recently, the organization has launched a major program with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to reintroduce the Pacific fisher, a member of the mink family (it looks like a cross between a mink and a bear). The whole ecosystem is like a house of cards, explains Hudson Dodd. Each species represents a card, and we don’t know which ones or how many hold the house in place. NWEA focuses on the individual “cards” in order to save the overall structure.

In a time when many hard-won protections of our forests and endangered species are coming under attack, Northwest Ecosystem Alliance provides a way to fight for wildlands and wildlife. “We offer a proven, effective conduit for people to take back their democracy,” says Hudson Dodd. “The suite (of methods and strategies) is set up to work in any climate.” And so is the passion to protect the Northwest ecosystem.

Note to Readers: For each profile of the region’s environmental organizations, I’ll highlight the approach, history, activities, and goals of the organization. The information comes from interviews with staff members and volunteers. In all cases, I hope readers will gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the hard work and accomplishments generated by the environmental groups. Rather than focus on themselves, these organizations prefer to save an ecosystem, protect the air and water, and educate others—so I’m happy to promote them and celebrate their contributions.§