Remembering Whatcom Watch Writer Albert J. Hanners

Al Hanners, well-known local environmentalist, passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2013, at age 96. Al was a prolific writer for the Whatcom Watch, which published 99 articles and 29 letters written between 1992 and 2010, mostly on the subjects of mercury; the environment and its waterways; energy; hiking; gardening, and birds. Many of the articles can be found on the Whatcom Watch web site, www.whatcomwatch.org, which began with the January 1998 issue. Articles published before the paper had a web site can be found at the Bellingham Public Library and at Western Washington University’s Wilson Library.

Al Hanners received the “Watcher of the Year” award from Whatcom Watch in 2002, and was the recipient of the 2008 “Environmental Hero Lifetime Achievement Award” from RE Sources for Sustainable Communities, for his work to preserve native plants through the Washington Native Plant Society, as well as his many years of citizen activism on the cleanup of Bellingham Bay, the health of the watershed and his continued voice as a writer.

Al spent approximately 10 years working on yard sign campaigns for local candidates. He started in 1987 with the first Louise Bjornson campaign for Bellingham City Council. He put almost 2,500 miles on his truck during that campaign. He worked a number of times on Bjornson reelection campaigns, also on Joy Kennan, Sandra Francher Garcia and Barbara Ryan campaigns.

He self-published nine books, three of which can be found in the public library: “Northwest Beginning Birding: How to Start, Where to Go,” with drawings by Sally Hewitt and Lois Garlick; “Point Whitehorn, Whatcom County, Washington,” written with Marie Hitchman; and his memoir, “Albert J. Hanners, Child of the Great Depression,” edited by Ellen Murphy, with layout by Bill McCallum. The other six are on the subjects of willows; canoeing; landscaping for birds; winter trees and shrubs, and sedges (“Quick Look Keys N/W Washington Carex: Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish Counties West of the Cascade Crest,”) with Vicky Jackson. He also wrote articles for the Washington Native Plant society and the North Cascades Audubon Society publications.

Al will be very much missed by Whatcom Watch.