January 2022 (volume 31, issue 1)

Glacial Losses During a Year of Extremes

Field notes from the North Cascades Glacier Climate Project  by Sally Vaux If you spent time in the Pacific Northwest this past summer, you probably noticed Mount Baker looked vastly different from its typical snow-capped state. Instead of a bright … Continue reading

Alluvial Farms: Local Conservation Farming

by Lorraine Wilde and Aneka Sweeney It takes a village to build a farm and keep it viable long term. With 32 years of combined farming experience, Katie Pencke and Matthew McDermott founded Alluvial Farms in 2016. (1) “We spent … Continue reading

Whatcom County Winter

Waterfowl, Shorebirds, and Raptors by Joe Meche As we enter yet another new year, it’s more obvious every day that we’re in the thick of winter weather and the birds we associate with the colder months. I’m quite possibly under the … Continue reading

Bird Names Revisited

by Joe Meche As I approach the 20-year mark of writing for Whatcom Watch and Beaks and Bills, I have occasion to look back at some of the titles, possibly for inspiration or just out of curiosity. Sometimes I see … Continue reading

Whatcom County Council

Compiled by Barry MacHale Action Taken at November 9, 2021 Meeting Shall the council: 262. Authorize the executive to sign a 9,275 contract with Road2Home of Bellingham? The county opened a Covid-19 temporary housing facility in March 2020 in response … Continue reading

Bellingham City Council

Action Taken at November 8, 2021 Meeting Mayor’s Report Blake Lyon has been hired as the city’s new planning director, his employment will begin on 3/1/2022. He has 20 years of experience in local government; he is currently the director … Continue reading

Port of Bellingham Commission

Compiled by Bill McCallum Action Taken at November 2, 2021 Meeting Shall the commission: 118. Authorize the executive director to sign a three-year agreement with the city of Bellingham, Whatcom County, the Port of Bellingham to contract with WWU’s Small … Continue reading

Enabling All Young People to Reach Their Full Potential

  Editor’s Note: There are over 100 organizations in Whatcom County working to provide supportive services to those experiencing chronic poverty and its associated effects: ad- diction, homelessness, incarceration, mental illness, and unemployment. Whatcom Watch believes these organizations often labor … Continue reading

Forest Service Approves Nooksack Logging

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of The Wild Cascades; published by the North Cascades Conservation Council. The council was formed in 1957, “To protect and preserve the North Cascades scenic, scientific, recreational, educational and … Continue reading

Wild Cascades’ Article Off the Mark

Editor’s Note: Conservation Northwest and RE Sources are criticized in the January 2022 Whatcom Watch article, “Forest Service Approves Nooksack Logging.” This article is a response from Conservation Northwest to that criticism. RE Sources felt the response from Conservation Northwest was … Continue reading

Whatcom Conservation District Candidate Deadline

The Whatcom Conservation District is governed by a board of five supervisors, who are all local residents with a mission to assist land managers with their conservation choices. Formed in 1946, the district serves all of Whatcom County and is … Continue reading

General Election Results—2021

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Danger: Marine Vessels That Serve Refineries

Every transportation method carries the risk of environmentally catastrophic oil spills. by Eric de Place and Zane Gustafson Northwest refineries receive crude oil — the raw material they use to manufacture consumer fuels — via three modes of transportation: pipeline, … Continue reading

Soliciting Articles for Publication

by Sally Hewitt As the editor of Whatcom Watch, I’m constantly on the lookout for new writers and often solicit articles for publication. This month, we’re putting out the call for writers. Whatcom Watch has no reporters per se and … Continue reading

Political Committees — 2021

Political Committees