Cover Story
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
Cover Story
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
Beaks and Bills
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
Beaks and Bills
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
Watching Government
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
Watching Government
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
Watching Government
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
Community Service Providers
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
Conservation
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
Conservation
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
Conservation District Election
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
Election Results
Election Results page 9 Election Results page 10 Election Results page 11 Election Results page 12
Fossil Fuels
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
Journalism
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
