Winter, 2009

Spring 2010

President’s Run The Best Laid Plans…

… The water was perfect, 3 feet of visibility, milky blue green; the day was perfect, intermittent cloud cover, no chance of rain and the freezing level down by the very apparent snowline on the surrounding hill sides. It was just the kind of conditions that give you that flutter of great expectations and confidence in the winter steelhead world that today will be the day. The National Park was lonely as the raft lifted to freedom with only the distant clatter of a king- fisher, the dipping of a water ouzel and the morn- ing’s sun rays reflecting off the dew covered moss and penetrating through the Sitka spruce, which stood like guardians along the river bank. It was the perfect day to introduce someone who does not angle to the world of wild steelhead and build a connection of not how but why?

Later as the current slipped us down to the

next likely steelhead run a herd of Roosevelt Elk, sensing our presence in their world, stood in regal composure amongst the log strewn flood plain. “Lynda”…, I began to explain as Jim pulled on the oars to right the raft after the encounter, “the prob- lem for steelhead is that it’s hard for the general pub- lic to appreciate or have a connection with them.” “Only anglers typically really appreciate what they are since they are hidden by the river, out of view of the natural world, we are the only ones who see and feel them.” “If only the public understood what makes them special through our eyes, maybe they would find a little more support.” Lynda Mapes, the Seattle Times environmental writer who joined us on the river that day, soaked up each moment and the many upon many conservation messages shared and experienced first hand with her on the river that day. Lynda got the message along with much in-

formation and contacts we shared with her over the last year regarding the plight of a Washington state symbol - the steelhead trout. Many of us hope Lynda’s piece in the Seattle Times the “Lure of Steelhead” connected with others, like herself, who do not angle for steelhead and now has an immense appreciation of why wild steelhead. It is obvious that many of us are frustrated not getting the right conservation story told and in front of the many deci- sion makers who need to hear it. But I am assured that the stories wild steelhead need will come and personally look forward to future pieces providing visibility of the current plight of wild steelhead. Thanks to Lynda for putting wild steelhead on the front page of a major newspaper and stirring the in- terest to understand why? In this issue of The Adipose there are a num-

ber of items I hope you will pay attention to. Again we want to take this opportunity to share and com- municate with you the WSC Focus for 2010. We dis- tributed this item in an email earlier this year, but want to include it as printed in the Adipose. This was developed by the board of directors earlier this year to help guide our work and priorities for the organi- zation. The focus is broken down into four quad- rants: The Organization, which includes developing the organization to be more viable. The Engagement/ Fundraising quadrant focuses on efforts to bring sup- port and funding for organization and our work for wild steelhead. The Communication/Education sec- tion centers on providing information regarding the organization and our mission. And finally the Fish quadrant provides the work focused directly towards the fish. Hopefully this provides clarity for our sup- porter of the work in the organization and how it ties together in our mission towards wild steelhead. We also hope you paid attention to the

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