Conservation Northwest

Inside Conservation Northwest Join our Wildland partners Julia Spencer Membership associate, julia@conservationnw.org In a keystone role Joining our Wildland Partners monthly donor program this year is Karen Povey. She has worked in wildlife conservation for more than 25 years, currently for the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, focused on research and conserKaren Povey with a clouded vation of the clouded leopard (cloudedleopard.org). leopard. Seth Bynum Karen illustrates the high caliber of our members and their involvement, not only in our critical work for wildlife but in other important causes working toward a common vision for a wilder world. According to Karen, "Having seen the impact of rampant development fragmenting and eliminating habitat in the tropics, I've become even more aware of the urgent need to protect wildlife corridors vital to the survival of carnivores in my own backyard in the Pacific Northwest." She notes that the conservation of clouded leopards has many parallels to the carnivore conservation work of Conservation Northwest. Similar to wolves, wolverines, lynx, and fishers, clouded leopards rely on large tracts of contiguous forest habitat to maintain viable wild populations. "I'm proud to support Conservation Northwest in their efforts." she said, "not only to preserve habitat but also to serve as advocates for wildlife, advancing awareness of the role of predators in a healthy ecosystem. I'm optimistic that our shared commitment to this goal will benefit species here in Washington as well as those half-a-world-away in the Asian tropics, ensuring that these amazing animals not only persist, but thrive, in the future." Staff changes Partner with us Wildland Partners keep the Northwest wild. Please join today! Your membership is automatically renewed; gifts show up conveniently on your monthly statements; and we send a year-end tax receipt for your total charitable gifts. Visit conservationnw.org/donate or contact Julia at 800.878.9950 x10, julia@conservationnw.org. Payments are automatically withdrawn from your credit card—or from your checking account (called EFT) for the best return on your investment. Jodi Broughton Business and development director, jodi@conservationnw.org Happy trails to Seth Cool We wish a fond farewell to Seth Cool, who left us in June to move to Spokane with his wife Marissa and their two children. Coming to us fresh out of Huxley College with an environmental science degree in 2000, we could never have imagined all the projects that Seth would eventually take on during his long and colorful tenure with Conservation Northwest. He started as executive assistant to Mitch Friedman then quickly moved on to tackle complex issues such as grazing and local hydropower dam proposals. In 2004, he traveled to Georgia and Florida to participate in the Ancient Forest Roadshow. Seth showed strong leadership in administering the Washington Invasive Species Coalition where he helped create the statewide Washington Invasive Species Council. He also coauthored the popular booklet, "Garden Wise: Non-invasive species for your garden." Keeping the Northwest wild The Cool family: Seth, Marissa, Isadora, and Benicio. Jodi Rosati Seth was a leader on the Whatcom Legacy Project and efforts to protect Blanchard Mountain and became a point person for state wildlife issues such as grazing and hound-hunting, and on wildlife from cougar to mountain goats. Most recently he worked on the Lake Whatcom Community Forest Preserve and was our "go to guy" for the 2011 state legislative session. Whew! Seth supplemented his professional work by engaging in local politics and Lake Whatcom issues. We'll miss Seth's keen wit and outspoken yet easy-going nature; his dog and sidekick, Buddy; and the whole Cool family. We wish them all the best of luck in future endeavors. Fall 2011 21

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