15 years of Northwest Ecosystem Alliance
For more on the collaborative effort
spearheaded by Northwest Ecosystem
Alliance, visit www.ecosystem.org/
nationalforests/collaboration
"Indeed," I was confiding to the reporter, "the collaborative group has all
agreed that old growth is off the table."
Meanwhile, Red was stacking the foot-thick bark chunks into the classic tepee
formation, and paused only to ask me if I had a lighter. Someone found one, and
within minutes, our peaceful old-growth picnic had a bonafide, roaring, oldgrowth-bark bonfire. As Red sat down contentedly, I had to laugh at the nervous
glances the reporter kept throwing at that fire, and Red's declaration that "mother
nature would put that fire out," we didn't need to. But the true joy of working in
collaboration with diverse interests is that every outing is an adventure, a step
towards solidarity and another stitch to heal the wound caused by past decades of
refusing to sit down and talk with one another.
Keeping NWEA a Healthy Population
Pat Roberts, NWEA's accountant, worked for many years at Whatcom County Big
Brothers, Big Sisters. She lives along Lake Samish with her husband, Mike.
Pine martin, closely associated with mature and
old-growth forest. Washington Department of
Fish and Wildlife
22
"Where did the money go?" It's the question I answer most in my position as
accountant for Northwest Ecosystem Alliance. The emotional context depends
upon who's asking: the IRS, our donors, the board of directors or, from across the
hall, the executive director, Mitch Friedman.
"Where did the money come from?" is another. The most crucial question
(substitute the word "stressful," if I have to be the one to ask it) is "Where is the
money coming from?"
I fully admit to practicing defensive accounting. (Some staff here might call it
"offensive" when I let loose with a barrage of reports!) In my 25 years as an
accountant I've had to watch too many worthy organizations disappear from the
scene; nonprofits in general lead a precarious life.
Northwest Ecosystem Alliance is a wild and beautiful animal. It's my job to
monitor the status of this critter. I am happiest when I can report that we have a
stable population, and significantly less so if I have to announce that our numbers
(in the literal sense of the word) are declining. My mission is to ensure we don't
become a listed species—or, worse yet, that we aren't added to the growing number
of nonprofits that have become extinct.
The money, of course, comes from the generosity of our donors. Thank you!
We couldn't exist without you. Another part of what I do is to make sure that
we've spent it on what you've directed us to. We don't "make free" with your
money. Money is our most limited resource; and I guard it closely.
Northwest Ecosystem Alliance
www.ecosystem.org
