Conservation Northwest protects and connects old-growth forests and other wild areas from the Washington Coast to the British Columbia Rockies, vital to a healthy future for us, our children, and wildlife. Since 1989, Conservation Northwest has worke
Issue link: http://conservationnw.uberflip.com/i/712956
Inside Conservation Northwest Our new board member Bert Loosmore brings an impressive resume, skillset and admirable passion to Con- ser vation Northwest (CNW ). Bert is a native of Bellevue whose entrepre- neurial and board experience as well as his Ph.D. in Quantitative Ecolog y and Resource Management from the Uni- versity of Washing ton promise to be valuable additions to our organization's governance and strategic planning. He's interested in using this quantitative background to support our work pro- tecting , connecting and restoring wild- lands for people and wildlife. We are excited about the skillset and passion Bert brings to the table and are confident he will seize every opportuni- ty and contribute greatly over the years ahead. Recently, I had the chance to ask Bert a few questions about what drew him to our work. making it count for the wildlands WELCOME, BERT LOOSMORE Little Annapurna Peak in the Enchantments, one of Bert Loosmore's favorite backpacking destinations. Photo: Chase Gunnell When did you first become interested in conservation? Although I've been involved in envi- ronmental issues for a number of years, I recently participated in Social Ven- ture Partner's Northwest Conservation Fellowship program, which helped me better define my passions and spurred me to action. Personally, I believe that nature has an intrinsic value and we as humans should respect that. Protect- ing the natural world is about restraint. at said, I value other opinions and ap- preciate the pragmatic approach to con- servation that CNW pursues. Making sure that we preserve and connect large open spaces is critical for multiple rea- sons. Not only can our region's forests act as a carbon sink, but also we need to conserve the fauna and flora within our natural ecosystems for the enjoyment of future generations as well as for their own right. What are your favorite ways to engage with the natural world? If I have to choose one, it's back- packing, whether on Mount Rainier, in the Enchantments or in the Pasayten Wilderness or other places that are just so awe inspiring! My kids, ages eight and ten, are finally getting to the point where I can take them with me. I'm looking forward to sharing my love of backpacking and wilderness with them. As a family, we also do a lot of downhill skiing and spend time at our cabin in Greenwater. What made you decide to invest your time and energy in CNW versus other options? I was initially drawn to CNW be- cause of its work in forest protection is- sues. e more I learn about the breadth of work the organization does, the more excited I get about it. CNW is a well-run organization and it has some ambitious goals. I started doing some volunteer work with CNW around forestry issues, and found I really admired the people there. I think it's pretty amazing how much they accomplish given the orga- nization's size. I truly believe in the mis- sion of CNW and I'm looking forward to doing anything I can do to help. I've previously served on other non-profit boards, appointed government boards and even the board of a public company, and so I'm confident this experience will come in handy. Meet our Board Paul Bannick Major Gifts Director, paul@conservationnw.org Recently, George Smith completed his term as a board member and Trea- surer for Conservation Northwest. A founder and partner of Smith & Zuc- carini, P.S., George and his team of business and estate planning attor- neys represent individuals and closely held businesses throughout the Pacific Thank you to longtime board member George Smith Northwest. Active engagement with Conservation Northwest has been an extension of George's life-long fascina- tion with wildlife, hiking, climbing and wilderness. Although he's moving on to new adventures, we're confident he'll continue to honor us with his conta- gious wit and love for everything wild. Thank you, George, for ably oversee- ing Conservation Northwest's finances and your many contributions to fur- thering our work for a wild Northwest! –William Donnelly, Conservation North- west Board President Bert Loosmore 14 Summer 2016 conservationnw.org