By Lorraine Wilde
Local non-profit RE Sources for Sustainable Communities is recognizing five local environmentally-focused citizens, leaders, and visionaries that support the organization’s mission to promote sustainable communities and protect the health of northwest Washington residents and ecosystems through science, education, advocacy and action.
RE Sources first began recognizing environmental heroes in 2003 when then Executive Director Carl Weimer — now a Whatcom County Council member —spearheaded the first event with Andy Wickstrand. Ben of ice cream giant Ben and Jerry’s was the keynote speaker.
“We want to honor people who are paving the way through science, education, business and action in support of sustainable communities and ecosystems,” says RE Sources Director of Communications, Peter Frazier. “We solicit nominations from the public of individuals, groups and businesses with an extraordinary commitment to environmental stewardship.” Nominees are evaluated and chosen by a community panel that includes RE Sources staff and board members and community volunteers.
“This year is interesting because the honorees are all people who have worked behind the scenes, attending to the daily grind and the thankless tasks. They aren’t getting attention, yet they are the ones doing the real work that progress really comes from,” says Frazier. “These are the people that, when we look back 20 years from now, we will thank for our vibrant ecosystems and incredible community.”
Nominations were solicited in July and this year’s heroes were announced on August 11. Honorees included Whatcom Land Trust Board Member and artist, Chris Moench; Futurewise Whatcom Founder and Planning advocate, Eric Hirst; Recycling and Disposal Services (RDS) Founder and Owner, Larry McCarter; Gardening Green Educator, Susan Taylor; and Citizen Scientists leader, Pete Haase.
The nomination was a nice surprise for retired Skagit County resident, Pete Haase. He has been volunteering with several organizations throughout Skagit and Whatcom Counties since he moved to the mainland from Guemes Island about 12 years ago.
Although he doesn’t exactly know who nominated him, Haase is being recognized for his many years as an unpaid trainer and manager of teams of citizen scientists. “These trained volunteers — with guidance, support, and help from professional scientists — make observations, write things down, and go out in the field to collect data that someone needs for some scientific purpose,” explains Haase. “Volunteers want the results to be useful to somebody to fix something, understand something better, answer a question, or maybe even pose new questions.”
Haase’s pre-retirement work as a manager in a computing department as well as his education and experience as a teacher provided him the skills necessary to be such a competent and affable leader. Haase has been active with RE Sources Clean Water and North Sound Bay Keeper programs, the Coastal Volunteer Partnership, his local land trust, and a number of other groups over the years.
“Whenever an activity requires more than a couple of volunteers, someone needs to find out what the job is, what equipment, people, and training are needed, and when do we need them,” explains Haase. “That’s usually what I get asked to do,” he says. “I am outspoken about the need to clean up Puget Sound and how some spending public money needs to do it more wisely. I guess I’m known for that as well, in a nice way.”
There’s high demand for Haase’s time because word has spread of his reputation and experience. He leads beach monitoring in the spring and summer during the day when tides are low and he also tackles restoration plantings, informational tabling, and counts returning and spawning salmon in streams in the fall and winter. “When the tide is out everywhere or a lot of salmon run at about the same time, the professional scientists can’t put enough boots on the ground,” he says. “Many of these types of projects are time sensitive and happen outside of work hours. That’s where the volunteers really help,” explains Haase. “The data we collect helps with decisions. It will tell how the runs are returning, how that compares to the estimates, and what to expect after these eggs hatch and the salmon return in four years.”
The work of Haase and the volunteers he wrangles is deeply appreciated by the agencies and programs they serve because funding can be tight for environmental projects. “Our work only costs the programs a few snacks and maybe a thank you luncheon once a year,” he says. “That’s all we need to be a bunch of happy campers.” Haase also enjoys the camaraderie of the other volunteers. “You get to know a lot of people through this work and many of them are my good friends.”
But Haase is humbled by the attention he’s receiving. “I’m honored and appreciate the nomination, but there are hundreds of heroes like myself in this area,” he notes. “I couldn’t be recognized without the help and hard work of the other people out there beside me. I see it as an honor that reflects on all volunteers —through bad weather, day or night. It feels good that RE Sources is recognizing the value of volunteers in addition to founders and heads of organizations.”
Each of RE Sources extraordinary environmental heroes will be recognized at an awards banquet at Lairmont Manor on September 10. Lummi Indian Business Council Officer, Jay Julius, a local fisherman, crabber and opponent of the proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point, will be the event’s keynote speaker.
For more information about RE Sources, visit the non-profit’s website, call 360-733-8307, or stop by its Bellingham location at 2309 Merdian Street.
