By Kelly Sanderbeck, Donor Engagement Manager
I’m going to guess I’m not the only one who’s glad to feel this year rushing by. But, even with the many changes happening in our world, the Fund’s fiscal year end still comes around on September 30th (we align it with the Federal Government/National Park Service fiscal year for consistency). One of the things we always look forward to is our annual ‘tradition’ of giving you one last chance to support a favorite project at the parks before we close the books for the year.
A quick tutorial, in case you aren’t familiar with how WNPF partners with the parks. Each year, the superintendents work with their senior staff to decide which projects they’d like funded for the next year. They give us a description of each project, rank it and we create a Park Projects booklet to show donors, and raise as much as we can throughout the year. The vast majority of gifts to the Fund — nearly half of our budget — come from individuals just like you, and can be designated to Mount Rainier, North Cascades or Olympic National Park specifically; OR you can choose one of our 4 core areas: Science & Research, Youth & Family, Volunteers & Stewardship, or Visitor Experiences.
At the end of each fiscal year, we add up all the project ‘buckets’ to see where we are. Historically, we have been able to fund the top 8 projects for each park every year, so that gives us a baseline. Many of you are part of the Over the Top Society, started a few years ago to create a pool of unrestricted funds to take projects up and ‘over the top’ for full funding. With 90 individuals and families donating $1,200 or more each year, that gives us over $100,000 to be flexible with. Here are a few projects that still need funding before September 30th:
Mount Rainier
Volunteer Program and Meadow Rovers – Projects #1 and #2: $90,000 goal; $64,000 to go!
From trail crews to citizen scientists to backcountry rangers, there is a panoply of volunteer opportunities each year at Mount Rainier. In 2019, 2,420 volunteers contributed 70,000 hours of service worth $1.7 million. That’s a substantial return on investment! The 200 volunteer Meadow Rovers alone donated 9,000 hours and made 200,000 public contacts. These are ongoing programs that we fund year after year.
Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration – Project #7: 25,000 goal; $12,000 to go!
In order to conserve native fish populations, staff and volunteers work together to implement a variety of different strategies. These efforts include the removal of non-native fish, measuring non-native fish population densities, and amphibian surveys that monitor the different amphibian species and relative abundance in lakes. Funding provides trained staff to oversee volunteers and lead these efforts.
North Cascades
ParkMedic Training – Project #1: $25,000 goal; $22,000 to go!
Year after year, as visitation increases, rangers are responding to more and more serious life-threatening incidents in areas all over the park. Because of the growing need to provide high quality care quickly, the park developed an Advanced Life Support (ALS) program to help park visitors and employees during their time of need. These rangers are able to respond in remote areas and provide life-saving care. Because of the initial success, the park is now seeking funds to send 3 more park rangers to the National Park Service’s ParkMedic Training.
Food Sustainability & Native Plant Education – Project #3: $83,000 goal; $11,000 to go!
This new program will provide outdoor experiences, native plant education and food sustainability, while inspiring a sense of gratitude for what we have in our abundant Northwest. In partnership with the Lummi Nation School, Sauk-Suiattle Tribe and Darrington School District — and 2,000 to 3,000 volunteer hours – the park will build greenhouses, grow native plants and sustainable food, join in education programs and produce signs for the ethnobotanical garden at the Newhalem Visitor Center.
Olympic
Tracking Disappearing Glaciers – Project #3: $15,000 goal; $15,000 to go!
Olympic scientists are transported via helicopter to remote sites to measure snow depth and density, and place ablation stakes to determine the snow and ice melt or accumulation that year. This continuing research amasses data over the years to determine snow mass balance and better understand why Olympic glaciers are declining more than in other local mountain ranges.
Wilderness Volunteer Program – Project #8: $18,000 goal; $17,000 to go!
The Wilderness and Emergency Services Branch will recruit, train and manage 5 new full-time seasonal interns and 5-10 new part-time volunteers, in addition to the 8 existing volunteers. Funding will equip these volunteers and interns with the necessary backcountry gear — including tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, water filters, stoves, first aid kits and backpacks. Additionally, all field operating volunteers and interns will be provided with synthetic volunteer uniforms.
A new tradition we’re starting this year, and hope to continue, is our 3 Cheers for the Parks! where you can join us to see the results of all this work and celebrate our end-of-year successes. This year it will be virtual, of course, but here’s looking to the future when we can gather together again. Register now at the link below!
On Wednesday, September 30th, at 5:00 PM, celebrate Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks with us to give “3 Cheers for the Parks!”
Dress up or dress down. Toast with your favorite drink! We’ll hear about funded park projects and honor the Carolyn Dobbs Scholarship recipients — rangers from all three parks who were nominated for their work in science and research. And we’ll share stories and memories with supporters and friends who appreciate our national parks as much as you do.