A daily schedule with family-friendly activities to panel discussions to a photo contest underscores the vital role water plays in Whatcom County and the lives of the community.
Nearly 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water. All humans are connected to and rely on water in their daily lives. In Whatcom County, water will be celebrated this month.
From Sept. 14 to 22, Whatcom Water Week will be in full swing with events every day, ranging from kid- and family-friendly story walks or field days to tours of various facilities such as wastewater treatment plants and estuaries.
Among them will be Protecting Whatcom Waterways: Community Stewardship, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at Transition Outpost located at 5090 Samish Way just south of Bellingham. A panel of members from four organizations will discuss water, its role in Whatcom County and what the community can do to help protect local water.
The panel will include the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, Whatcom Marine Resources Committee, Whatcom Conservation District and event organizer, the Whatcom Land Trust in partnership with Transition Outpost. The event seeks to educate and inform the public so that more people know how to help contribute to the efforts these organizations are making to preserve Whatcom water.
“The goal is to at least provide the big picture kind of overview of what a lot of these organizations are doing in relation to water and then also how the community can get involved and why they should care,” said Jennifer Mackey, stewardship director at Whatcom Land Trust.
During the panel, there will be time for questions of each of the organizations and time for community members to talk with one another. Free food and beverages will be provided with alcoholic beverages available for purchase.
The hope for the panel discussion is to educate all parts of the community. According to Mackey, water feeds into every facet of life, but it takes everyone to care about it to preserve special places for the future.
“There’s something for everybody to get involved,” Mackey said. “I think that’s worth showing, those different models and those different ways you can be involved as a member of the community.”
Panel discussions may include water quality, habitat in Whatcom County or how people can help keep Whatcom waterways clean.
“Water really filters into every aspect of life,” Mackey said.
Entries are being accepted for an annual photo contest through Sept. 30 — for inspiration, check out last year’s dazzling winning entries below.
— By Margaret Baumgartner
