north cascades institute 2009 annual report

The mission of North Cascades Institute is to conserve and restore Northwest environments through education. Thanks to the support of donors, partners and our participants, we are making important progress. Here are highlights of recent accomplishments, challenges and new strategies for the future.

C H A N G E • C O M M U N I T I E S • C H I L D R E N • C L I M AT E • C O N S E R V AT I O N • C H A L L E N G E

2009 ANNUAL REPORT

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a n n u a l r e p o r t 09 N O R T H C A S C A D E S

I N S T I T U T E

A YEAR OF PAYING ATTENTION

Larry Beutler: You’ve been executive director of North Cascades Institute since co-founding it in 1986. What changes have you seen in environmental education? Saul Weisberg: I’ve seen a big increase in the extent and rigor with which it’s pursued. Outdoor education, adventure programs and conservation education have blended and cross-pollinated each other. Now we see meaningful discussion of issues of social and economic justice, worker’s rights and sustainability–envi-ronmental education is a powerful force in bringing educators, environmentalists and the business community together.

LB: How has the North Cascades Institute adapted to those changes? SW: We pay attention to the world as it changes around us. We listen to the scientists, watch trends in public land management, learn from discussions by writers and bloggers. What do we need to pay attention to now so we’ll be better prepared to serve tomorrow?

LB: How did the economic recession of the past couple of years affect the Institute?SW: Early in 2009, public schools were really worried about funding and we had a number of schools pull out of spring pro-grams. Our leadership team met weekly, looking at trends, refocusing priorities and keeping close watch on our budget. We didn’t fill a couple of positions and had to pull back in some other areas to focus on youth programs. And, we had a two-week unpaid furlough for all staff. The result of all this was that we ended the year strong-ly–in the black, with several new initiatives successfully launched, and with a stronger

staff and programs than when we began.

LB: Tell me about some of those new initiatives. What are people excited about these days? SW: Our new summer programs for high school students are some of the most exciting and rewarding work we’ve ever done. For example, last summer we brought 20 kids from around the U.S. to the North Cascades to study climate change. Then they went home to do field projects with their local schools. We took them to Washington, D.C. for a week to meet government officials and share what they learned. It was very, very pow-erful. This year, we’ve expanded the pro-gram to include more kids, but all from Washington and Oregon. Working closer to home will reduce the carbon footprint of the program and allow us to stay in touch with our students over time, too.

LB: Are you seeing evidence of climate change in the North Cascades?SW: The North Cascades have more gla-ciers than any area in the U.S. outside of Alaska and they are dramatically shrink-ing. Mountains that I climbed 30 years ago now show rock where there used to be ice. We’ve developed programs to focus attention on the challenge of cli-mate change, and how human communi-ties will need to adapt.

LB: What do you think the future holds for non-formal education programs like yours?SW: A recent editorial in Nature pointed out that much of what people know about science is learned informally through time spent in the field, at nature centers, muse-ums, zoos and aquaria. It goes on to say

that education policy-makers should take note. People learn best through deep, inti-mate experiences in nature. That’s exactly how we teach.

LB: What gives you the most pleasure in your role as executive director?SW: Working with people. Making a dif-ference. Seeing people get turned on by something they learn at one of our pro-grams. Bringing in a big grant. Getting a clean audit. Hanging out at the Learning Center at Diablo Lake on a spring evening with a glass of wine, watching peregrine falcons soaring along the cliffs.

LB: Who are your environmental heroes?SW: Everyone who is looking at birds and bugs and flowers, teaching kids, and chal-lenging themselves and each other to get busy and save the world. We’ve all got to pull together.

LB: Are you optimistic about the future?SW: I’m not optimistic, but I am hope-ful. I believe that we can change the world, save the world. There’s a quote by E.B. White that I really like. “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” I think most of us understand what he was talking about. In my mind, a good day is when we can do both–savor the world and save it, too. I like to think that’s our job.

Copyright 2010 Clearing Magazine: http://www.clearingmagazine.org

Executive director Saul Weisberg was interviewed recently by Clearing Magazine editor Larry Beutler. Here is an excerpt from that conversation, an apt reflection on the Institute’s values and its accomplishments during the past year.

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Our mission: conservation through education

North Cascades Institute seeks to inspire a closer

relationship with nature through direct experiences in

the natural world. Our mission is to conserve and restore

Northwest environments through education. Since 1986

we have helped connect people, nature and community

through science, art, literature and the hands-on study

of natural and cultural history. Our goal is to help people

of all ages experience and enjoy the mountains, rivers,

forests, people and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest–so

all will care for and protect this special place.

North Cascades Institute is committed to

innovation and excellence in environmental learning

and leadership within the nonprofit community. We

believe sustainable communities are built on healthy

environments, vibrant economies and social equity.

Toward that end, five key themes drive our programs:• We teach where natural and cultural history, science,

humanities and the arts converge

• We believe human history is integral to the history of

landscapes and wild lands

• We encourage exploration, reflection and stewardship

in the out of doors

• We inspire respect among individuals and the broader

community of life

• We value public lands for education, recreation and

reflection

We offer a broad variety of programs for all ages• School programs and summer adventures for

underserved youth

• Natural and cultural history retreats and field

excursions for adults

• Graduate degree in environmental education and

nonprofit leadership

• Group rentals, conferences and retreats at the

Learning Center

• Family getaway weekends at the

Learning Center

• Professional development for teachers

• Volunteer stewardship programs

• North Cascades Environmental Learning Center is

located on Diablo Lake in the heart of the North

Cascades. The result of a partnership with the National

Park Service and the City of Seattle, the Learning

Center is surrounded by millions of acres of protected

public lands—a hub of discovery in one of the wildest,

most biologically diverse landscapes in North America.

People of all ages come to learn and explore via

innovative programs that inspire and enrich their lives.

This remarkable experience is the result of a partnership between North Cascades Institute and North Cascades National Park. Small groups of young men and women venture onto Ross Lake via canoe to refurbish trails and campsites while gaining an understand-ing of the natural and cultural history of the area from Institute naturalists. For 12 days they work, explore and camp on Ross Lake, surrounded by forested slopes and towering peaks, with nary an electric outlet nor a road in sight.

On a warm day last summer, I board-ed the Ross Mule, a stout working barge that provisions the camp sites and other national park operations. Its captain, Gerry Cook, is a key supporter of North Cascades Wild. Along with a number of Institute board members and donors, we set off to visit the group.

A few hours later, the Mule was nes-tled into a quiet fern- and tree- lined fjord along the shoreline of Ross Lake. Nine young people stood before us and shared their experiences on Ross Lake, as well as stories about their homes, families and communities.

One described in stark detail the perva-sive violence of his urban high school and how unsafe he felt most of the time. One spoke of the social bullying experienced daily, another of a scary home life. Nearly all expressed that they felt physically or psychologically vulnerable in daily life.

I could hardly breathe with surprise at this emotional openness. I have a

teenager and, trust me, most of them do not divulge such feelings, much less to a group of adults they’d just met. Each of these kids spoke to the joy of being in the wilderness and of feeling like they could be themselves for the first time, without posturing. One described in hilarious detail his amazement at the challenges of backcountry toilets, or lack of them. They exuded wonderment, curi-osity and a sense of inner strength they had not known they possessed. They spoke of being “transformed.”

Personal transformation: that’s the gold standard in our nonprofit work, often exceeding what we can hope for in our programs.

We said goodbye to the teens with a new understanding of the challenges they face and the ways in which this program will help them to grow and expand. As a board member, I was reminded why we invest our time, our passion and our money helping North Cascades Institute do its work. It is for this: to touch lives, to bring people to the North Cascades and to be there for them when their moment of transformation occurs.

These nine young people, having just spent 12 days in the backcountry, had clearly learned that not only were they wel-come in this glorious place, but that they also owned it. They knew in their hearts it was theirs to love, enjoy and care for.

By Jeanne Muir, Chair, North Cascades Institute Board of Directors

Imagine nine teenagers—many from difficult school and home situations and virtually none of them having been in the backcountry before —floating aboard a boat on the sparkling

waters of Ross Lake in the North Cascades. As summer participants in the North Cascades Wild program, they appear untethered from all that was familiar.


I N S T I T U T E

A GLORIOUS PLACE

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Connecting a new generation to nature


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Mountain School: “Thank you for making the North Cascades such a great place! I learned a lot when I was there! -Wilson (5th Grade, Bellingham)

Mountain School is a nationally recognized environ-

mental education program offered by North Cascades

Institute in cooperation with North Cascades National

Park. Since its inception in 1989, it has introduced more

than 15,000 young people to this ecosystem through

science, art and observation. During 2009, schools

from 10 western Washington school districts attended

Mountain School at North Cascades Environmental

Learning Center including Bellingham, Mount Vernon,

Anacortes, Tukwila, Highline, Clover Park, La Conner,

Pateros, Oak Harbor and Seattle.

The multi-disciplinary Mountain School curriculum

is aligned with Washington State’s essential learning

requirements and includes pre- and post-visit support

for teachers. In addition to learning about the environ-

ment, students develop a sense of respect for one

another and their surrounding environment as they live

and work together. Of the total $300 per student, public

schools pay less than half of the cost. The remaining

tuition is financed by Institute fundraising.

More than 1,400 young people and 314 adults

attended Mountain School in 2009, participating in

approximately 5,370 days of environmental education.

Mountain School partners include North

Cascades National Park, Seattle City Light and Skagit

Environmental Endowment Commission.

learn about Mountain School at www.ncascades.org/multimedia/mountain_school/index.html and view a brief, excellent video

YOUTH PROGRAMS

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North Cascades Wild: Introducing underserved Northwest youth to conservation and the outdoors

This summer expedition for underserved high

school students combines wilderness adven-

ture with learning, stewardship and personal

development. In 2009, 47 teenagers ventured

onto spectacular and remote Ross Lake in small

groups. They completed valuable conservation

service projects for the National Park Service

while studying four themes that are interwoven

throughout their experience: leadership develop-

ment, community building, stewardship and

developing a sense of place through the study of

natural and cultural history.

Most of these kids were from urban neigh-

borhoods and had never sat by the warmth of

a campfire, slept under a starry night sky or

floated on deep waters in a canoe. During the

past three years, more than 12 languages have

been spoken within the groups, and many of the

teens are new citizens who had never visited a

national park. They embarked onto the lake as

strangers and returned as friends.

Thanks to generous donors, the program is

free for those who qualify from high schools

in Seattle, Lake Forest Park, Skagit County and

Whatcom County.

North Cascade Wild partners in 2009

include North Cascades National Park, Student

Conservation Association, Lake Forest Park

Stewardship Foundation and Ross Lake Resort.

Parks Climate Challenge: How can we help our communities face environmental change?

During the summer of 2009, 19 high school

students from Chicago, Denver, Seattle, San

Francisco and Washington, D.C. participated in

our new Parks Climate Challenge program. The

team assembled in North Cascades National

Park and spent the month of July in the North

Cascades where they studied climate change

science by hiking to glaciers, interviewing scien-

tists and resource managers, touring the Skagit

Hydropower Project/dams and working on service

projects with park personnel. These experiences

allowed the young leaders rare opportunities to

see the effects of climate change up close, as the

region is the most heavily glaciated areas in the

United States outside of Alaska.

In September, the teens traveled to

Washington, D.C. and met with staff from federal

agencies and elected officials to learn more

about the federal government’s response to

climate change. In turn, the students presented

their views and ideas on climate change solu-

tions and youth engagement.

After returning home, the students worked with

teachers and partners from their local national

parks to bring climate change awareness into the

elementary schools, engage more youth and pro-

vide opportunities for service and action.

Through this program, North Cascades

Institute and its public lands partners are iden-

tifying and developing the next generation of

environmental leaders. They will be at the fore-

front of the youth movement in climate change

awareness and will be inspiring people of all

ages in the Pacific Northwest and nationwide. As

one young participant observed, “It’s our world

to inherit. If we don’t care, who will?”

Parks Climate Change Challenge Partners

include North Cascades National Park, Mount

Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and National

Park Foundation.

Kulshan Creek Neighborhood Program: Connecting Hispanic youth to the Skagit Valley environment

Kulshan Creek Neighborhood Program is a

year-round outreach initiative that engages youth

from one of the Skagit Valley’s most diverse

neighborhoods in a variety of informal outdoor

activities including all-day field trips and after-

school programs. In 2009, youngsters learned

about bears, marine biology, migratory birds and

the natural history of the Skagit Valley through

visits to local public lands.

Partners include US Forest Service, National

Park Service, Mount Vernon Police Department,

Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation, Skagit

Valley College, Washington State Parks and

Skagit County Youth and Family Services.

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Family Getaways in the North CascadesFrom naturalist-led canoeing and hiking

adventures to bat watching, bunk beds and

campfires, North Cascades Institute’s Family

Getaways provided a unique opportunity for

families of all shapes and sizes to gather in the

North Cascades. The Learning Center proved to

be a popular location and a terrific economic

value, offering busy families the excitement of

the great outdoors without the complications of

camping. Kids and adults enjoyed learning about

nature through adventures on the lake and trails,

games, arts and crafts, storytelling and scientific

explorations.

Approximately 400 people enjoyed learning

more about the North Cascades ecosystem in

Family Getaways during 2009.

Master of Education in Environmental Education and Certificate in Leadership and Nonprofit Administration

The Institute helps prepare leaders for a career

in environmental education by earning a M.Ed.

while working with the Northwest’s best educa-

tors, naturalists and conservation leaders. This

unique professional residency program prepares

students in all aspects of environmental educa-

tion while living and working at North Cascades

Environmental Learning Center. Course work

ADULT AND FAMILY PROGRAMS

Learning Center Programs and Field ExcursionsNorth Cascades Institute offered a rich diversity

of experiences at North Cascades Environmental

Learning Center and beyond. This broad array of

programs increased appreciation for the natural

and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest.

More than 850 adults enrolled in programs last

year to learn more about geology, sustainability,

native plants, birds, insects, climate change, wild-

flowers, local farms, nature writing and more.

A lifetime oflearning leads toconservation

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explores environmental education while placing

an emphasis on field science, cultural studies,

teaching and nonprofit administration.

Unlike many other graduate residency experi-

ences, our professional residency is fully inte-

grated into a degree program at Huxley College

of the Environment at Western Washington

University.

Eight students graduated from this program

in 2009. Since its inception in 2001, 44 students

have successfully completed the program.

Partners include Huxley College of the

Environment at Western Washington University

and North Cascades National Park.

Volunteer Stewardship: Hands-on conservation of Northwest landscapes

In partnership with the US Forest Service and

other local agencies, Mountain Stewards and

Eagle Watchers volunteer stewards educate

visitors and help restore and protect local eco-

systems.

In 2009, the US Forest Service trained and

coordinated 95 volunteers who contributed

more than 425 days of volunteer environmental

stewardship as Eagle Watchers and Mountain

Stewards.

Group Rentals at the Learning CenterNorth Cascades Environmental Learning

Center inspires reflection, understanding and

connection to the natural world. We welcome

corporate meetings, board retreats, green wed-

dings, family reunions, nonprofit conferences

and other gatherings and celebrations. During

2009, the Institute welcomed a broad diversity

of groups including:

• Anacortes Kiwanis Club tour and lunch

• Blazek family reunion

• Elisabeth Lauver birthday weekend

• Evergreen State College, Sustainable

Architecture Class

Special Events The Institute co-hosted, with Seattle Arts &

Lectures, a Seattle reading by poet Gary Snyder

(above) attended by more than 2,000 people.

Our summer writing retreat guest instruc-

tors–Rick Bass, Kathleen Dean Moore, Holly

Hughes and James Bertolino–were featured in

a Bellingham public program. We co-sponsored

a preview screening of Ken Burns’ national park

documentary with our environmental peers in

the Skagit Valley—The Nature Conservancy,

Friends of the Anacortes Forest, Skagit

Watershed Council and Skagit Land Trust–for

a sold-out audience at Mount Vernon’s Lincoln

Theatre.

Sourdough Speaker SeriesThis “salon series in the wilderness” featured

special speakers such as Tony Angell (above)

and dinners of local and organic foods. The

Learning Center was an inviting destination for

weekend visitors.

Diablo DowntimeBusy adults spent restorative weekends at the

Learning Center enjoying hiking, canoeing, yoga

and slow food.

• Fairview Junior High School Band tour and

lunch

• Kinship Foundation Fellows retreat

• Lakeside School leadership retreat

• La Conner Senior Center tour and lunch

• Leadership Skagit retreat

• National Parks Conservation Association plan-

ning retreat

• Northwest Educational Service District #189

“Building Bridges between Math and Science”

• REI Marketing Leadership Team retreat

• Remote Medical International training resi-

dency

• State Street High School staff training

• University of Alaska (Fairbanks) “Girls on Ice”

• Western Washington University, faculty writing

workshop

• Women’s hiking group retreats

• World Affairs Council public lands manage-

ment symposium

New In 2009: Retail Partnership Serves North Cascades Visitors

North Cascades Institute signed an agreement

with North Cascades National Park and Mount

Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in 2009 to

conduct retail sales in four visitor information

sites around the North Cascades. The stores will

sell books, maps, guidebooks, passes and other

merchandise that reach a variety of visitors and

inspire them to experience, enjoy, interpret,

share and remember their experiences in North

Cascades National Park.

Retail sites include the Sedro-Woolley

headquarters (operated in partnership with

USFS), the Wilderness Information Center

(Marblemount), NPS Visitor Center (Newhalem)

and the Golden West Visitor Center (Stehekin).

Proceeds from sales, which began in 2010, will

help fund youth education in our national park

and on our public forest lands.

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North Cascades Institute has 24 years of experience in developing effective and productive partnerships that are based on trust and mutual goals. Together, we have worked to connect people, nature and communities in order to conserve and restore Northwest environments.

THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS, DONORS AND LEADERSHIP

Collaborating Partners 2009Aero Skagit Emergency ServicesEnvironmental Education Association of

WashingtonMount Vernon Police DepartmentLake Forest Park Stewardship FoundationNational Park FoundationPublic school districts throughout Washington Remote Medical InternationalRoss Lake ResortSeattle Arts & LecturesSkagit County Emergency Medical ServicesSkagit County Parks and RecreationSkagit County Youth and Family ServicesSkagit Fisheries Enhancement GroupSkagit Valley CollegeSkagit Watershed CouncilVillage BooksWashington Department of Fish and WildlifeWashington Department of TransportationWashington State Parks DepartmentWhatcom County Sheriff

Recent Awards

• For the past six years, North Cascades Institute

has consistently received a four-star rating for

sound fiscal management from Charity Navigator,

America’s largest independent evaluator of chari-

ties. Only three percent of American charities are

rated as highly. Charity Navigator highlights the

work of efficient nonprofits and provides donors

with essential information needed to give them

greater confidence in the choices they make.

• Silver LEED Certification for construction of North

Cascades Environmental Learning Center (2009)

• Outstanding Service Provider (2008), North

American Association for Environmental

Education

• Organizational Excellence Award (2006),

Environmental Education Association of

Washington

• Best Use of FSC Certified Wood (2006, for

Learning Center), Forest Stewardship Council

• “Champions of the West” Achievement in

Environmental Education (2006), Sunset

Magazine

Leadership: Board of DirectorsJeanne Muir, Chairperson

President, Urban Relations, SeattleDave Bonn, Treasurer

Retired, WinthropJim Bishop, Burlington

CEO, Summit BankTerry Conner, Tacoma

RetiredGerry Cook, Marblemount

North Cascades National ParkJulian “Pete” Dewell, ex officio,

Seattle AttorneyDunham Gooding, Bellingham

President, American Alpine InstitutePeter Jackson, Everett

WriterNan McKay, Seattle

ConsultantJohn Miles, Bellingham

Professor, Western Washington UniversityStan Miller, Bellingham

President, Swanson, Miller & Kahn, Inc.

Therese Ogle, SeattlePrincipal, Northwest Grantmaking Resources

Byron Ricks, CarnationManager, Microsoft

Brian Scheuch, La ConnerPrincipal, BCS Consulting

Randy Self, SeattlePublic School Teacher

Shirley Solomon, Mount VernonChairperson, Skagit Watershed Council

Abby Sussman, Bellingham Backcountry Ranger, North Cascades National Park

Tom Venable, BellinghamPrincipal, Carl Cozier Elementary

Executive Director: Saul Weisberg

Advisory BoardThomas Lowe Fleischner, PhD

Prescott College, ArizonaArt Kruckeberg, PhD

Professor Emeritus, Botany, University of Washington

Estella Leopold, PhDProfessor Emeritus, Botany, University of Washington

Richard LouvAuthor of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

Chip Jenkins, SuperintendentNorth Cascades National Park

Rob Iwamoto, Forest SupervisorMt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

Robert Michael Pyle, PhDAuthor, Conservationist and Lepidopterist

John Reynolds, DirectorPacific Northwest Region, National Park Service (retired)

Major Partners 2009

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$250,000 and aboveAnonymous

North Cascades Environmental Learning Center Fund, The Seattle Foundation

$100,000 to $249,999National Park Foundation

Seattle City Light

$50,000 to $99,999Islands Fund

The Margaret A. Cargill Foundation

Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission

Washington State Parks & Recreation

$10,000 to $24,999Burning Foundation

Ginny Darvill

McKibben/Merner Family Foundation at the Seattle Foundation

Emily Nugent

The Russell Family Foundation

Anonymous

Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation

$5,000 to $9,999Debbi and Paul Brainerd

Jeffris Wood Foundation

Jiji Foundation

REI

Lee Whitford and Jeff Gallant

$2,500 to $4,999Darby Foundation

David Bonn

Mac and Linda MacGregor

McEachern Charitable Trust

Reliance Ricketts and Dick Wearn

The Schutt Family

Towne Foundation

$1,000 to $2,499Jim and Nell Beaulaurier

Alice Cunningham and Blair Osborn

The Brooke/Kavalam Family

Joan and Jon Christoffersen

Elizabeth Fergus Foundation

Catherine and David Hall

Henry M. Jackson Foundation

House of Mercy Music Cedar Road Publishing

Michele and Robert Liburdy

Microsoft Matching Gifts Program

The Mountaineers Foundation

Jeanne Muir and Art Brochet

Rodman Foundation

Barbara Schaetti

David Sussman

Washington Women’s Foundation

The Reavley/Weeks Family

Maggie Weisberg

Whatcom Community Foundation

$500 to $999Mary and Tom Brucker

Joyce and Rabel Burdge

Judy Chapman and Carl Johansen

Sandra and Sterling Clarren

Beverly and Terry Conner

John and Wendy DePaolis

Deborah DeWolfe and Kate Stewart

Dale and Sharon Evans

Jim Ford

Kristen and Kristofer Gilje

Jeanne Glick

Jean Gorton and Charles Monty

Alan Greenbaum and Laura Thorne

Candy and Dick James

Chip, Laurie, Hayden and Logan Jenkins

Rusty Kuntze and Libby Mills

Barry and Dawn Landau

Edwin and Mary Langbein

Madeline Pugglesworth Foundation

Michael Magruder and Helen Todd

John Miles

Stan Miller

Kris and Carl Molesworth

Organically Grown Company

Patricia Otto

Lorrie Otto

Brian and Debby Peterman

The Weisberg Family

Amy Wilcox and Andy Szurek

$200 to $499Jamie and Julian Andersen

Anonymous

David and Victoria Benoliel

Judy and Marv Blount

Boeing Gift Matching Program

BP Fabric of America Fund

Debra and Bob Brodie

Paul Brookshire and Melinda Mullins

Mike Bruggeman and Gary Kleysteuber

Joe Busby

Gerry Cook and Hannah Sullivan

The Cooper Family

Alice and Julian (Pete) Dewell

Holly and William Dietrich

Shirley Dockendorf

Edith Edson

Barbara Eisenberg

Sunnie Empie

L. Kay English

Alan Fritzberg and Lisbeth Hadden-Fritzberg

John and May Gerstle

Gloria and Robert Harris

David and Molly Hashimoto

Ann Henry

John Hogan

Jennifer Hoover

Brad and Jean Imus

Gary and Vicki Jones

Margaret and Walter Koepp

David and Linda Leisy

Laura Lundgren

Alec McErlich

Nan McKay

Lee Miller and George Thornton

Charlie Maliszewski and Heidi Mosbarger

Sarah Navarre

Mark and Vickie Nysether

Therese Ogle and John Draper

Fred and Irmgard Poppe

Mamie Rockafellar

The Schau Family

Jim and Mary Scott

Marcy Shapley

Else Sokol

Margaret Tally

Thomas & Associates

Joan Thomas

Becky Fletcher and J.K. Tighe

Gerry Morrison and Julie Weston

Jan Wilson

$100 to $199Anonymous

Nancy Applegate and Jim Palmer

Keira Armstrong

Sharon Babcock

Elizabeth and Richard Bedient

The Behrendt/Lange Family

Leo and Teresa Bodensteiner

Buffalo Exchange

Dan and Martha Chesluk

Barbara and Ross Craigie

Susan Crampton

Anne and David Crandall

Nancy Cushwa

Bur Davis

Kristin deLancey

Jan and Louis Doescher

Janelle Dubos and Alice Litton

Martha and Robert Duncan

Susan Fuchs

Thomas Gedosch

Dunham Gooding and Sheilagh Brown-Gooding

Ann Gerike and Riel Holbrook

Gilbert Family

Herb and Theresa Goldston

Christine and Patrick Goldsworthy

Corinne Hajek and Brian Scheuch

Bea and Sam Hellis

Jim Hopper and Maggie Kinsella

Keith Horton

Anne Hubka

Jeff Hardesty and Susan Jacobson

Anne and Loyd Kaufman

Liz Knowles

Nate and Phyllis Kronenberg

Andrie Leaf

Esther Lewis

Andrew Lindenburgh

Maxine Linial and

Ross Morgan-Linial

Kristin Lundgren

Cynthia McGuiness

Cass Nevada

Peter Newland

Mary Raines and Brian Williams

Jay and Jane Reich

Frank Retherford

Bobbie and John Reynolds

The Rich Family

Margaret Rickert

The Smith Family

Smith/Vallee Gallery

Julie and William Toomey

David and Stephanie Twigg

Bob and Judy Weeden

Barbara Rutecki and Mark Weisberg

Louis Weisberg

Jon Riedel and Sarah Welch

April Williamson

Christopher Worsley

$10 to $99Rebecca Allan

Sarah Andersen

Eileen and Lyle Anderson

Pauline Anderson

Terry Anderson

Judy and Phil Andress

Annette Bader

Judith Bagley

Sharon Baker

Christa and Walter Barke

Martin and Tina Barron

David and Trina Bayard

Rebecca Benton

Elizabeth Berggren

Mara Bohman

Paula Bonham

Bill Bowser and Connie McLaughlin Bowser

Geary and Mary Britton-Simmons

Walter Brodie and Linda Versage

John Burgess

Dave and Debbie Campbell

Gloria Campbell

Brenda Cunningham and Timothy Manns

Larry Daloz

Dick and Pat de La Chapelle

Mary Dickinson

Marjorie Domenowske

John Edwards

Elizabeth and Len Eisenhood

Mary Ekstrand

Heidi Engle and Robert Sandelin

Carol and Ronald Erickson

Truman Fergin

Carolyn and Ed Gastellum

Neil and Sonjia Gavin

General Mills Foundation

Janet and Jeff Giesen

Charles and Thelma Gilmur

Kirk Giloth

Katherine Glew

Juanita Gomez

The Gross/Insera Family

Heather Grube

Tom Guobis and Joan McDermott

Bryan Hansen

Jean and Sue Ellen Heflin

Alfred Heggie

Pat and Terry Higman

Bess and Steven Hjartarson

John Horner

Bill and Mary Huenefeld

Humanities Washington

Terri Hurley

Nancy Israel

Sego Jackson

Sandi James

Don Johnson

Kathleen Jones

Ruth Kirk

Ken Kirtz

Bob and Byrna Klavano

Peter Kliewer

Louise Kornreich

Ellen Kritzman

Yvonne Kuperberg and Jane Neaubauer

Brooke and Michael Larrabee

Randy Leventhal

Eric Michael Lindsay-Jones

The Llanos Family

Robin and Russell Llewellyn

Nancy Lundeen

John Marshall

Linda and Peter Marziliano

Carol Mayes

Kris Mcclain

THANK YOU, DONORS! We deeply appreciate the stewardship of people throughout the Northwest and beyond

9


I N S T I T U T E

Jennifer McCoy

Michael Meriwether

Guy Miller

Marilyn Miller

Gwen and Harold Minkler

Eleanor Mischaikow

Mary Montgomery

Mary and Warren Moon

Willow Myers

Miller and Sharon Myers

Thomas Leschine and Kathleen O’Neill

Pat O’Rourke

Linda Ouye

The Penchina Family

Jo Ann and Tom Philpot

Patrick Podenski

Dixie and Thomas Porter

Lynn Poston

Kasey and Lee Potzler

Cynthia Powell Trowbridge and David Trowbridge

Regence Employee Giving Campaign

Kendall Reid and Sharon Winters

Betty Renkor

David Richardson

Sally and Skye Richendrfer

Beverly Robertson Smith

Jerry Rutherford

Sharon Sackett

Chris Sanders

Sandy Sanford

Heather Scott and Geoff Yule

Annette and Ben Segall

David and Joan Shannon

Bev and Richard Smaby

Gary and Jean Smith

Evelyn Gibb and Arthur Solomon

Sheila Sondik

Alexandra and John Starr

State of Washington

Daphne and Jeff Stone

Sarah Sutherland

Kate Szurek

Katie and Tom Talbott

Neil and Pat Thorlakson

Corinne Thwing and Thomas Winter Jr

Jolene Unsoeld

Barbara Vogel

Jane Wagner

Vivian and Walter West

J Michael West

Western Canoeing & Kayaking

The Woll Family

Martha and Morton Wood

Jenica Wood-Beauchamp

Susan Woodside

Barbara and Robert Wright

Bob and Linda Yerby

Kathy Young

Karen Ziemer

IN-KIND DONORSDiane Altwein

Tony Angell

Michael G. Atkins

LaLee Burrill

Carol Butz

Gerry Cook

Pete Dewell

Benjamin Drummond

Becky Fletcher

Sharon Hancock

Molly Hashimoto

Lyanda Lynn Haupt

Jesse Kennedy

Jim Lynch

Tim Manns

Bob Mierendorf

John C. Miles

Andrea Moody

North Cascades National Park

REI (Bellingham)

Kristen Rich

Byron Ricks

Ross Lake Resort

Chuck and Dee Robinson

Carol Schaming

Seattle City Light

Don Slack, M.D.

The City of Sedro-Woolley

Skagit Valley Herald


Martyn Stewart

DONORS TO THE WILD GINGER LIBRARY COLLECTIONTony Angell

Janice Bowman

Mark Danielson

Greg Darms

Betsy Delph

Molly Doran

Douglas Hinton

Chip Jenkins

Little, Brown and Company

Christian Martin

Nikki McClure

Mountaineers Books

Orion Society

Lenore Plassman

Kristen Rich


Sarah Sutherland

Timber Press, Inc.

Saul Weisberg

Lee Whitford

Jim Wickwire

Wilderness Awareness School

Bill Yake

Donors, continued

DIANE ALTWEIN

Ramona Hammerly

AMY BROWN

Peter Brown

MR. & MRS. PAUL V. BROWN

Elsie and Richard Zarnowitz

ROBERT CARSON BURGESS

The Johannessen Family

JUDY CHAPMAN’S 65TH BIRTHDAY

Ann and Frank Alishio

Janice Cummings O’Mahony

Nancy Donohue

Janet Hare Welch and George Welch

Carole Huffman

Mamie Rockafellar

Donna Schram

Carol Triplett

Michael Wilkins

ROBERTA (GAGA) CHAPMAN

Erica and Jonathan Hansen

LISA CHRISTOFFERSEN AND JEFF WEBER

Barbara Bigley Fund at the Seattle Foundation

Joan and Jon Christoffersen

LEONARD EISENBERG

Barbara Eisenberg

DR. PHILIP FENSTER

Linda Fenster

MAY GERSTLE’S BIRTHDAY

Roger Gerstle

CHARLES E. GRAHAM AND VIRGINIA GRAHAM

Penny McGinty

ERIK KARNATH

Jane and Stephen Ditewig

Lynn and Pete Fenton

Rob and Jennifer Larson

James Lucas

Jennifer Mercede

Judith Mitchell

Ellen and Richard Nelson

Donna and Gary Pattee

Barbara and Ronald Wilderman

Dean and Linda Winner

Diane and Michael Zevenbergen

KEVIN LAFLEUR

Lynnette McCabe

KAREN LINS BAKKE

Beverly and C. L. Bakke

Patty Lins

CHARLEY LUTZ’S 100TH BIRTHDAY

Peter Staab

CONNIE AND NATHANIEL MARTIN

Mary Helen Clarke

ANGELA MASTALSKI

Betsy and James Walker

ROTHA MILES

Leo and Teresa Bodensteiner

Joyce and Rabel Burdge

Douglas Howard

Kathleen King

Susan Morgan

Jeanne Muir and Art Brochet

Ed and Linda Neilan

Eleanor Parmelee

Rosemary Schwartz

Saul and Shelley Weisberg

EMILY NUGENT

Lee Whitford

LORRIE OTTO’S 90TH BIRTHDAY

Trish Navarre

MARY AND PETE SCHNEIDER

David and Trina Bayard

BIP SOKOL

Else, Ben and Adin Sokol

IRV WEISBERG

Maggie Weisberg

ISRAEL WEISBERG

Bernard and Edith Smith

Gifts in honor or memory of the following individuals:

10


I N S T I T U T E

management and general

9%fundraising

4%

programs

87%grants

23%

Investments

8% contributions

18%

earned income

31%

endowmentincome

20%

Revenuecurrent assets

98%

current liabilities

Ratio Expenses

500,000

2008 20092007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

4,000,000

Mountain School Begins

Learning Center Opens

InvestmentLoss

<< Capital Campaign >>

5 year bequest

2009 FINANCIALS

The condensed financial statements

presented above reflect NCI’s

complete set of financial statements

for the year ended December 31,

2009 which have been audited

by Judy C. Jones & Associates LLC,

Certified Public Accountants, and

on which they have rendered an

unqualified opinion dated March 15,

2010. The organization’s audited

financial statements and the

independant auditors report can be

found at www.ncascades.org

JASON RUVELSON, CONTROLLER

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION as of DECEMBER 31, 2009

ASSETSCash and cash equivalents $1,539,071 Investments 1,855,648 Receivables, net 744,381 Prepaids and other 50,818 Property and equipment, net 217,771

4,407,689

LIABILITIES Accounts payable 50,756 Accrued expenses 4,759 Deferred revenue and other 17,896

73,411

NET ASSETS Unrestricted

Undesignated 242,924 Board designated - Conservation Education Fund 2,000,000Board designated - Operational Reserves 1,300,000

Temporarily restricted 791,354

4,334,278

TOTALLIABILITIESANDNETASSETS $4,407,689

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES year ended December 31, 2009

SUPPORT AND REVENUESTuition and fees $362,343 Contracts 377,586 Other earned income 15,005 Endowment income 500,000 Government grants 237,677 Foundations 314,575 Contributions 206,342 In-kind contributions 239,700 Investment income 204,441

2,457,669

EXPENSES Programs 1,889,470 Management and general 208,890 Fund-raising 84,026

2,182,386

CHANGEINNETASSESTS $275,283

2%

Profit and Loss History

Revenue Expense

11

THE HEADWATERS CLUBLEAVE A LEGACY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

If you value the conservation of Northwest environments through education, please consider

becoming a member of a new giving circle at North Cascades Institute. The Headwaters Club honors

individuals who have named the Institute as a beneficiary in their will. Perhaps you have already

made arrangements to include the Institute in your estate plan. If so, please let us know so that we

can thank you and recognize your support. If you have not yet made arrangements to name North

Cascades Institute, please consider doing so. It’s very simple and your attorney can easily accom-

modate your wishes.

Your gift will help to ensure that children for generations to come have the opportunity to explore,

enjoy and learn about the Northwest environments we treasure.

If you would like to meet and learn more about The Headwaters Club, please call

Kris Molesworth, donor relations manager, at (360) 854-2590.

AM

Y B

ROW

N

810 State Route 20Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284

www.ncascades.org(360) 854-2599

north cascades institute 2009 annual report

Documents

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t i e s c h i

d r e n c

n g e c o

n o r t h c

e c o n s e r v

r e p o r t

new summer programs