Social Dimensions of Salmon Habitat Restoration in the Skagit Valley

1. Social Dimensions of Salmon Habitat Restoration in the Skagit Valley Sara J. Breslow Environmental Anthropology University of Washington Presented to the Climate Impacts Group May 4, 2005, Seattle, Washington

4. Skagit County

5. Farmers’ Perceptions of Salmon Habitat Restoration: LOSS… … of land, farm, livelihood, control, & food • “It’s like losing your life” • - Dairy farmer, referring to buffer requirements

6. & CONTESTATION “Nobody believes it’s the netting that is the problem. They’ll say you’re racist or that it’s in the treaties.” - Skagit County landowner “The fact is, people kill salmon. They’re tasty.” - Skagit County dairy farmer “The best thing for salmon would be to tear up Seattle.” -Skagit Valley crop farmer

7. Oral History of the Skagit River

8. How is the controversy a function of competing livelihood- and place-based identities that generate conflicting ideas about nature, and fundamentally different meanings associated with this place?

9. How is the conflict a function of competing ideas about what constitutes legitimate knowledge, and who most credibly produces it?

10. How is the conflict the product of larger political, economic and ecological forces?

11. Interviews to Date • “OTHERS”: • “Old-timer” • “Skagit local” • Amateur historian • Artist • Beekeeper • Counselor • Educator • Engineer • Farmland advocate • Latino affairs counselor • Lawyer • Media • Men - 84 Women - 21

12. Skagit Watershed Council monthly meetings Mount Vernon farmers’ market Festival of Family Farms Wylie Slough restoration project open house NOAA Fisheries talk Organic Press open house Stream Stewards meeting No Name Slough watershed restoration meetings Storming the Sound Pacific Marine Expo, Seattle Watershed Council strategy workshop Salmon Summit, Bellingham Salmon Recovery Funding Board meeting Shared Strategy Conference Western Washington Potato Workshop Puget Sound Georgia Basin Conference Society for Ecological Restoration Conference Meeting and Events to Date

13. Surveys • A. Your Experience Today • 1.) There are likely many other things you could choose to do on a Saturday morning. What were your main reasons for coming to this planting today? (Please circle numbers of all that apply. If you have more than one main reason, please use a box to star what you consider to be the top reason). • Need to fulfill community service requirements • Enjoy socializing • Enjoy being and working outdoors • To learn about the environment • To give something back to the environment • To improve salmon runs • To make the park look better • A friend or relative brought me • It sounded like fun • Enjoy community service • To help the community • To improve the river habitat • For future generations • For religious or spiritual reasons • Nothing else to do today • Other: ________________________________ Understanding the Volunteer Experience in the Edgewater Park Restoration Project

14. Participatory Research • “What do people think IS the problem? How far back does it go? How would they solve it? Why do people think the way they do? What drives people? What future do we want for this valley?” — common questions • “Can this valley REALLY support both farming and fishing? What would help restore the trust of farmers? Why habitat restoration? Why so much money, so many people? Is it a fad? A professional shift?” — examples of questions asked by farmers and farm advocates • “What do people KNOW about the history of Indian people and their relationship with the US government? Why are people so angry?” — examples of questions asked by Tribal members and staff • “What changes behavior? Why are farmers more mobilized against restoration than development when development is a greater threat to farming?” — examples of questions asked by restoration advocates

15. (Enviros)

16. Farmers

17. Swinomish, Upper Skagit, Samish, and Sauk-Suiattle Tribes

18. Skagit County

19. Fishermen

20. A History of the Present • Regulatory context of salmon recovery • ESA, GMA, CAO, etc. • NGO efforts and voluntary measures • SWC, SFEG, SRFB, Shared Strategy, CREP, etc. • Tribal-County-Enviro lawsuits • Farmers’ organizations • Tribal-Ag meetings

21. “93%” Maps courtesy of B. Collins and A. Sheikh, Puget Sound River History Project, UW

22. “40 Acres”

23. = Flow of “expert” knowledge = Flow of “experiential” knowledge “the environment” abstracted, measured, “scientific” place lived-in, experienced, “cultural and historical” place e.g. memories, embodied knowledge Expert knowledge e.g. “Best Available Science” (BAS) e.g. memories of childhood fishing Scientists e.g.Tribal US Government University Local Resource Users e.g. Fishermen Farmers Rules and regulations e.g. Critical Areas Ordinance e.g. habitat restoration project plans Government e.g. Federal Tribal State County Community Orgs Watershed Council Agricultural Assn. Fish. Enhancement Grp

24. Considerations • What is the watershed? • Who needs to be educated? • Who will your conclusions benefit? Who will they impact? • Work beyond comfortable boundaries • Consider participatory approach

25. Thanks to: My committee: • Eugene Hunn • Ed Liebow • Linda Nash • K. Sivaramakrishnan Sources of Support: • Earthwatch Institute • Environmental Health and Social Policy Center • Ford Foundation Community Forestry Research Fellowship • National Science Foundation • Society for Applied Anthropology • Skagit Watershed Council • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency