Social Dimensions of Salmon Habitat Restoration in the Skagit ValleySara J. Breslow

Environmental AnthropologyUniversity of WashingtonPresented to the Climate Impacts GroupMay 4, 2005, Seattle, Washington

Skagit County

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

& 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

Oral History of the Skagit River

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?

How is the conflict a function of competing ideas about what constitutes legitimate knowledge, and

who most credibly produces it?

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

Interviews to DateScientists/Mgrs 21

Farmers 16

Public Officials 15

Sports Fishermen 14

Comm Fishermen 9

Enviros 8

Tribal Members 7

Others 22

Total 105

Total by me 74

“OTHERS”:“Old-timer”“Skagit local”Amateur historianArtistBeekeeperCounselorEducatorEngineerFarmland advocateLatino affairs counselorLawyerMedia

Men - 84 Women - 21

Meeting and Events to Date

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

Surveys

Understanding the Volunteer Experience in the Edgewater Park

Restoration Project

A. Your Experience Today1.) 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).

1. Need to fulfill community service requirements2. Enjoy socializing3. Enjoy being and working outdoors4. To learn about the environment5. To give something back to the environment6. To improve salmon runs7. To make the park look better8. A friend or relative brought me9. It sounded like fun10. Enjoy community service11. To help the community12. To improve the river habitat13. For future generations14. For religious or spiritual reasons15. Nothing else to do today16. Other: ________________________________

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

(Enviros)

Farmers

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

Skagit County

Don MunksDistrict 1

Ken DahlstedtDistrict 2

Ted AndersonDistrict 3

Fishermen

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

Maps courtesy of B. Collins and A. Sheikh, Puget Sound River History Project, UW

“93%”

“40 Acres”

abstracted, measured, “scientific” place

lived-in, experienced, “cultural and historical”

place

“the environment”

= Flow of “expert” knowledge = Flow of “experiential” knowledge

Scientistse.g.Tribal

US GovernmentUniversity

Governmente.g. Federal

TribalState

County

Community OrgsWatershed CouncilAgricultural Assn.

Fish. Enhancement Grp

Expert knowledge e.g. “Best Available Science” (BAS)

Local Resource Userse.g. Fishermen

Farmers

e.g. memories,embodied knowledge

Rules and regulationse.g. Critical Areas Ordinance

e.g. habitat restoration project plans

e.g. memories of childhood fishing

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

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