An Update from Our Outgoing Executive Director
Happy Fall! I hope that yours is full of all things wonderful and cozy, and that it is full of gratitude. I know, I know, gratitude may have been a bit difficult to focus on over the last year, which might be why it feels important at this moment. Here are some of the things that I am celebrating:
- Here at the SWC, we had to say goodbye to some fabulous staff members, as they moved on to other jobs or to retire. While we hated to see them go, they are leaving a legacy through their work here, including tangible and intangible positive impacts on the entire physical and cultural landscape of the Siuslaw Watershed. Our sincere thanks to them!
- The rest of the SWC staff have been able to continue working throughout the pandemic, caring for thousands of plants in restoration projects and on private land, planning stream restoration projects, and keeping the business side of the organization functioning. You will be able to see the good work of Jesse Jones (Project Manager—Riparian Projects), Britnee Church (SWC Restoration Technician), and Christina Ward (Financial Manager) throughout the watershed.
- Our Board of Directors has worked diligently in their volunteer capacity to guide the organization through the uncertainty and change we have all been experiencing, resulting in stability that has been essential to our work. Thank you, SWC Board members!
- Several new staff members have recently joined the SWC, and we couldn’t be happier to have them here! You’ll see more about each of them on pages 4 & 5 of the newsletter. Kevin Whittaker (SWC Restoration Technician), Tim Moffett (Project Manager—Education and Outreach), and Caleb Mentzer (Project Manager—Habitat Restoration) are each already hard at work.
- We have a new Executive Director! I have enjoyed helping to steward the SWC through the last year and a half, but—wow!—am I ever excited to be welcoming Rosemary Pazdral as SWC’s Executive Director, who began full-time in October. You can read more about Rosemary’s considerable talents on page 4. I remain devoted to working for a good life for all here in the Siuslaw Watershed. I believe that the SWC’s mission and work help contribute to that, and I have no doubt that Rosemary will help the SWC succeed in its work. Please help us welcome Rosemary over the coming months!
And finally, the star of a show for me is often the set, and that is true here. Lifting my eyes from my computer to the creeks and forests around me never fails to fill me with a deep and aching gratitude. I hope that is an experience that I share with each of you.
Submitted by Mizu Burruss
To view the full PDF version of our newsletter, click here: SWC_Newsletter_Fall_2021
