Dear Community of Skagway,
I’ve had the pleasure of serving you as the director of the Taiya Inlet Watershed Council for the past 4.5 years. Together we’ve protected riparian areas, built rain gardens, raised salmon from eggs to fry (and released them!), planned the Pullen Creek StreamWalk, held four Pat Moore Memorial Game Fish Derbies, written a Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual, and pulled a lot of invasive plants. My time here in that capacity is almost over, and I’m passing on my position. The Taiya Inlet Watershed Council (TIWC) now sits within the Skagway Traditional Council (STC). My hope is that together TIWC and STC can bring funding and projects to address the community’s environmental concerns and continue to work towards healthy salmon habitat in the Taiya and Skagway watersheds. I have to especially thank TIWC’s local supporting partners who have given time, space, and staff to our projects: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, Skagway School District, Municipality of Skagway, Skagway Public Works, Skagway Recreation Center, Skagway Brewing Company, Skagway News, You Say Tomato and of course, the Skagway Traditional Council. While the Pat Moore Memorial Game Fish Derby is cancelled this year, I have briefed the Skagway Convention and Visitors Bureau on the event and have given them all assets. They plan to get together a committee to run the event in the future. Thank you all for your help and your enthusiasm. Please feel free to stop by the Skagway Traditional Council building to meet the new face of TIWC and the STC Environmental Program, Nicole Kovacs – but maybe give her a few weeks to get her feet on the ground 🙂
Sincerely,
Rachel Ford
P.S. Follow me on my blog: www.racnatfo.blogspot.com