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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
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
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?
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
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
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