Help Keep Outdoor Learning Alive for Whatcom County Youth
For over 25 years, NSEA’s Students for Salmon program has provided thousands of Whatcom County fourth graders with an unforgettable experience—getting their hands dirty restoring salmon habitat, exploring the outdoors, and forming a lasting connection with the natural world. All at no cost to schools.
But now, that legacy is at risk.
This fall, over 80 classrooms may lose access to this powerful learning opportunity. Due to the recently passed Washington State budget—which eliminated all funding for outdoor education—and steep cuts to federal grants, we’ve lost more than 85% of our program’s funding.
This is a devastating blow not just to NSEA, but to our community of schools, educators, and students who depend on us to bring science to life outside the classroom.
Yet we’re not giving up.
We’ve taken difficult but necessary steps to restructure the program and reduce costs. For the first time in its history, we will begin charging a nominal fee of $300 per classroom—far less than the actual cost of delivering the program. But we know this fee may still be a barrier for some schools.
This is where you come in.
Your support can make it possible for every fourth grader—regardless of their school’s budget—to plant trees, test water quality, witness salmon in their home streams, and discover their role in protecting our shared watershed.
Will you help us continue this vital work?
A gift of $300 can sponsor one classroom. A gift of $50 or $100 brings us closer. Every dollar makes a difference.
Together, we can ensure that Students for Salmon continues to spark curiosity, build environmental literacy, and create future stewards of our ecosystems.
Over 35,000 students engaged since program inception
Each year students contribute to the support our watershed by:
- Removing~ 5,000lbs of invasive vegetation
- Planting more than 150 native trees and shrubs
- Restoring 13+ acres of riparian habitat along 14,000+ feet (almost 3 miles) of waterways