WRI blends environmental education with business partnerships

Every year, thousands of visitors and locals step off the Bavarian-charmed streets and find their way into the astounding nature in and around Leavenworth – a large part of the town’s economic viability.

They float Icicle and Wenatchee Rivers, climb the Enchantments, and ski, bike and hike the local trails. As a result, concerns rise each year over the increased use and degradation of these natural resources, including threats to vulnerable species, reduced water quality, and soil erosion, to name a few. For local nonprofit Wenatchee River Institute (WRI), the solution starts with education. 

“The Icicle River is a great example: the flows are really low this year…More use was literally putting salmon in danger. And people who were out to enjoy nature were disturbing it, because they didn't know…It's the irony of being out to enjoy nature and damaging it unintentionally,” said WRI Executive Director Canuche Terranella.

With a mission to “connect people, communities and the natural world,” the nonprofit reasons that the more informed people are about the nature in their backyards, the more they notice, and the more they will be able to appreciate and take care of it. Based along the Wenatchee River in the heart of Leavenworth, WRI hosts youth and community programming with a focus on environmental education, such as camps, classroom lessons, workshops, and Red Barn events, which bring in speakers, discussions and films covering people, place and nature.

“When we think about what sort of community programming to do, we really want it to encourage people to engage in the natural world with the mindset that, by engaging in it, they will be conscious of it and take care of it…So at every one of our events, we try to create an action step at the end of it,” said Terranella.

Much of WRI’s efforts have been achieved through collaborative efforts with local businesses and organizations, who have supported initiatives through sponsorships, partnerships, and shared resources. 

“Many businesses support our work connecting people to nature because they see the value to their brand to be associated with that work. We are able to share their logo with the people who attend our in-person events or who seek info on our website," said Terranella.

The nonprofit’s Red Barn events often serve as a connector between the community and socially and environmentally conscious businesses. For a September Red Barn event, WRI partnered with A Book for All Seasons for a discussion with author and journalist Lynda V. Mapes. The next day, WRI scheduled local artist Teara Dillon to host a paint and sip at Red Barn inspired by Mapes’s book, “The Trees are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests.”

For Winton MFG Compost Works, Red Barn events helped it introduce the community composting program when it launched a few years ago.

“Wenatchee River Institute has been a big supporter of Winton in developing a composting program in our area…They facilitated the process of us getting the word out of what composting looks like in the greater Leavenworth area through those Red Barn events,” said Robbette Schmit, General Manager of Winton MFG Compost Works.

The initial presentations established a relationship between the two, leading to WRI serving as a compost drop-off, composting food and dishware at events, and providing the public information about its environmental benefits. In turn, Winton MFG Compost Works has helped the nonprofit troubleshoot bearproof cans and donated compost to its community garden.

"What it really highlights is the shared goals of each organization — whether you're a business or, in this case, a nonprofit — of doing the right thing," said Schmit.

Composting has also been integrated into WRI’s youth programming both in practice and in curriculum. When they learn about the science of composting and its benefits, they are doing so in the context of their natural environment. For instance, proper composting practices can help prevent bears from becoming habituated to garbage.

“Anytime we can connect a full circle situation like composting into that natural world and why it's important, I think it’s super beneficial,” said Schmit.

One of the nonprofit’s longest running sponsors, Leavenworth Outdoor Center (LOC), supplies WRI’s summer camps with tubes, paddle boards and inflatable kayaks. WRI is able to get kids out to enjoy the river, while simultaneously teaching them about the river and how they can minimize their impact – like floating the Wenatchee River when the Icicle is low. Additionally, when LOC arranges Icicle River cleanups at the end of its season, WRI joins.

For WRI’s Bird Fest, which promotes conservation through educational and recreational activities about birds, wildlife, and their environments, Osprey Rafting has offered discounted rafting for years. This year, Orion Rafting provided boats for a birding by raft trip for sponsors supporting the fest. In turn, the trips provide local knowledge that raft guides can share with future customers.

However, the few businesses mentioned represent just a handful of the partnerships WRI has fostered over the years. As pressure on Leavenworth's natural resources continues to mount, the nonprofit's growing network of like-minded businesses and organizations becomes increasingly vital to its mission of creating informed environmental stewards. 

For businesses interested in supporting WRI or community members seeking ways to get involved, more information can be found at wenatcheeriverinstitute.org.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media