Sustainability Pathways at WWU

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Sustainability Pathways at WWU

Sustainability Pathways provides hands-on paid fellowship opportunities for students in the NCW.

08/17/2026

After a summer of hard work and immersive learning, our students leave the Methow in 2 weeks. Don't miss out on hearing about their Planning Studio Course Projects and Practicum Synthesis! If you would like to attend, please use this link to register for attendance in person or on zoom: https://foundation.wwu.edu/event/sustainability-fellowship-presentations-methow-valley-2

Thank you to all of our program partners and community members for your offering your support this summer! We hope to see you there :)

08/03/2026

This summer, we welcomed 3 new natural resource specialists to our staff! We are happy to introduce Haida (photo 1, left), Zoë (photo 1 & 2, right), and Gwynn (photo 2, left). Haida and Zoë are working hard to build trails, monitor plant phenology, and maintain trail cameras at Loup Loup Canyon while Gwynn supports the Youth Sustainability Corps and connects with Loup Loup stakeholders to make headway on permitting/building in the canyon.

07/23/2026

Enjoy these beautiful art projects by our Youth Sustainability Corps (YSC) students, Bhavana, Finn, and Asher. Session one of the YSC (completed this Tuesday) focused on ecological resiliency so as a culminating project, students created journal entries related to their ecological special interest. We are so impressed by these passionate young people and can't wait to see what they accomplish in session two!

07/20/2026

We welcome community members to join 2 public events with sustainability pathways this week:

- An Intergenerational Conversation with Methow at Home members and Western students. 10am-12pm Friday, July 24th at TwispWorks YourSpace.
- Student Panel to share about their contributions to the valley and reflect on community resiliency and the power of place. 5-6:30pm Sunday, July 26th at the Methow Valley Interpretive Center.

We hope to see you there!

07/14/2026

Our students attended 4 field trips over the last 2 weeks where they learned about the cultural significance of Saskatoon berries, organic seed production, compost soup and fermentation techniques, and basic processing of fiber plants.

Thank you to our wonderful partners for educating and entertaining our students!

07/06/2026

The students were excited to participate in the annual cultural exchange led by Mark and Crystal Miller including a sunrise walk, salmon bake, and lamprey release.

The release of Pacific lamprey just past the Wells Dam is in effort to support spawning higher in the watershed. Wells Dam is the 9th dam that fish must cross to reach Pateros from the Columbia River mouth. Lamprey have ecological and cultural significance in the Methow and Okanogan valleys and we hope the release efforts continue to conserve this native species.

06/23/2026

Our 2026 cohort moved into their homes for the summer last week and joined us for an orientation to Sustainability Pathways, the Methow Valley, and our wonderful Program Partners.

We are looking forward to the positive impact our biggest cohort yet will have on the valley and the lasting connections, memories, and experiences the students will build with the Methow community.

05/22/2026

Exciting news!

Two beavers (Yarrow and Thule) were released at Loup Loup Canyon with the Nature Immersion program, the Cultural Plants team from the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and the Methow Okanogan Beaver Project. Beaver activity on the creek includes multiple dams that slows water flow and supports fish habitat. 🦫

05/15/2026

We want to thank everyone who joined us for a wonderful Methow Valley weekend. It was truly meaningful to gather together with such a vibrant mix of alumni, families, community partners, and future Western students. Seeing the many paths that brought you all there—and the connections that continue to grow—made this first gathering incredibly memorable. We hope to see you again soon!

Photos 1-3: Alumni and soon to graduate students including people from 3 Sustainability Pathways cohorts explored Loup Loup Canyon and gathered observations for a City / Nature Challenge.

Photos 4-5: Alumni, a local Western-bound grad, community partners, and Western of the Methow Steering Committee members celebrated our wider community in the Methow at the Twisp Valley Grange.

Photo 6: Members of the Western of the Methow Steering Committee visited for the weekend and joined Lee Whittaker ('68) and other alumni for events.

05/13/2026

Join us on Friday, May 15th at WWU to honor Lee Whittaker and other distinguished alumni awardees who have been chosen in recognition of their professional achievements, service, and accomplishments at the 2026 Alumni Awards!

According to the WWU Foundation, Lee's gift of over 170 acres in Washington’s Methow Valley creates a permanent “living laboratory” for sustainability. Through this gift, Whittaker is helping ensure that Western students can engage directly with the land, turning classroom learning into real-world experience and preparing them to lead in ecological stewardship and climate solutions.

Use this link to register for the event:
https://alumniq.wwu.edu/events/private/alumniawards2026

Address

502 S Glover Street
Twisp, WA
98856

Website

https://sustain.wwu.edu/pathways

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