Adopt A Stream Foundation

Mission

The mission of the Adopt A Stream Foundation (AASF) is "to teach people how to become stewards of their watersheds". Our small dedicated staff and volunteers carry out that mission by conducting Streamkeeper Academy training events, producing and distributing environmental education materials nationally and internationally, and providing stream and wetland restoration assistance to communities from local watersheds.

Description

Each year, in thousands of rivers and streams, the Pacific Northwest witnesses a remarkable natural phenomenon as millions of salmon return to their place of birth to spawn future generations. The Adopt A Stream Foundation (AASF), a 501 (C)-3 non-profit organization, was established to teach people how to ensure that Pacific Northwest streams continue to provide healthy spawning and rearing habitat for salmon, trout, steelhead, and other wildlife.  

AASF has a diverse Board of Directors and a staff dedicated to carrying out its mission.   While AASF is best known for conducting Streamkeeper Academy events and its incredible stream restoration work, AASF also developed the Northwest Stream Center (NWSC), a regional environmental learning center and nature preserve to increase our capacity to teach everyone how to become stewards to their watersheds.  

The major attraction at the NWSC is a universally accessible Nature Trail that leads visitors past an outdoor Trout Stream Exhibit onto an Elevated Forest and Wetland Walk that winds through 30-acres 3-feet above the forest floor and surrounding wetlands .  If you read and remember all of the beautiful interpretive signs along the 1/2 mile-long route, you will pick up a natural science degree equivalent with no pressure for grades or a thesis!!

This year, AASF is taking on a new challenge - the $1.5 million Northwest Stream Center Sustainable Infrastructure Campaign. The primary objective is to convert the Visitor’s Building into a Sustainable Ecosystem Lab—think white metal roof to reflect heat, 160-solar panels that link to solar batteries, propane heaters replaced with electric heat pumps, UV reflecting windows, rainfall cisterns, and much more.  It will become a place where you can visit and see all of the sustainable features and leave with the mindset that "I can do some of that at home or at my business."

In addition, AASF has created a Streamkeeper Academy Endowment Fund that has reached over $160,000 on the way to $1million goal,  Once that goal is reached, interested from the endowment will be put to work supporting Streamkeeper Academy Classes for all ages at the Northwest Stream Center who learn the interconnections between forests, wetlands, streams, fish, wildlife, and people...and how to become stewards of their watersheds.

Your contributions help keep us "moving upstream." Make a reservation to visit the Northwest Stream Center by going to www.streamkeeper.org.  Questions? Call 425-316-8592 or go to www.streamkeeper.org.