By Libby Gier

April 1, 2019


Overview: The Stillaguamish Tribe, Snohomish Conservation District, Washington State University Extension, and Sound Salmon Solutions are creating a comprehensive pilot program for fourth graders that provides place-based ecosystem, watershed, and stormwater programming to school districts and communities in the Stillaguamish Watershed.

What we are doing: 

  • Establish integrated, year-long classroom and field curriculum to emphasize stormwater and
    ecosystem lessons, building on existing Puget Sound stormwater, Puget Sound and salmon focused
    lessons already being taught by each partner.
  • Increase 200 4th graders’ knowledge and level of caring about nearby ecosystem resources, wildlife and stormwater pollution issues facing Puget Sound.
  • Share curriculum and resources with teachers during a workshop.

How we’re doing it:
The project team will recruit eight fourth grade classes in the Stillaguamish Watershed. Each class will participate in at least four classroom lessons, one Puget Sound nearshore field trip, and one culminating service learning school activity by the end of the school year.

Why this issue is important:
There is no coordinated effort to leverage our resources and provide an integrated stormwater, wildlife, and ecosystem-focused education program for students, teachers and their families.

About our organization:
Today, the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, a sovereign, federally recognized native tribe, is committed to serving our members, preserving our culture, and continuing the stewardship of our native lands.

More information

Did you know: The Stormwater Strategic Initiative encourages stormwater awareness by funding outreach projects, specifically those focusing on stormwater curricula, such as the Mountains to Sound project.  The Washington State Department of Ecology partners with the Washington Stormwater Center and the Washington State Department of Commerce to strategically tackle Puget Sound’s stormwater challenges.

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