Liam Wood Flyfishers and River Guardians

A gasoline spill and subsequent fire in the Whatcom Creek basin on June 10, 1999 claimed three lives and altered an entire ecosystem.  To honor the memory of the young man who was flyfishing in the creek at the time of the fire and to create an opportunity to promote environmental awareness, the Liam Wood Flyfishers and River Guardians (LWFRG) and the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) developed an educational program designed to foster greater understanding of rivers and streams and the creatures that depend on them.  These programs teach students flyfishing techniques in the context of river ecosystems and our interactions with them, and work to encourage a personal stewardship ethic.  LWFRG programs are offered at Western Washington University and through several local secondary schools as part of NSEA's Swimming Upstream Program.  LWFRG programs are also offered in Missoula, Montana through the Watershed Education Network. The Art, Science, and Ethics of Flyfishing Course The Art, Science, and Ethics of Flyfishing course is taught summer quarters at Western Washington University.  Now in its seventh year, the Art Science, and Ethics of Flyfishing course has opened the door to the mystical world of flyfishing for more than 100 students.  This three-credit course offered by Dr. Leo Bodensteiner and Steve Meyer has the dual purpose of teaching students how to flyfish and using flyfishing as a window into the structure, function, and restoration of river ecosystems.  The course will be offered again in 2011 to students and community members in both Whatcom and Skagit counties. Advanced Flyfishing: River Stewardship, Reflection, and Native Trout Course The Advanced Flyfishing: River Stewardship, Reflection, and Native Trout course will be offered for the second time this summer quarter at Western Washington University.  This two-credit course will also be taught by Dr. Leo Bodensteiner and Steve Meyer and will immerse students in a wilderness setting for one week of hands-on study of flyfishing techniques, literature, stream ecology, conservation ethics, and individual relationships with nature. For more information about the courses or the LWRFG, please contact Dr. Leo Bodensteiner or Lindsay Taylor. Several partners and partner organizations have provided both financial and in-kind support to the Liam Wood Flyfishers and River Guardians programs.  Many thanks to: Bruce Brabec and Marlene Robinson Sage Manufacturing Patagonia Foundation Fourth Corner Fly Fishers Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association Northwest Women Flyfishers Sarcoc Foundation David James Duncan Fred Meyer Foundation Glen Brackett Cabela's Trident Seafoods Hugh Lewis H&H Outdoors Huxley College of the Environment at WWU

Quick Links: Students for Salmon Middle School Service Learning Streamside Science Swimming Upstream Stream Stewards River Stewards