February 7th Whatcom Land Trust with Gabe Epperson

For over 30 years the Whatcom Land Trust has been working to protect critical wildlife habitat, farms and recreational lands, by securing ownership interest in properties and promoting stewardship. As part of the 30 year anniversary, the Land Trust has recently completed a Land Conservation Plan which outlines geographic focal areas throughout the County and identifies strategies to accomplish its Mission. Gabe will be presenting an overview of the new Plan and highlighting a few areas in the County that he is currently working to protect critical habitat

About Gabe Epperson, Conservation Director:

Gabe has a background in Urban Planning and large-scale environmental planning with a focus on public outreach. He was the Planning Director at Envision Utah for 5 years, completing the Blueprint Jordan River and Wasatch Canyons Tomorrowprojects, which included thousands of Utah residents and led to the formation of the Jordan River Commission and the protection of hundreds of acres of wildlife habitat and recreation lands in the Salt Lake Metro area. Mr. Epperson moved to Bellingham in June last year to do land acquisition and conservation planning for the Land Trust

January 31st Conservation Northwest with Mitch Friedman

A decade ago, Washington had been without several of its large carnivore species for almost a century. Now, fishers, wolverines and wolves are all back, and the government is exploring recovering grizzly bears as well in the Cascades. Mitch will explain this conservation miracle and the efforts that led to it and are making it successful both in the wild and with rural communities.

Check out this article to see more about what Mitch is presenting. 

January 24th Implications of the Point Elliott Land Settlement Treaty of 1855

Travis Brockie Jr., a newly elected councilman to the Lummi Indian Business Council, the governing body of the Lummi Nation, also teaches Tribal Governance and Business Management at Northwest Indian College. He and some of his students will acquaint us with the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855, a vital contract between native tribes and the U.S. government. We must continue to remind our neighbors of the responsibility of the U.S. government as it pertains to federal statutes, legal and affirmed federal court rulings, and working relationship with local governments and state officials when issues such as water rights, land rights and fishing rights arise

January 17th What is La Leche League? with Lauralee Carbone

Come and learn how breastfeeding relates to our UU principles. Lauralee Carbone, BUF member, will talk from her expertise as a breastfeeding counsellor with La Leche League, an international breastfeeding organization

January 10th Lydia Place with Emily O'Connor

On any given day there are over 550 homeless individuals in Whatcom County. 1 in 5 of those individuals are children under age 10. Lydia Place has been serving homeless families in our community for over 26 years and is dedicated to ending homelessness in Whatcom County.  The mission of Lydia Place is support households in establishing sustained independence by providing housing, supportive services, advocacy, education, and by raising awareness of the faces and causes of homelessness. Executive Director, Emily O’Connor, will provide an overview of the efforts underway both at Lydia Place and throughout our community to address the issue of homelessness.

No Forum due to Holiday. Happy New Year!

No forum scheduled due to holiday weekend. Next regular Forum January 10th. See you then! :-)

No Forum due to holiday.

No forum scheduled due to Christmas weekend. Next regular Forum January 10th. See you then! :-)

December 20th BUF & Interfaith Coalition

Janie Pemble, Outreach Director for Interfaith Coalition, will share how the Coalition, with the help of BUF and 40+ other partners, feeds the hungry on the streets of Bellingham, helps families escape homelessness through transitional housing, and shelters men and women on cold winter nights. Learn also how BUF, through its Humanitas program and other avenues, works with the Interfaith Coalition to care for the most vulnerable members of our community.

December 13th Solstice with Pagan Priestess Ashley Benem

There are other ways to connect to the Season than through our gift-giving-focused-culture. Local Pagan Priestess, Ashley Benem, will be offering some history and a short discussion about Winter Solstice: Yule Celebrations and ways to bring special pieces of Yule into your Winter Holidays.

December 6th Hospice and the Health Care System

Jody Newcomer of Whatcom Hospice will talk about the role of Hospice in our health care system. Hear about the criteria for entering care, how the Hospice interdisciplinary team functions - including volunteers, and the adjunct services that are available, such as medical equipment, medications and acupuncture.

November 29th: No Forum~ Happy Thanksgiving!

No forum scheduled due to holiday weekend. Next regular Forum Dec. 6th. See you then! :-)

November 22nd "350.org" climate justice

Stay current on the climate justice movement! Jill MacIntyre Witt, 350.org's Bellingham organizer, will talk about climate change and the expanding climate justice movement. She will give a history of the 350.org movement building, covering campaigns like divestment, KXL, and coalition building with the climate justice movement. She will also share information about the upcoming Global Climate March, how we can be part of it, and 350bellingham's support for Paris talks and beyond!

Jill MacIntyre Witt

350Bellingham Organizer

www.facebook.com/350Bellingham

350bellingham@gmail.com

November 15th "Who Owns the Water?" with Todd Jones

Who Owns the Water?

The human right of access to water is not something most of us need to think about. Western Washington is blessed with abundant amounts; we turn on our faucets and it pours out in a limitless stream.  However, this is not the case for the 900 million people in the world who lack access to a clean source of water.  Whether its access to water for farms, fish or development here in Whatcom County or internationally, water is central to everything we do.  In 2010 the United Nations General Assembly recognized access to water and sanitation as a basic human right. 

Join the discussion ---How should water be fairly managed?