Hello, my name is Peter Gruendike and I am the new environmental education intern for the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group. I am a recent transplant to western Washington, originally from Buffalo, NY. Last May, I graduated with a Bachelor of Environmental Science degree from Plattsburgh State University, located just outside of the beautiful Adirondack Park in northern New York. Before moving here, I was fortunate enough to spend the summer on the road, backpacking and fly fishing in various U.S. and Canadian National Parks, and in various areas of Alaska.

I am an avid nature/wildlife photographer, fly tier, and I have recently begun to hand - build fly rods. Fly fishing for salmon, trout, and steelhead is a passion that has encouraged me to learn as much as possible about salmonid behavior, life history, and habitat requirements. Most of my previous background is in stream and invertebrate ecology, and I have chosen to pursue a career which will allow me to combine these interests and hopefully make a positive difference for the remaining wild salmon stocks in this great region.

These past few months, I have been hard at work in the office, helping the staff implement different aspects of our stormwater education program, and I am excited about the upcoming spring season, which will allow us to spend more time outside working with students. I am extremely happy that I moved to this beautiful area, and I am grateful for this opportunity with the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, which allows me to share my passion and knowledge of this topic with others, and hopefully help create a better environment for these magnificent fish.

*Late Breaking News Flash: As of May 5 Peter has accepted a new job based in Corvallis, Oregon. We are sorry to see him go and we thank him for his help these past few months!