Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Bob Warinner and I have recently accepted the post of Watershed Steward of the Skagit and Samish watersheds for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). For the past several years I have been working in Whatcom County writing WDFW permits for projects in the Nooksack drainage and several other smaller drainages in the county. During my time up north I had the opportunity to work with everybody from farmers to developers and from the tribes to the local governments. Through many bent ear sessions I have become familiar with the concerns and passions of dairymen, loggers, fishermen, conservationists, builders, politicians, and just about everyone in-between. In Whatcom County I witnessed a lot of successful work being done with input from all sides, through working together we came up with solutions to several difficult issues that I think are working well.

Whatcom and Skagit Counties have a lot in common but they also are very different. The Skagit is a huge river system not only in size but also in importance to the future of Puget Sound salmon. There are big challenges and some real hot issues here but there are also some excellent organizations and individuals that are working on these challenges with a great deal of vigor and intelligence. I am very happy to have the opportunity to work here where it is clear to me that cutting edge science is being developed and where policy is being created that will have implications reaching far outside this county for the conservation of our natural resources. My role here will not be regulatory but more of an intermediary between all interests and a conduit for the assistance that can be provided by WDFW. I will be working towards solutions to tough issues that I hope can be agreed upon by all sides. I hope my assistance will be valuable and I encourage anyone that could use my help or would just like to set me straight on the issues to call me at 466-4345 extension 252 or drop a line at warinrjw@dfw.wa.gov.