Nature's Negotiators Newsletter - Fall 2023

THANK YOU DONORS!! IT HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL FIRST SIX MONTHS!!

We were hoping to raise $25,000 for our first “FIGHT THE CURRENT: LONG LIVE THE KING [SALMON]” campaign - You donated $16,691 (which has already been put to use) - and every donation, however big or small, helped us… now we are so close!! Help us finish out this year strong and tell your friends to donate!

HERE’S WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR...SUCCESS WITH SET NETTERS!

We met an innovative set netter who was willing to experiment with shallower nets to allow him to continue to fish for abundant species while avoiding catching the more endangered Kings! We were able - thanks to your generous support - to provide $5000 to Gary Hollier to work with David Welch at Kintama Research and Kevin Delaney of Delaney Outdoors and the Alaska Bycatch Task Force to try out shallower nets and tracking technology so that they could get started on a research project that has now been funded to the tune of $250,000!! A great use of our limited funds and great to see that grassroots efforts can work - hopefully set netters in the Cook MAX AND ERIN WITH GARRY HOLLIER!Inlet will be able to get back to work!!

AND YOUR MONEY WENT EVEN FURTHER! SILVER SPONSOR AT THE KENAI CLASSIC!

We were able to be a Silver Sponsor of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association’s annual Kenai Classic…this event is amazing in terms of our missions…it is a grassroots effort that is bipartisan, includes a round table, and is attended by those who can actually impact policy! How does it work? Individuals give a large donation to fish in the Classic for the abundant Silvers - if a species is very abundant, it is important to fish for them so that they don’t consume all of the food that our endangered Kings need - and the profits go to efforts including habitat restoration and advocacy. Additionally, the Round Table introduced timely topics in a refreshingly bipartisan manner...it was inspiring to see a Democratic Congresswoman fist bumping with a Republican Governor and to see everyone agreeing that fish are life. Without fish, our economies collapse along with our ecosystems.

• Did you know that 92% of plastic worldwide still isn’t recycled? But Dow Plastics has a plan to create waste management plans globally!

• We also learned that there are currently only 7 solar windmills off of the East Coast, but thousands are in the works on both coasts. While there are clear incentives driving the push to move to wind energy, the frantic rush to issue billion dollar permits to energy speculators seems to be ill-advised. So if you have a chance to vote on it, insist that the research is done first to be sure the thousands of planned windmills won’t collapse what remains of our fragile planet!

AND WHERE ARE WE GOING FROM HERE??

Well, we would love your feedback! Feel free to email us back if you see this on email or comment on our Instagram if you have an opinion…

We are fortunate that Nature’s Negotiators, thanks to our 32 Social Media Ambassadors, are pretty good at getting the word out and offering information about topics…and we have had various folx reach out with asks for just that:

1.We have been talking to the Thirst Project about supporting the work that they and the Jane Goodall Institute amongst others have been doing to encourage youth to take action at a grassroots level…

2. We have learned that there are monies available for ranchers to reforest their decimated land holdings - remember those nasty pine beetles that killed so many of our forests? - and there may be room for us to spread the word about the importance of ranchers in conservation efforts, as well as to get those trees planted…right in our home State of Colorado!

3. We were approached by a team that is creating a documentary in partnership with Native Alaskans about salmon, hatcheries, and the health of our oceans. Alaska Public Media will be broadcasting the documentary highlighting the ecological ripple effects that too many salmon in the sea can have on whales, seabirds, plankton and wild salmon. They need money, but we could help get the word out and maybe even participate in the documentary.

4. And there is still the need for Conservation Easements - we need ideas of great fundraisers!!

TRIVIA

Look out for the answers posted next week on our Instagram: @naturesnegotiators!

1.What percentage of global plastics are recycled globally?

a.16%

b.8%

c.35%

d.2%

2.Which two countries generate the most waste in the world?

a.United States and Canada

b.China and India

c.United States and India

d.The UK and China

CHALLENGES

These are easy, everyday things you can do to make a difference!

1.Buy sustainable products (like products that use sustainable palm oil!

You can use the PalmOil Scan app to check)!

2.Recycle!

3.Use Ecofriendly sunscreen to save the reefs!

4.Skip eating meat one day a week!

5.Drive less, walk or bike more!

Make a difference one step at a time!!

THANKS FOR READING AND HELPING OUT OUR EARTH!

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM FOR DAILY UPDATES AND ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS! @NATURESNEGOTIATORS