Institute recognized with NPS award

By Kurt Repanshek, originally published in National Parks Traveler July 7, 2011.
For a quarter-century the North Cascades Institute has been working in partnership with the National Park Service to educate the public on the wonders of North Cascades National Park and its surrounding ecosystem. Those 25 years haven’t been overlooked by the Park Service, which recently honored the institute for its work.
Park Service Director Jon Jarvis and North Cascades Superintendent Chip Jenkins visited the North Cascades Institute in late June to present its leaders with a Certificate for Outstanding Partnership Achievement. The two presented the award to Saul Weisberg, the Institute’s executive director, at a special ceremony on June 22.
“North Cascades Institute and North Cascades National Park have worked together for the past 25 years to help people conserve and enjoy this special place,” said Superintendent Jenkins. “This partnership is critical to the long term well-being of the North Cascades and we look forward to it continuing to grow in the next 25 years.”
Mr. Weisberg founded North Cascades Institute in 1986, along with key park staff including Director Jarvis, who served as the park’s chief resource manager early in his career.
The Institute’s mission is to conserve and restore Northwest environments through education. It operates a number of award-winning education programs for people of all ages, including Mountain School, North Cascades Wild, Cascades Climate Challenge, and a graduate program in partnership with Western Washington University. In 2005 the institute opened its Environmental Learning Center located in the North Cascades National Park Complex.
“We are honored that this important work has been recognized by the National Park Service,” said Mr. Weisberg. “Creating the next generation of public lands stewards has never been more important.”