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Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors

BEL-SHA-2025-04-17 April 17, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting City of Bellingham
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The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors addressed several significant operational and partnership items in their April meeting, with technology access, fire prevention innovation, and administrative sustainability taking center stage. The board reviewed a Western Washington University website project four years in development, designed to showcase student and faculty research in the arboretum while maintaining clear distinction from the official city arboretum website. The evening's most forward-looking discussion centered on a wildfire detection sensor project proposed by the Whatcom Million Trees Project in partnership with Western's electrical engineering capstone program. The innovative project would develop low-cost fire detection sensors for deployment in the arboretum, creating both a research opportunity for students and a practical fire prevention tool that could be replicated throughout Whatcom County. Administrative challenges dominated the board's internal discussions, with both the city and university facing staff shortages that threaten the board's ability to maintain monthly meetings. The loss of Kate, their previous administrative coordinator who moved to the mayor's office, has left a gap in meeting support that highlights broader resource constraints affecting both institutions. The meeting also addressed cultural sensitivity and partnership issues, including a request from Lummi tribal member Timothy Ballou Sr. for permission to harvest traditional ironwood (ocean spray) near the Longhouse site for ceremonial salmon cooking implements. This request demonstrated the ongoing integration of indigenous practices into arboretum management and the board's commitment to honoring their land acknowledgement with concrete actions.

**Website Publication Approval** - Tabled pending revisions - Board identified specific changes needed before approval: header language clarification, rules page updates, mobile phone compatibility improvements - David Engebretson Jr. committed to 2-week timeline for revisions with board feedback within one week - Final approval scheduled for May meeting **Wildfire Sensor Project Endorsement** - Approved unanimously - Provisional endorsement granted to Whatcom Million Trees Project for developing fire detection sensors in collaboration with Western engineering students - Project aims to create $60-65 sensors versus $6,500 commercial alternatives - Grant application deadline: ne…

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The website publication discussion revealed ongoing tensions between transparency, accessibility, and institutional control. David Engebretson Jr.'s four-year project to create a comprehensive Western-run arboretum website showcasing student and faculty work has reached publication-ready status, but board members expressed concerns about potential public confusion with the official city website. Travis Tennessen emphasized that visual presentation still suggests this is "the Sehome Hill Arboretum website" rather than a repository of academic work, despite disclaimer language. The board's approach reflects careful balance between supporting educational outreach and maintaining clear governmental authority over official information. The wildfire sensor proposal represents a significant shift toward proactive environmental protection technology. Susan and Michael from the Million Trees Project presented compelling data showing Whatcom County's wildfire season has extended from July-November to May-November, increasing resource demands and exposure risks. Their proposal to develop open-source, low-cost sensors addresses both the expanded fire season and federal cuts to wildfire prevention funding. The academic partnership model, utilizing Western's electrical en…
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**David Engebretson Jr.** advocated for immediate website publication, emphasizing four years of development work and full accessibility compliance. He acknowledged needed changes but stressed the educational value of making student work publicly visible for resume purposes and the importance of getting public feedback to improve usability. **Travis Tennessen** took the most cautious position on website publication, insisting all identified changes be completed before going live to avoid public confusion and additional work. He emphasized the importance of visual clarity about the site's academic rather than official governmental nature. **Joan** supported the concept of having rules on multiple websites despite update complexity, recognizing that users don't always follow links to other si…
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**David Engebretson Jr., on accessibility design:** "I'm blind and I work in web technologies, and I am extremely passionate about Sehome Hill. I've spent about 50 years exploring the Sehome Hill." **Travis Tennessen, on website concerns:** "I think the splash page still needs to emphasize that this is not the official Sehome Hill Arboretum website. I think that it still needs to be revamped, even though the language, the words are there, visually it still will appear to many people as the of…
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**By April 24 (1 week):** Board members to provide feedback to David Engebretson Jr. on website revisions, including header language, rules page content, and mobile compatibility concerns. **By May 1 (2 weeks):** David to complete all identified website changes and notify board for final review before May meeting. **Next Friday:** Million Trees Project grant application deadline for wildfire sensor development funding. **May Meeting:** Final website approval vote, administrative support framework decision, annual report approva…

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The board established precedent for evaluating traditional harvesting requests through cultural context rather than strict vegetation protection policies, approving the ironwood harvest despite acknowledging it constitutes vegetation disturbance. This represents evolution in policy interpretation that honors indigenous partnerships while maintaining environmental stewardship. Administrative support structure shifted from city-provided to uncertain, with no immediate solution identified for Kate's departure and both institutions facing resource constraints that threaten monthly meeting sustainability. This marks potential transition from established operational model to undetermined governance structure. The wildfire sensor project moved from concept to pro…
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## Meeting Overview The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors convened on April 17, 2025, for their monthly meeting, bringing together board members both in person and via Zoom to address a mix of routine business and significant collaborative projects. The meeting took place amid ongoing challenges with administrative support—the board had recently lost Kate, their administrative assistant, who moved to the mayor's office, leaving Karen to fill in temporarily while supporting multiple other committees with limited time. The evening's most substantial discussions centered on two major presentations: David Engebretson Jr.'s request for approval to publish a new Western Washington University website about the arboretum, and Michael and Susan from the Whatcom Million Trees Project pitching an innovative fire detection sensor project. Both proposals required careful consideration of the board's role in balancing academic freedom, public access, and resource management. The meeting also highlighted the board's ongoing efforts to find sustainable solutions for administrative support and meeting logistics while maintaining their collaborative relationship between Western Washington University and the City of Bellingham. ## Land Acknowledgment and Agenda Changes Board Chair John opened the meeting with the land acknowledgment, recognizing that "Sehome Hill is traditional ancestral and unceded territory of the Lekwamish Lummi people and the Nooksack people who have lived along the Salish Sea and throughout the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades watershed from time immemorial." The acknowledgment emphasized shared responsibilities to care for the arboretum and gratitude for learning from indigenous wisdom. Several agenda modifications were announced. A student presentation by Alex was postponed to May, and a discussion on vegetation protection, foraging, and treaty rights led by Travis was also moved to the next meeting. The addition of an agenda item on administrative support for the board reflected ongoing concerns about the sustainability of current meeting arrangements. Board members noted positive developments happening around the arboretum, including a work party from Western's Ecological Restoration Club pulling ivy along Arboretum Way. As one member observed while biking to the meeting: "I passed by a work party of lead and the Ecological Restoration Club, pulling out lots of ivy along …
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## Meeting Overview The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors met on April 17, 2025, to discuss the future publication of a Western Washington University website about the arboretum, review a fire detection sensor project proposal, and address administrative challenges facing the board's operations. ## Key Terms and Concepts **Sehome Hill Arboretum:** A 165-acre forest preserve managed cooperatively by Western Washington University and the City of Bellingham, serving as both a community recreation area and an outdoor laboratory for students and researchers. **Board of Governors:** An 8-member body with representatives from both Western Washington University and the City of Bellingham that oversees arboretum management and policy decisions. **Interlocal Agreement:** The formal agreement between Western and the City of Bellingham that establishes the cooperative management framework for the arboretum. **Open Public Meetings Act:** Washington state law requiring government meetings to be publicly accessible, including hybrid in-person and online participation options. **House of Healing Longhouse:** A new facility under construction at the arboretum representing Indigenous cultural heritage and providing educational programming space. **Ocean Spray (Ironwood):** A native shrub species (Holodiscus discolor) traditionally harvested by Indigenous peoples for making implements like fish cooking sticks. **Capstone Project:** A culminating academic project required for engineering students at Western, involving real-world problem-solving over an academic year. **Wildfire Detection Sensor:** Electronic devices that monitor for heat and smoke to provide early wildfire alerts, typically costing thousands of dollars commercially. ## Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | John (Chair) | Board Chair, University appointee | | Wayne | City of Bellingham Parks & Recreation | | Tracy Rogstad | Western Washington University representative | | Travis Tennessen | Board member | | Nick Leader | Board member | | Joan | Board member | | David Angebretson, Jr. | WWU Web Communication Technologies | | Michael | Whatcom 1 Million Trees Project founder | | Susan | Whatcom 1 Million Trees Project Executive Director | | Karen | Administrative support (filling in for Kate) | ## Background Context The board faces several operational challenges stemming from staffing cuts at both the u…
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Parks & Recreation Environmental Government Operations Bellingham Fire Department Ecological Restoration Club Lummi Tribe Western Washington University Whatcom Million Trees Project David Engebretson Jr Joan John Chair Kendra Nick Leader Timothy Ballou Sr Tracy Rogstad Travis Tennessen Travis Tennessen Wayne Accessibility Technology Administrative Support Board Governance Fire Detection Sensors Student Research Traditional Harvesting Website Development Wildfire Prevention