One of the hardest things to do in a crowded room of strangers is to tell a little about yourself. But here I am, introducing myself, Hayden Lake Watershed Improvement District’s Communication and Public Outreach staff, to a crowded Internet of strangers – and I have to believe, a good number of friends and friends-to-be.
I grew up in Coeur d’Alene, dangling my feet in the creek at the base of Best Hill. I swam along the shorelines of Tubbs Hill, and skied both Coeur d’Alene and Hayden lakes. My Dad was one of North Idaho’s most avid fishermen and I went along for the scenery. As a young adult, I wandered away from this water-rich land to the drought-struggling southwest. For the last 34 years, I’ve been an Idaho girl in an Arizona world. I remember how, in my first couple years in Arizona, I missed the color green and the turning of the seasons. Now that I’m back in North Idaho, I will surely miss the wide open skies and the “dry-heat” of the southwest. Still, I feel like I’ve come home and I’m itching to dive into managing communications and public outreach for the District.
I’ll share more about myself as the summer waxes and wanes, and as it appears relevant to the conversation. Because that is what this website is going to be for the next couple months – a conversation. I want to get to know you, the stakeholders in the district, as you get to know me. I have a lot of questions, and I suspect that some of you will be interested in the answers that I find. So I’ll share them here.
Just to get us started, and in no particular order, here are a few of my questions:
- There are two Hayden Lake Watershed organizations – where does the Improvement District stop and the Association begin?
- How did this lake, in this land of 140 lakes and nearly 2,000 miles of rivers and streams, get to be nearly land-locked? (Ancient History)
- How has the lake i.e. the water quality, the watershed, and human interaction, changed since I left 34 years ago? (Recent History)
- Who lives inside the watershed and what are their needs and concerns?
- Who, while living outside the watershed, uses and benefits from the lake and what are their needs and concerns?
I invite you to help me get to know the Hayden Lake Watershed and its stakeholders by signing up to stay connected here, as I share my experiences of getting to know the watershed. And please, share your questions and stories as well. I would like to spark a friendly, healthy dialogue as we get to know one another.