About Us
Mission
The NW Zoo & Aquarium Alliance promotes collaboration among Pacific Northwest zoos and aquariums to engage in action that sustains ecosystems.
Goals
- Ecosystem Conservation: Protect and restore species, habitats, and natural functions based on ecosystem-scale conservation priorities
- Green Practices: Lead by example to reduce our facilities’ and our visitors’ ecological footprints
- Citizen Conservation: Engage visitors and communities in taking conservation action and connecting with nature
- Public Policy: Build the Alliance’s reputation and credibility as a conservation organization and as a player in the public policy arena
Alliance Membership
Zoos and aquariums in the Pacific Northwest that are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums are eligible to be Alliance members. The seven Alliance members are in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
Board of Directors
- Gary Geddes, Pt. Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and NW Trek Wildlife Park (Chair)
- John Braden, Seattle Aquarium (Vice Chair)
- Deborah Jensen, Woodland Park Zoo (Treasurer)
- Steve Burns, Zoo Boise (Secretary)
- Kim Smith, Oregon Zoo
- Gary Gamer, Oregon Coast Aquarium
Zoo and Aquarium Staff
About 100 zoo and aquarium staff members from the seven Alliance zoos and aquariums are regularly involved in Alliance projects. Our diverse expertise is the foundation for the success of our conservation projects. Our specialties include science, education, conservation, marketing, communications, development, animal management, animal health, horticulture, maintenance, and community relations. The Alliance allows us to contribute and integrate our expertise toward an interdisciplinary approach.
Evolution of the Alliance
For a number of years, the Directors and staff of Pacific Northwest zoos and aquariums had been discussing collaboration on regional conservation. More structured discussions began in 2004, as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums began encouraging regional collaborative efforts to focus on native wildlife. Dedicated funding and an ongoing commitment by the Alliance members’ Directors are the keys to Alliance’s past, present, and future success.
Stable Funding
The Directors agreed from the beginning that stable funding is critical, and settled on annual Alliance dues of two cents per visitor from each institution. Funding strategies differ among Alliance members. For example, Woodland Park Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park commit funds out of their operating budgets. Steve Burns, Zoo Boise Director, came up with the novel approach of a conservation surcharge on admission, and Oregon Zoo quickly followed suit.
Challenges and Opportunities
Many challenges have arisen along the way—differences in sizes of institutions, policies, associations, government or nonprofit, mission, and more—but the Alliance is proof that these challenges can be overcome. The Alliance provides a mechanism for each institution to participate in Pacific Northwest conservation programs on a greater scale than if we worked alone, increasing our collective regional conservation impact.
Alliance Projects
The NW Zoo & Aquarium Alliance has been meeting since late 2005 to develop and implement collaborative working groups and related projects. Staff participants in Alliance teams have found it very beneficial to share ideas and collaborate. The Alliance also works closely with a wide range of external public and private partners on each project.
About the Alliance Website
See our website’s photo credits. (PDF, 68 kb)
Website design by Claritas Consortium, Portland, Oregon. View their online portfolio.
Please send any comments, suggestions, or changes to our webmaster.
