LEAD

Media Kit
Stephanie Bishop
Kelsey Fowler
Karissa Elliot

Table of Contents
Logo and Tagline...3
Media Backgrounder.....4
FAQ...13
Feature Pitch....15
Radio PSA....17
Media Articles...18
LEAD in Action.19
Meet the LEAD Staff20

LEAD Logo and Tagline

Be the change.
Take the lead.

WWU LEAD Media Backgrounder

Press Contact: Kelsey Fowler
Fowlerk5@students.wwu.edu - (360) 339 3524
Overview
Learning Environment Action Discovery, known as LEAD, is an Associated Students
environmental organization at Western Washington University. The mission of this
club is to create community environmental service-learning projects through multiple
partnerships in the community. The main goals of LEAD include educating the
importance of preserving and restoring Whatcom Countys native biodiversity and
coordinating weekly hands-on volunteer efforts. LEAD increases environmental health
by utilizing the technique of collaboration through communal projects, environmental
restoration, preservation, and education.

Current Activity
LEAD is trying to re-label the club, as they have mainly been known to supply service
projects to students who need to complete service learning for a class. The club would
like to become more involved with the general community and encourage attendance
from anyone who wishes to participate. LEAD is also hoping to expand their
endeavors into beach clean up in the future. They will have eight service projects
between now and the end of Winter Quarter 2015, which will be held at several





locations n the Bellingham area. LEAD partners with five other organizations and
areas for their work parties such as City of Bellingham, Nooksack Salmon
Enhancement Association (NSEA), Whatcom Land Trust, The Outback and Sehome
Hill Arboretum. LEAD also receives community support from Huxley College of the
Environment.

Facts About Environmental Health

General:

The Executive Order 13112 defines invasive species as, ..an alien (or nonnative) species whose introduction does, or is likely to cause, economic or
environmental harm or harm to human health, according to The National
Invasive Species Control

Biodiversity provides people with climate stability, water resources, food,

medicinal resources and diversity in genes and species, according to Global
Issues.

Lack of natural biodiversity is currently lacking in the world. The five main
principal pressures of biodiversityhabitat loss and degradation, climate
change, excessive nutrient load and pollution and invasive alien speciesare
persistent today, according to Global Issues.

Local:

Washington Conservation Corps Crews, sponsored by the City of Bellingham

have planted over 100,000 native shrubs and trees and removed thousands of
yards of invasive plants, according to the City of Bellingham.

Invasive species are categorized by class, Class A Weeds are limited in

Washington and must be controlled by law, Class B Weeds grow in limited

portions of the state and Class C Weeds are widespread in the state, according
to the Whatcom County Noxious Weed Control Board.

Two additions have been made to the Whatcom County Weed List 2014 called,
Nonnative Cattail Species and Ficaria Verna, according to the Whatcom
County Noxious Weed Control Board.

LEAD focuses mainly on removing invasive species such as Himalayan,

Evergreen and Trailing Blackberries, according to LEADs website.

Himalayan Blackberries spread through seeds and root reproduction causing

an easy spread of invasive species, according to LEADs website.

Regional:

An evaluation in Washington for over 700 invasive species found 50 species

posed the greatest threat to the states government, according to Washington
Invasive Species Council (http://www.invasivespecies.wa.gov/priorities.shtml).

To survive, salmon require rearing habitat, which means planting native trees,
shrubs, and even building fences to keep livestock out of the streams,
according to Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association.

The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association has completed over 120

restoration projects on over 15 miles of local streams, according to the
Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association.

It is estimated that 20 percent of Washingtons plants are non-native species,

according to the Washington Native Plant Society.

National:

In the United States alone, about three million acres of land are lost to invasive
plants each year, according to National Strategy for Invasive Plant
Management.

Experts estimate invasive plants already infest more than 100 million acres of
land in the United States, according to the National Strategy for Invasive Plant
Management.

Invasive plants are harmful, because they can cause serious ecological
disturbances which chokes out other plant life, according to the United States
National Arboretum.

English Ivy is one of the most popular ground covers in North America,
according to the United States National Arboretum.

There are around 4,300 invasive plant species in the United States, according
to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

There are only two ways of dealing with invasive species entirely: preventing it
from invading habitats or dealing with negative consequences after it has
invaded a habitat, according to Richard N. Mack.

Global:

Between 1970 and 2010, the planet has lost 52 percent of its biodiversity while
the human population has doubled in the same time period, according to
World Wildlife Fund.

An estimated 80% of the original forests that covered the Earth 8,000 years ago
have been cleared, damaged or fragmented, according to the European
Commission.

Globally, forests are lost at a rate of 36 football fields per minute, according to
the World Wildlife Fund.

If 20 million more trees were planted globally, humans would gain 260 million
more tons of oxygen, according to the Climate Rally Organization.

Invasive plants alter habitats and reduce biodiversity in all areas of the world,
according to the United States National Arboretum.

Replanting trees in deforested areas makes the most immediate impact to

restoration of forests, according to Trees Water People.

The graph below explains the percentages of land that are predictions of plant species
changes. It has been predicted by the year 2100 human-induced global climate
changes will change plant communities. This will cover nearly half of Earths land
surface, bringing changes into Earths ecosystem.

Organization Biography
LEAD Director: Wendelin Dunlap



Email: Dunlapw2@students.wwu.edu

Phone: (360) 920-7955

Short Bio: Wendelin Dunlap is originally from New Jersey, and moved to Washington
State in 1996. She is currently attending Western Washington University to receive
her Masters Degree in Environmental Education, and has an Undergraduate Degree
in Industrial and Graphic Design from Carnegie Mellon. Wendelin became involved in
LEAD because she enjoys making connections with the community, organization
involvement, and all things environmental.
LEAD Assistant Program Coordinator: Luke Gillespie
Email: Gillesl4@students.wwu.edu
Phone: (509) 679-5826
Short Bio: Luke is a junior from Wenatchee, WA where he received his AA and
transferred to Western Washington University to major in Business Sustainability.
Luke feels LEAD fits perfectly with his major and the work he wants to do in the
future. Luke has always felt strongly about his involvement with local organizations.
LEAD Assistant Program Coordinator: Ashley Selvey
Email: Ashley.Selvey@wwu.edu
Phone: (805) 794-4303
Short Bio: Ashley is currently a senior studying Environmental Policies at Western
Washington University. She left the sunny land of Southern California and now calls
Bellingham home as she explores the environment of the community.

Boilerplate
Learning Environment Action Discovery was founded in 2000. This
nonprofit Associated Students club is located at Western Washington
University. They plan several service projects every quarter, and work

toward providing interactive volunteer work for anyone who wishes to get
involved. The club works with the Sehome Hill Arboretum and The
Outback at Western Washington Universitys campus, and is planning to
have some upcoming events at other locations, such as Bellingham Parks
Nursery and Maritime Heritage Park. The membership fluctuates with
every work party they organize, and the staff meets every Friday from
9:30-11:30 a.m. in VU 28. The current person heading the club is
Wendelin Dunlap. To learn more about LEAD, please visit
http://www.wwu.edu/lead/Staff.html.

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Sources
2014 Whatcom County Noxious Weed List. Whatcom County
Government. Accessed January
17, 2015.
http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/publicworks/weeds/pdf/foldlist1
4.pdf.
Baldwin, L. "2014 Whatcom Noxious Weed List." Public Works. January 1, 2014.
http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/publicworks/weeds/pdf/foldlist14.pdf
Brown, Wendy. "Top Priorities." Invasive Species.
January 1, 2009. http://www.invasivespecies.wa.gov/priorities.shtml.
City of Bellingham. "Whatcom Creek."-City of Bellingham, WA.
Jan. 2013. http://www.cob.org/services/environment/restoration/whatcomcreek.aspx.
Climate Rally. "Reduce Global Warming By Planting Trees." Benefits of
Planting Trees. January 1, 2013. http://www.climaterally.org/plantingtrees.html.
European Commission. "European Commission - PRESS RELEASES - Press Release Biodiversity Loss: Facts and Figures." European Commission - PRESS
RELEASES - Press Release - Biodiversity Loss: Facts and Figures. April 12,
2014. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-04-27_en.htm

Frequently Asked Questions About Invasive Species. U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service. Last modified November 20, 2012. Accessed January
17, 2015. http://www.fws.gov/invasives/faq.html#q7
Help Collect Noxious Weeds for Science. Washington Native Plant
Society. Last modified
February 7, 2013. Accessed January 17,
2015. http://www.wnps.org/invasive_species/ noxious_weed_project.html.
LEAD: Invasive Species Information. Western Washington University. Last
modified July
11, 2014. Accessed January 17, 2015.
http://www.wwu.edu/lead/Invasive_Species_In
fo.html.
Mack, Richard N., Marianna Erneberg. The United States Naturalized
Flora: Largely the Product of Deliberate Introductions. Missouri
Botanical Garden Press 80, no. 2 (2002): 176-189, doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3298562.
Massachusetts Government. "Facts About Invasive Species." Energy and
Environmental Affairs Massachusetts Government. Januart 2014.

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http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dfg/nhesp/land-protection-andmanagement/invasive-plant-facts.pdf.
The United States National Arboretum. "Invasive." Invasive. December 4,
2009.http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/invasives.html.
Tree Water People. "The Challenges." Trees, Water & People. January 1, 2015.
http://www.treeswaterpeople.org/learn_more/the_challenges/deforestation/de
forestation.html

Welcome to InvasiveSpecies.gov. The National Invasive Species Council.

Accessed January 17, 2015. http://www.invasivespecies.gov/.
World Wildlife Fund. Living Planet Report 2014."WWF. February 2014.
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/all_publications/living_planet_report
/.

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Top Ten FAQs for LEAD

1. What is LEAD?
Learning Environment Action Discovery, formally known as LEAD, is an
environmental AS organization on Western Washington Universitys campus.

2. What does LEAD do?

We strive to improve environmental conditions necessary for ecosystem
stability, biological diversity and abundance through communal collaboration
and hands-on experience during work parties.

3. What do I wear to a work party?

We recommend that volunteers wear warm clothing, layers, waterproof shoes
and a water bottle to stay hydrated. We will provide the work gloves, tarps,
buckets and tools.

4. How do I join a work party?

You can go to our website (www.wwu.edu/lead) to register for any work party
with openings. Volunteer sign-ups and current events can be found there as
well. Any questions can be sent to our email, lead@wwu.edu.

5. How many hours will I work?

The amount of hours a volunteer works depends on how much involvement is
wanted in the club and the number of work parties the volunteer signs up for.
Work parties take place every weekend for two hours.

6. Who are you affiliated with?

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We are affiliated with Western Washington University, Huxley College of the
Environment, City of Bellingham, NSEA and Land Trust.

7. What drives your work?

Our work is for the community, individual passions and the local environment.

8. Where do you meet?

We have staff meetings from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. every Friday in the Viking
Union room 714.

9. Who can join?

We strongly encourage anyone in the community to join. A volunteer does not
have to be a student from Western Washington University and can be any age
above eight years old.

10. How do I contact this organization?

We can be contacted via email or phone at lead@wwu.edu and (360) 650-2133.
Our office is located in Viking Union room 24 for further inquiry.

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Feature Pitch for The Western Front

Dear Stephanie Bishop and Heidi DeHart,
Graduate student Wendelin Dunlap encountered a life-changing experience
when she lost everything after her bookkeeper stole her identity and business
of eight years.
In order to reinvent herself, she decided to pursue a Masters Degree of
Environmental Education after the identity theft. This quarter, she became the
director of the Associated Students organization Learning Environment Action
Discovery.
Wendelin exerts persistence, motivation and perseverance after a life-changing
tragedy that is unheard of to many. LEAD is both a passion and an outlet
where Wendelin is putting forth her motivation and hard work. With the help of
two staff members, Luke Gillespie and Ashley Selvey, and support from
partnerships such as Huxley and City of Bellingham, Wendelin is focusing on
ways to better LEAD.
Learning Environment Action Discovery is devoted to improving environmental
conditions necessary for ecosystem stability, biological diversity, and
abundance. Dunlap, Gillespie and Selvey are focused on member recruitment,
website redesign, new projects, and receiving donations. Dunlap recently
created a new logo for LEAD, as she has another Masters Degree of Science in
Design Human Factors.
Luke Gillespie and Ashley Selvey would make excellent interviewees due to
their day-to-day correspondence and teamwork with Dunlap. Dean of Huxley,
Steven Hollenhorst, and Huxley professor, Gene Myers, helped coordinate
LEAD and have met with Wendelin on recent previous occasions.
A media backgrounder on LEAD has been attached to this email providing
further information on the organization and its members. Their website is
www.wwu.edu/lead. Photos of Wendelin, Luke and Ashley can be found below.
Wendelin Dunlap, LEAD Director: dunlapw2@students.wwu.edu
Luke Gillespie, LEAD Assistant Coordinator: gillesl4@students.wwu.edu
Ashley Selvey, LEAD Assistant Coordinator: selveya@students.wwu.edu
Steven Hollenhorst, Dean of Huxley: Steve.Hollenhorst@wwu.edu

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Wendelin Dunlap, LEAD director

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Feb. 10, 2015 For Immediate Release

Contact: Kelsey Fowler (360) 339 3524 fowlerk5@students.wwu.edu
www.wwu.edu/lead

Learning Environment Action Discovery (LEAD)

30 sec. Radio PSA

Three million acres of land are lost to invasive species each year. Invasive
species cause severe ecological disturbances. Learning Environment Action
Discovery, an Associated Students club at W-W-U, is a step toward a solution.
LEAD removes invasive species, re-plants and restores biodiversity. Be the
change, take the LEAD. Go to W-W-W dot W-W-U dot E-D-U forward slash L-EA-D.
[https://soundcloud.com/kelsey-f-5/lead-psa-be-the-change-take/s-2xW9H]

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Media Articles
http://www.westernfrontonline.net/features/article_4f106e90-abe1-51f7b01b-8a052f3f377e.html

http://www.westernfrontonline.net/opinion/article_37fe657a-b8c4-5de3-b6ff6954b8ca094e.html?mode=jqm

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LEAD in Action

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Meet the LEAD Staff

Wendelin Dunlap, LEAD Director

Ashley Selvey, LEAD Assistant Coordinator

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Luke Gillespie, LEAD Assistant Coordinator

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