Working where change is a way of life

Ecotrust Founder Spencer Beebe has always operated “in a spiral dance at the edge of chaos,” with an uncanny ability to return to ground with ideas and actions that spark real systems change.

Since our founding nearly 30 years ago, Spencer has guided Ecotrust on a journey, encouraging us all to follow “a mental compass by which communities can take new bearings in relation to their surroundings and move toward a future of ecological and economic soundness.” Today that compass points with urgency towards an equitable, prosperous, climate-smart future, starting here in our region and following a mission to inspire far beyond.

In recent years, as Spencer stewarded in new leadership at Ecotrust and led, then participated in, a dynamic and evolving board, a framework for change was taking form. After spending 2018 and 2019 developing ideas and seeking investors, a new initiative led by Spencer and a small, accomplished team, is coming into focus.

The Salmon Nation initiative is, in Spencer’s words, “a novel, whole systems reimagining of localizing regenerative human enterprise on a scale that matters.” This year it takes flight as an ecosystem of bioregional focused entities including the Salmon Nation Trust; a media production company; a self-organizing network of community change makers; and a local incubator and accelerator platform for entrepreneurs.

After a period of incubation and experimentation within Ecotrust, the Salmon Nation initiative is now fully independent, and already growing and iterating as it was designed to do. Ecotrust and Salmon Nation continue to share many of the same values and approaches. We share the same founder, the same home, and the same belief that climate-adapted solutions are necessary for a livable future, full of hope. Together we have much to celebrate, including the visionary who launched these organizations into action.