Check out my l new Outdoors article for Seattle Magazine on the latest outdoor exercise craze hitting Seattle, stand-up paddle surfing. SUP, dude?

If immersing yourself in the natural history of the Pacific Northwest is your idea of a good time, be sure to check out the North Cascades Institute’s single-day field excursion “Eagles and Salmon: Northwest Icons on the

Skagit.” That’s just what I did this past weekend, and came away with a vast amount of new knowledge and a newfound respect for Mother Nature. We saw salmon swimming up river, their bodies partially discolored as they prepared to spawn out in the very gravel beds of their births. The depleted bodies of their predecessors lay as ghostly reminders that we are all parts of a much larger system–and that we are all mortal, all too mortal.

And of course who can forget the eagles flying overhead and perching on tree boughs training their eyes on the riverbank in search of salmon carcasses to scavenge. These graceful birds–which long ago beat out the turkey to become our nation’s symbol (it’s true!)–also beat out pollution. The DDT which we had been using for decades following WWII was wreaking havoc on the ability of birds to make shells strong enough to hatch fledglings; eagle numbers dipped to dangerous levels accordingly. The symbolism of our national symbol on the Endangered Species List spoke volumes about our collective treatment of the natural environment and its inhabitants. But with the ban of DDT in the mid-1970s, birds began to come back, and no more was the spring so silent. Bald eagles themselves have rebounded so well that two years ago the federal government removed them from the Endangered Species List altogether.

While anyone can drive up to Rockport and view the eagles (about a 2 hour drive from Seattle), there is no better way to do it than with the expert guidance of Libby Mills, a wildlife biologist and artist who has studied birds for nearly 40 years, including two decades watching eagles along the Skagit River on behalf of the Nature Conservancy and other groups. Her day-long eagle/salmon excursions, which she leads twice a winter, are some of the most popular and accessible outings offered by the North Cascades Institute. Snag a spot on the January 16 trip by following this link. While it might be cold standing out along the banks of the Skagit–Mills tours around to several of her favorite insider eagle viewing spots–participants will be sure to see dozens of eagles and other wildlife and gain knowledge that will last a lifetime.

To check out more of my pictures from the outing, following this link…

Penobscot Bay at its finest…check it out...

Just returned from the last weekend the road to Artist Point at the end of the Mt. Baker Highway was open before 4 inches of snow closed it down for the winter. The area still delivers the goods photographically–especially in the early Fall when the heather is changing colors and the Cascade blueberries are ripe and ready for picking…just need to watch out for bears! Take a look at the scenic majesty here…

Guess who is the latest blogger for SeattleMag.com’s Scoop section?

Come one, come all to the opening of my new photography exhibit, “Agriculture on the Urban Fringe: Farming and Conservation in the Snoqualmie Valley,” on Sunday evening September 20 from 5-7 pm at the Novelty Hill-Januik Winery in Woodinville, WA. The exhibit is the culmination of a year’s worth of shooting down on the farm in the Snoqualmie Valley on behalf of Stewardship Partners, a local non-profit working to restore and conserve private agricultural lands in Washington State. The resulting photographs detail how a growing movement toward environmentally friendly farming practices in the Valley is helping to spur increased demand for locally grown, organic food on dining tables in Seattle and all across Western Washington. The party and exhibit opening should be a real hoot. Some of the farmers featured will be there, and they will provide freshly harvested food items that will be prepared by the winery’s chef into gourmet delicacies paired with wines produced according to Stewardship Partners’ strict “Salmon-safe” standards. $35 admission gets you in; be sure to call ahead to reserve tickets. Also, prints from the exhibit are for sale, with proceeds going to support Stewardship Partners’ work in the Snoqualmie Valley. If you like food, wine and photography, this may be just the event for you! To reserve tickets, call Nikki at 425.481.5502 ext. 104, or e-mail nikki@noveltyhilljanuik.com…See you there!

Check out two new articles coming out in the July 2009 issue of Seattle Magazine…One is a feature assessing the state of the Snoqualmie Tribe which recently opened the most lavish casino anywhere near Seattle, and is gambling on it to secure a brighter future….

The second is part of my ongoing “Outdoor” series profiling everyday heroes among us who are getting off the couch and doing something active in the beautiful outdoors of Seattle. This month’s installment features my friend and neighbor Patrick Pitcher, who rediscovered skateboarding in his forties, scabs and all.

Happy reading!

Just turned up this link to a 2007 article I wrote for American Photographer about the new landscape of conservation photography …

This past May I tagged along on a day trip paddling within a five mile stretch of the Duwamish River with the North Cascades Institute, University of Washington botanist Cynthia Updegrave and Greg Whittaker of Alki Kayak Tours. Nowadays the Duwamish is a channelized, effluent-clogged Superfund site, but was formerly a wild and meandering river emptying out in downtown Seattle’s Elliott Bay. Its history and current use/abuse make the “waterway” nee river a living laboratory for environmentalists, marine ecologists and biologists studying the effects of industrial pollution on a once salmon-rich river. Despite the gloom and doom of the situation there, Updegrave looks at it optimistically: there is a lot of potential to effect positive change. She is helping the local non-profit Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, as well as the still unrecognized Duwamish Tribe (an interesting story in and of itself…), in their efforts to expedite the clean-up of the once teeming river. Check out the pics…

Mark your calendar: the debut of my exhibit on the “salmon-safe” farms of the Snoqualmie Valley will take place on Sept. 20, 2009 at the Novelty Hill-Januik Winery in Woodinville, Washington, 5-8 p.m. Check out the press release below…

Snoqualmie Valley Farms Photo Exhibit Opens September 20th at Novelty Hill - Januik Winery in Woodinville with Party to Benefit Stewardship Partners and Salmon Safe

Seattle, Wash., May 26, 2009   “Agriculture on the Urban Fringe: Farming and Conservation in the Snoqualmie Valley” a photo exhibit by Roddy Scheer, will open at Novelty Hill - Januik Winery in Woodinville on Sunday, September 20th with a kick-off party from 5 - 8 p.m.  The celebration is part of the ten-year anniversary of Stewardship Partners, a local organization that promotes environmental farming practices and collaborative conservation with private landowners.

The evening festivities will include music, guided tours by the photographer and tasting stations featuring food and wine pairings from local ‘Salmon-Safe’ farms and vineyards that protect water quality and fish and wildlife habitat.  Tickets to the event are $35 and may be purchased by contacting Nikki Dunbar at Novelty Hill-Januik at 425-481-5502.

The photo exhibit documents the Snoqualmie Valley as a model for sustainable agriculture. It showcases local famers providing healthy food for the nearby urban population center of Seattle and their efforts to restore fish and wildlife habitat.  The exhibit will be on display at the winery through November 1, 2009.

Stewardship Partners has been working in the Snoqualmie Valley for six years, helping local farmers protect and restore the environment while marketing their farm products with the Salmon-Safe label.  The mission of Stewardship Partners is to help private landowners implement environmental land management and habitat restoration while promoting a sustainable economy.  They administer the Salmon-Safe eco-label for farms and vineyards that protect water quality and fish and wildlife habitat.

Novelty Hill’s estate vineyard, Stillwater Creek, was the first Columbia Valley vineyard certified “Salmon-Safe” in 2007.  The opening party benefitting Stewardship Partners and Salmon Safe is co-sponsored by Seattle magazine.