How This Work Is Informed

All educational content on Willapa Wild is informed by direct involvement in operating a working shellfish farm in Willapa Bay. That includes the realities of intertidal farming, stewardship decisions, regulatory requirements, and the practical day-to-day work that shapes outcomes over time.

• Operating a working shellfish farm in Willapa Bay
• Managing intertidal oyster beds across multiple growing areas
• Navigating state, tribal, and federal regulatory frameworks
• Participating in eelgrass restoration and habitat recovery efforts
• Making daily decisions shaped by tides, weather, and biology

The information presented here is not theoretical. It reflects real-world constraints, tradeoffs, and outcomes observed over time.

The Role Behind the Learn Section

The Learn section exists to explain how shellfish farming actually works, not how it is often described. As the person listed as the source of authority for this content, my role is to translate lived experience into clear, accurate explanations that the public can understand.

This work aims to provide clarity, not advocacy. It includes explaining why certain practices exist, where common assumptions break down, how environmental goals and commercial realities intersect, and what changes over time and what does not.

Experience Over Abstraction

Shellfish farming is highly place-specific. What works in one estuary may fail in another. What appears simple on paper often behaves differently in practice. For that reason, this work prioritizes observation over abstraction, outcomes over intentions, and context over generalization.

When practices, conditions, or regulations change, the content is updated to reflect those changes. Accuracy is treated as an ongoing responsibility, not a one-time effort.

Accountability and Stewardship

Authorship carries responsibility. By clearly identifying the perspective behind this work, we invite scrutiny and conversation. We also accept the obligation to correct, clarify, and refine explanations as new information becomes available.

This approach aligns with how we farm. We pay attention, measure outcomes, adapt when necessary, and remain accountable to the place and the work.

How This Page Fits the Site

This page exists to support, not overshadow, the broader Willapa Wild story. It connects the place where the work happens, the method by which the work is done, the stewardship that guides decisions, and the Learn section that shares this knowledge publicly.

Together, these pages form a complete picture of how Willapa Wild operates and why its perspective is grounded in lived experience.

If you are reading the Learn section and want to understand the perspective behind it, this page is meant to provide that context.