Kirk Kirkland has been an environmental advocate for over 30 years. He has worked with Tahoma Audubon, Sierra Club and Futurewise as an environmental advocate, appearing before such bodies as the Washington State Legislature and the Pierce County Council. He retired from Tahoma Audubon in 2023 when they were considering changing their priorities.
While active in local politics, he has partnered with many groups and together the local environmental community has preserved wildlife habitat, used the Growth Management Act to limit suburban sprawl, and preserved open space through Conservation Futures funding.
This year the agenda before the state legislature and the county is at a turning point, providing opportunities to move the environmental agenda forward. In the past, our Tahoma Audubon Society conservation committee’s newsletter informed members about important issues in the community and included the activities of some of our partners.
In this way, Kirk worked with the South End Neighborhood Council to try to stop a large warehouse development built on a Superfund Site. In the winter of 2023, he also worked with neighborhood groups in Thurston County and Pierce County who didn’t want an International Airport built on the farms and forest lands in their community. He cooperated with others lobbying, and was successful in making changes to the state airport legislation to prevent new runways that would interfere with military operations on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Most of this work was accomplished behind the scenes with legislators he had worked with in the past.
This website is intended to fill the communications void with relevant Pierce County-oriented news articles, endorsements of local candidates, and ways to take action. In today’s divided political atmosphere, it is easy to turn a deaf ear to the political discussion. But in Kirk’s experience, political change has not been that divisive. Rather, politics is very personal, and success comes from building relationships. Here are the words that guide our advocacy:
“Oppose in such a way that unites.”
Before us this year is an important update of the county’s Growth Management Plan in the state and the county. It is an opportunity to limit carbon emissions, protect working farms and forest lands, and make cities more livable. At first, the process is confusing, but as it becomes more familiar, significant changes become possible by writing letters and attending hearings.
This year hosts another important election. County Council seats are in play that will be critical for maintaining an environmental majority. Our County Council’s environmental leaders are leading important committees that craft policy. We need to retain them and elect a new County Executive.
On this site you can learn about current environmental and political issues. This includes efforts to protect shorelines, keep the water in our streams clean, create livable communities in our county, and preserve wildlife corridors along our streams in urban areas. This site is not intended to compete with any existing environmental group like Tahoma Bird Alliance or Sierra Club. We do not offer memberships, meetings, or fundraising. We are simply a small group of volunteers with political experience who know how to get things accomplished.
Working together, we can create a better future. A few dedicated people who work together with allies and county and state officials can truly make a difference!
Brett Johnson will chair our political committee, focusing on Pierce County, Port of Tacoma, and other key races. He also revises and contributes content on this website. Endorsements are an important way to identify strong candidates with environmental goals and introduce them to environmental advocates and donors. A complete slate of candidates encourages people to not just vote for President and Governor, but also to vote farther down the ballot to elect people who truly make a difference and get things done in our community.
Brett has volunteered for over 20 years in campaign efforts for many local candidates here in Pierce County, in addition to 5 years in northern Colorado. From canvassing neighborhoods to posting signs, he enjoys the work. As a habitat steward, he coordinated the “Ivy League” at Point Defiance and the “Legion of Broom” at Parkland Prairie. He was named the 2002 Pierce Conservation District Volunteer of the Year and the 2016 Outstanding Adult Volunteer by Pierce County Parks & Recreation. He has served on the Metro Parks Nature & Environment Advisory Council and the Pierce County Arts Commission, and chaired the former Sierra Club Tatoosh Group political committee, which endorsed pro-environment candidates in Pierce County for over 20 years.
Brett grew up in Puyallup and graduated from Rogers High School in 1994. He became the first student at the University of Puget Sound to earn an interdisciplinary degree in Environmental Policy. He then served in the Peace Corps in Nepal for two years as a Soil & Water Conservation Volunteer. He feels fortunate for this experience, as he enjoyed living and working with local villagers, learning to speak fluent Nepali, and traveling by foot in the mountains. He returned home to teach pre-license courses to pesticide applicators and developed the first wave of online courses at WSU Puyallup. He also assisted in diagnosing and recommending treatments for plant diseases, insect problems, and weeds.
A few years later, he transitioned to earn his music teaching credentials at Western Washington University, and has since taught elementary and middle school band. He currently teaches in Fircrest, performs as a saxophonist in bands large and small, and continues to volunteer and advocate for the environment. He lives in Tacoma with his wife, daughter, and their very protective dog Rocky.