MONROE — Many people would describe him as a person of integrity, someone who puts his heart and soul into everything he does.
Vince Bertrand has devoted his life to the preservation and restoration of the environment we all call home.
Bertrand is the Stormwater Compliance Coordinator for the City of Monroe, and has been for the past 11 years. Before that, he worked for the Snohomish County PUD for 11 years in the field of property rights and land acquisition.
On April 25, Vince Bertrand was awarded as the Conservation Leader of the Year by the Snohomish Conservation District.
Kate Riley, Community Engagement Program Manager for the Snohomish Conservation District, shared why he embodies the award so
well: “Vince is always working to ensure the best outcome or benefit for our environment,” she explained.
Bertrand’s connection to his community and willingness to make time to sit down and work with the next generation of conservationists is one reason why Vince fits the mold for Conservation Leader of the Year, Riley said.
“It’s an especially important job in an environmentally conscious age,” said Bertrand’s brother, Steve Bertrand. “He always studied nature. He would look at the leaves on trees or would always be looking at different bugs.”
Lily Cason, a youth education coordinator with the Snohomish Conservation District, praised him in a letter of support for his award, stating, “he often goes above and beyond to support the students and community of Monroe… This kind of partnership helps us to better communicate with students about real-world applications of science, the ways humans interact with the environment and also to make connections to career skills that they could someday use.”
He planted more than 10,000 willow stakes in the 9-acre Foothills Wetlands Preserve in Monroe, which he said has been a highlight of his career.
Another project he felt honored to participate in was a class targeted to reach the Hispanic population in Monroe called Jardinería con un Propósito, or Gardening with a Purpose.
Recently he has worked to restore the native habitat for Al Borlin Park in Monroe while also helping to restore water quality at Lake Tye’s bioswale.
“This award is truly an honor and I am deeply humbled to receive it. I have the utmost respect for the Snohomish Conservation District and value all the work that they do,” he said.
This year, Bertrand has worked with Monroe schools to ensure youth are getting the proper education needed to preserve the local environment. For example, he has taken data that he has researched on what is in the water and has shared it with students so they can become aware of the contents.
Another example is when he invited members of the education team to shadow him on his water quality sampling job so they could understand through a first-hand account of what goes into safeguarding our water.
Bertrand continues to push students to strive for careers in environmental service.
“He’s insisting our youth get into environmental careers,” Riley said.
“My passion for preserving the greater Snohomish County and honest belief that restoration is paramount over deforestation has made the past decade in my current position some of the most rewarding work I have ever been able to complete in my life,” Bertrand
said.
