by Bob Carey, Director of Strategic Partnerships
I recently volunteered on a restoration project up near Marblemount along the upper Skagit River, about 75 miles from Puget Sound.
After the restoration work was done, I bushwacked into a nearby slough, knowing it was a place salmon spawned—and boy was it!! Over the next hour or so I saw thousands of spawning and spawned out pink salmon…as well as lots of bear sign, who had obviously been enjoying a feast.
It was amazing to see such a display of life unfolding—a generation of salmon not only spawning the next generation of salmon, but feeding a myriad of other species of fish, wildlife, plants and people.
Someone wittier than I one said, “the Pacific Northwest runs on salmon”. Salmon have enabled Indigenous peoples to thrive in this region since time immemorial. Salmon die after they spawn and their decaying bodies drive the aquatic food web. Scientists have documented 137 species of wildlife that feed on them. And if that’s not enough, bear, other wildlife and floods spread the salmon carcasses—and the tons of nutrients they accumulated in the ocean—across the forest floor. The nutrient-rich salmon carcasses literally feed the trees that, in turn, protect and cleanse the waters on which their children and future generations depend. It is one huge, reciprocal web of life; so much in the Pacific Northwest is depending on them!
I’ve seen this phenomenon before. But every time I do my heart and soul are filled in wonder and respect of this intertwined, life-giving system.
And it was a reminder of the value of our work: it’s the kind of habitat and natural abundance we’re trying to protect and restore around the state.
Banner photo by Bridget Besaw
The way of connection is revealed by water—snowy summits melting, forging rivers, winding streams and cutting wetlands to spill over a salty edge. Join Dr. Emily Howe, Ecologist of Aquatic Environments for TNC Washington, as she poetically details the interconnectedness of a watershed.
The 2023 Legislative Session in Olympia saw some major achievements for nature and people: investments in improving air quality, natural climate solutions, curbing greenhouse gas emissions, and better long-term resiliency planning. A big thanks to our staff who dedicated their efforts to our priorities.
It has been 50 years since the Clean Water Act was passed and while substantial progress has been made for the health of waterways, people, and the planet there is still more work to do. Green infrastructure such as bioswales and rain gardens are one tool that can help the Puget Sound region support people and Salmon.
We are thankful to have many environmental advocates in the Washington state Legislature, but with limited time, we’re calling on leadership to ensure climate, wildlife, and our lands aren’t sidelined as we make it over the finish line.
Investments that recognize the role farmers have in restoring our lands will provide an all encompassing approach to reaching our climate and habitat goals.
From riparian restoration projects, fish passage barrier removal and watershed health, to program assessments and green infrastructure projects, proposed investments for salmon health are broad in their impact, and deserve support in the Legislature.
This year, the Washington state Legislature has the opportunity to pass funding to build green stormwater infrastructure under the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge in downtown Seattle, the busiest freeway corridor in the state.
Read about two major ways the Legislature can help salmon recovery efforts this year, and how you can help make it happen!
Our Director of Strategic Partnerships, Bob Carey, shares a moment of solitude and deep appreciation for salmon on the upper Skagit River.
The US Senate passed a major infrastructure package today, setting the stage for game-changing investments in habitat restoration, healthy watersheds, salmon recovery, forest resilience, and much more.