Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement (LCFEG)

Restoration Program: The ultimate goal of our restoration work is to help recover ESA-listed salmon and steelhead by increasing their productivity through enhancement of rearing and spawning habitat. We improve riparian areas through installation of diverse native plant species, remove man made barriers to fish passage, restore natural hydrological and ecological function to rivers and floodplains, and disperse fish carcasses for nutrient enhancement in several local watersheds.

Community Engagement: We work with volunteers from a number of community organizations to pot and plant trees, enhance salmon nutrients, and remove invasive plants. We also work with large and small landowners to help them restore stream and riparian habitat conditions. Our two main education programs are Seeds to Salmon and Hope for Salmon. Hope for Salmon provides hands-on learning opportunities that encourage teens to become better salmon and watershed stewards. Lessons include guided experiments on watershed and river models, water and soil quality testing, native and invasive plant species identification, salmon life cycle, and macro-invertebrate identification. The Seeds to Salmon program is currently being implemented at 3 Clark County high schools. Seeds to Salmon promotes hands-on native plant propagation skills and increases plant availability for restoration projects, all in the context of teaching students about the interdependency of salmon and healthy watersheds. Students also learn about the restoration field and careers in conservation.