River Steward Southern Regional Gathering Recap

Southern Regional Gathering

June 2 - 4, 2017

This past week, we joined for our first Southern Regional Gathering near the Klamath River in Northern California. As our community of wild fish advocates continues to grow across the Northwest, these gatherings have been a cornerstone event for the program where we come together to meet one another in person, share stories, learn about each other's work and accomplishments, talk about our successes and challenges, and connect with the landscapes, rivers and fish that bring us together. He are a few photos from the weekend, and a big thank you to all of our presenters who came to teach us and connect us with the Klamath River and its fish.

Our small group was able to take a trip down to Seiad Creek and see some off channel habitat restoration work completed by National Marine Fisheries Service, Mid Klamath Watershed Council and the Karuk Tribe for threatened SONCC coho salmon, and the results were incredible. As the creek flowed by in one long riffle, without the slow pools coho salmon use for rearing, this off channel pond was restored in an old flood control berm with willows and grasses that was home to several hundred juvenile coho salmon.

River Steward Charles Gehr shared with us his recent victory advocating for suction dredge mining reform in Oregon. After years of work and trips from Ashland to Salem where he testified to committees and met with legislators, the Suction Dredge Reform Bill (SB3-A) has passed out of the Senate and House in Oregon and now heads to Governor Brown for her signature into law.

Redwoods Coast District Coordinator Samantha Kannry made the long trip up from the Van Duzen watershed to talk about her upcoming graduate work, where she will research the unique wild summer steelhead in the Van Duzen River.

River Stewards Jim Andras and his wife Rachel, joined with their two children from the Bear Creek watershed in southern Oregon.

We are thankful for our host, Klamath River Steward Ryan Allred, for the wonderful venue for our gathering.

He even found a little time to hop in a boat and connect with his homewaters.

Finally, thank you to NFS Executive Director Mark Sherwood for giving us a great presentation on the difference between Strategy and Tactics, incorporating words from the Patagonia Book, "Tools for Grassroots Activists", which has become a staple for the River Steward Program.