Salmon Public Outreach & Education 2014

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), Department of Natural Resources (DNR) provided education and outreach on their mission to protect, restore, and enhance the tribe’s First Foods which include Water, Salmon, Deer, Roots, and Berries. This goal was accomplished through three main events: Make a Splash: Salmon Expedition Series, First Foods Festival and Race and the Return to the River event focusing on fisheries related topics to successfully educate and inform the general public. These funds supported activities that occurred during 2016 and 2017.

The CTUIR education outreach coordinator was successful in reaching out to over 2,000 students and 962 adults through the three events, six workshops and presentations at 13 area schools. There were 130 volunteers that participated in throughout the events. 1,152 flyers were created and distributed for the First Foods Festival, along with a radio ad advertising the event and 1,000 flyers and a radio ad was broadcasted done for the Return to the River festival.

1) Make a Splash: SALMON EXPEDITION SERIES
The annual Salmon Expedition occurred in May 2017 in partnership with the Walla Walla Community College’s (WWCC) William A. Grant Water and Environmental Center as co-host. The event performed outreach to over 750 Southeastern Washington and Northeastern Oregon residents and students, focusing on the natural resources and salmon within the Tribes ceded homeland and traditional use areas.

Funds supported event expenses, transportation, and supply costs. The event invited students from several school districts, mainly from the 5th grade. Hands-on actives from natural resources professional presentations, activities and guided field tours focused on the importance of sustaining healthy water for fishery production and harvest, for wildlife, domestic animals, people, crops, agricultural, and industrial users. They also taught about the obstacles and challenges that migrating salmon face throughout their entire lives. Teachers distributed related materials in the classroom before and after the event. The CTUIR staff visited 13 schools and presented to 1,240 students. Six workshops for the general public received 1,962 participants.

2) First Foods Festival and Race
The First Foods Festival was held on 8/13/16 at the Tribes July Celebration Grounds. The event showcased DNR’s First foods mission and goals and promotes natural resources, ecological connections, wellness and focuses on public education. Information booths of partners and outside organizations included cooperating agencies and landowners. 1,152 Salmon Walk flyers were created and distributed and a radio advertisement for the event was broadcasted prior to the event. It was estimated that there were 500 participants at the event, which was an increase of ~100 from 2014. The event showcased migratory salmon, restoration efforts and DNR’s efforts and the tribe’s partnership throughout its Ceded territories and beyond.

3) Return to the River
The Return to the River Salmon Festival was held in May 2016 in partnership with the Walla Walla Community College and the William A. Grant Water and Environmental Center. This event celebrated salmon recovery efforts and the return of the spring chinook to the Walla Walla River after being extinct for more than 80 years. The event showcased the partnerships between the CTUIR and the irrigation districts and individual landowners and their collaborative efforts to improve fish passage and habitat and restore instream flows to the river’s ecosystem. The festival also celebrated the work within the Walla Walla Valley and demonstrate how important the Walla Walla River is to the Tribes and their dedication to restoring the rivers ecological function necessary to sustain the First Foods. 1,000 Return to the River flyers were created and a radio ad was run before the event. There were around 500 participants.

Benefits to Target Salmon Species:
Species that would benefit from CTUIR DNR outreach program include federally ESA listed summer steelhead and bull trout, reintroduced spring Chinook and Pacific lamprey, as well as inland redband trout and margined sculpin, listed as vulnerable under Oregon’s Sensitive Species rule. By educating the public about ESA species there will be gained support for habitat restoration projects and fish protection. Through education outreach efforts within the schools students return home and share information with parents and family. This sharing of information supports restoration efforts by making other become aware of what their children are learning and hear about their natural environment. Be conduction education outreach the tribe gaining public support and works to create stronger partnerships for salmon restoration and to continue to create future projects.