Salmon Public Outreach and Education 2018

The CTUIR proposes to continue to support conservation efforts through public education and outreach about its First Foods management mission. The mission guides the tribe to protect, restore and enhance their First Foods for perpetual cultural, economic and sovereign tribal benefit. This goal will be accomplished by utilizing traditional, ecological and cultural knowledge and science to inform the public about population and habitat management goals and actions and natural resource policies and regulatory mechanisms. CTUIR proposes to host two educational events and a series of excursions. Each event and excursion series will include an educational component to inform the public about the ecological connections to the First Foods and aquatic species around them. Participants will learn how the CTUIR is working toward protecting, enhancing and restoring these important resources and how it pertains to them. These funds will used for activities 2022-2023.





Specific activities by worksite are as follows:





1) Make a Splash: Salmon Expedition Series



This series is held in partnership with the Walla Walla Community College. The series will host around eight hundred 5th/6th grade students from regional schools beginning in March 2021. Students will be given a unique opportunity to attend an entire field day to participate in hands-on outdoor learning. Students will learn about importance of conservation practices, environmental topics such as salmon life cycles, water quality, habitat restoration and natural resources education from local experts from multiple agencies. The Tribe also incorporates the importance of tribal culture, language, connection to place, and restoration philosophies. The Salmon Expedition events continue throughout the year, including multiple small presentations that span the Walla, Umatilla, Columbia and Snake Watersheds within the CTUIR ceded territory. The smaller presentations focus on students of all ages and include professional presentations from our natural resources staff.





2) Return to the River



The Return to the River Salmon Festival is held in partnership with the Walla Walla Community College. The event is scheduled for May 2021. This event celebrates 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 showcases the partnerships between the CTUIR and the Irrigation districts and individual landowners. All partners will teach participants about the efforts to improve fish passage and habitat and restore instream flows to the river’s ecosystem. This event includes a watershed symposium on salmon recovery within the Basin, the CTUIR’s First Foods cultural approach to management of natural resources and other related topics. The public will learn about topics such as the life cycle of salmon, lamprey and mussel and restoration efforts in the Mill Creek and neighboring tributaries.





3) CTUIR First Food Use and Access Project



We propose to increase our educational outreach efforts to coordinate community monthly excursions to First Food gathering areas, including salmon, on the Umatilla Reservation and aboriginal use areas. Participants will learn about tribal salmon restoration project work, and how to access and gather First Foods at appropriate sites. Participants will learn about First Food diversity, availability, gathering practices, and associated treaty rights associated with First Foods. CTUIR will apply the use of traditional ecological knowledge and language to promote traditional foods practices. This will be accomplished through forums, food gathering, DNR project field sit tours and workshops using First Foods information. CTUIR and partners will coordinate community excursion to gathering areas on the Umatilla Indian Reservation (UIR), ceded land base, and aboriginal

CTUIR public education and outreach efforts benefit reintroduction of ESA listed spring Chinook, Pacific lamprey, summer steelhead and bull trout as well as other vulnerable listed species (Oregon’s Sensitive Species rule): inland redband trout and margined sculpin. By educating the public about ESA listed and vulnerable species, there is increased public support for habitat restoration projects and fish protection. School students share information with parents and family as they learn about their natural environment thereby increasing public support and partnerships for future projects.