Salmon Public Outreach and Education 2018

The CTUIR continues 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 is being accomplished by utilizing traditional, ecological and cultural knowledge and science to inform the public and tribal members about population and habitat management goals and actions and natural resource policies and regulatory mechanisms.



This iteration of this multi-year project supported three different categories of public outreach events, with these funds being primarily used for activities that occurred during 2022.



Specific activities by worksite were as follows:



1) Return to the River Event



PCSRF funding was used for salary for the planning and coordination to support the Return to the River Salmon Festival. The CTUIR completed the festival in partnership with the WWCC’s William A. Grant Water and Environmental Center in May of 2022. The festival celebrated the return of the spring chinook to the Walla Walla River after being extinct for more than 80 years. The event assisted with educating the local community on how the CTUIR and other partnering agencies worked together to restore salmon populations and First Foods habitat and natural resources within the Walla Walla Valley and surrounding areas.



The event hosted over 40 informational booths where DNR programs and partners showcased fisheries restoration and recovery projects to restore salmon and wildlife habitat and aquatic species in the Walla Walla Basin. Festival booth presenters informed the public about unique

projects, future needs, success of restoring salmon and the required

ongoing monitoring of salmon.



2) Salmon Expedition Presentation Series



CTUIR provided outreach activities in the Walla Walla, Umatilla, Columbia, and Snake River Watersheds, the CTUIR ceded lands and usual and accustomed areas. Efforts focused on providing public education and outreach to the public, local schools, higher education institutes and state and federal government and private organizations. Participants learned the importance of the CTUIR’s efforts to protect, preserve and restore aquatic and First Food resources. Participants also learn how they impact the ecosystems and how they are able to help by making responsible choices by respecting the environment around them. CTUIR provided professional presentations to the local community, surrounding businesses, and state and federal organizations upon request. Some presentations include a presentation, handson activities related to an on-going CTUIR project or a First Foods related field tour including aquatic and First Foods related service-learning projects. CTUIR staff also provided guided field tours of successful CTUIR project areas.



3) First Food Use and Access Project



The First Foods Access and Use excursions provided outreach to the CTUIR tribal community. The project has successfully provided multiple First Food excursions on the UIR and the CTUIR ceded land base. Tribal community members learned about traditional foods, gathering areas, the

food order, and diversity of available resources across the landscape. Project leaders also provided informative presentations and discussions on-site related to restoration projects by all the DNR programs and the interconnections those projects have.



First Foods excursions are the result of the information gathered during the First Foods forums, tribal member interests and resource availability. Short presentations were given at the beginning of each field excursion discussing the project and the history of CTUIR’s First Foods resources. The excursions followed the seasonal round and availability of each resource. Fund

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.