This past Saturday marked a big milestone for Salmon Watch 2014 and in my role as a new staff member– we hosted our first training session of our 2014 program season. This was a full day of training and preparation for teachers new to the Salmon Watch program. We were fortunate enough to spend a gorgeous day at BLM’s Wildwood Recreation site, close to Mt. Hood National Forest. Using the aptly named Salmon River shelter as our home base for the daylong training, we were able to take refuge from the many families and dogs that populated the park throughout the day.
I was asked to help facilitate a few aspects of the training. It was exciting to see the components I had helped to plan and coordinate come to life. While the day proved to be filled with instructive sessions and valuable learning experiences, we didn’t neglect to include some fun icebreakers and as a result, shared many laughs throughout the day.
Starting out the day with a widely cherished icebreaker, each new teacher was slapped on the back with a picture of an animal present in river ecosystems and had 20 questions to guess their critter. From a furry bunny rabbit to a Banana slug to a preying Osprey, it is continually astonishing to me to consider the complex ecological interconnections of organisms that are all vital to one another’s existence. This has implications for wild salmon, namely that revitalizing these populations does not have one simple solution. It involves the health and well-being of the riparian areas surrounding the spawning streams, to the aquatic insects that juvenile salmon feed on for nourishment, as well as the temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH levels of the stream itself, and much more. These major components are included on Salmon Watch field trips to communicate to students the intricacies of healthy salmon habitats.
These topics were expertly communicated at rotating stations throughout the training day by our knowledgeable trainers. The teachers in training wholeheartedly embraced the tasks at hand. Donning rubber boots to hunt down macroinvertebrates, there was much excitement among one group when a feisty crayfish made it into the net. Determining water quality encouraged much teamwork and cooperation, and the riparian station produced artistic renderings of streamside flora and fauna.
Other notable moments of the training included a nature awareness and tracking introduction by the Executive Director of Cascadia Wild, Teri Lysak. Our group no doubt looked questionable from afar, as one activity required pairs of participants leading one blindfolded person across a clearing to touch a chosen tree, forcing us to rely on our other senses quite like other animals do.
The day ended on an exciting note when a portly red-legged frog made his way into the shelter to listen to our closing remarks. It appeared that he wanted to see what Salmon Watch is all about. Our program certainly serves his interests too– by educating students about protecting wild salmon habitat, we are also advocating for his home. Amphibians breathe through their skin and as such, are particularly sensitive to toxins. Thus a healthy habitat is crucial for the survival of these creatures, a concept not dissimilar to wild salmon. It was a very appropriate reminder at the end of full day of training.
Salmon Watch 2014 is off to a swimmingly great start!
Recent Comments