It's the most wonderful time of the year... salmon spawning in the Rogue River! There are excellent opportunities through local organizations to learn about salmon if you are interested. Check out upcoming “Salmon Walks” with Rogue Riverkeeper on their website— including one with RRWC staff on October 28th along Bear Creek in Talent!
Another amazing program in the Rogue Basin is called Salmon Watch; this program teaches students about watershed health and the importance of riparian areas, water quality, macroinvertebrate populations, and other factors important to our native salmon and other aquatic species. The Rogue Basin Salmon Watch program hosts field trips for students on local creeks and rivers in the Fall when both the Spring and Fall Chinook are present. Local experts, including professional fish biologists, hydrologists, botanists, and educators, participate in the program and share their knowledge and experience by teaching programs at the field days. Program coordination is provided by the Rogue Valley Council of Governments (RVCOG) Natural Resources Department and Rogue Valley Sewer Services (RVSS).
Sights from a salmon watch event in the spring!
RRWC staff have acted as instructors for this program for many years, and as the Community Engagement Project Manager, I have been lending a hand at field trips whenever possible. Students of all ages are excited to spend the day with us to learn and splash in the water. The macroinvertebrate station gives students the chance to learn by dancing, collecting bugs, identifying their catch, and discovering the information that can be gained from the presence of certain species. The riparian walk introduces concepts of floodplain health, groundwater, erosion, and human influence on river systems. At the water quality station, students learn about what salmon need to survive from a water chemistry lens. Lastly, the most hated or loved station, salmon dissection. Students have the chance to learn from a fish biologist about scales, gills, internal organs & functions, and their life cycle. By the end of the day, students are salmon ambassadors (often the chaperones are too).
Views from the macroinvertebrate station at McGregor Park
There are many opportunities for adults to learn and help the plight of salmon. For example, Bear Creek Stewards host clean up days. The 2024 National Clean Up Day was September 21st, and there were 9 stations where volunteers could participate. Just under 100 volunteers collected nearly 1500 pounds of trash and removed 33,000 square feet of invasive species. Rogue River Watershed Council once again hosted the Coyote Trails Nature Center check-in location for Bear Creek Stewardship Day. It was a beautiful morning for making a difference in our community. Volunteers picked up trash from the Bear Creek Greenway and tended the native pollinator garden at the Coyote Trails Nature Center. Joining us at the event were volunteers from Bear Creek Golf Center, Bee City USA-Medford, and Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District. We even had a little visitor check out the work— one family found this beautiful monarch caterpillar! Remember, little actions make a big impact!
Group Photo Credit: Jesse Ward, Bear Creek Golf Center, Monarch Caterpillar Photo Credit: Brooke Nuckles, Bee City USA-Medford
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