Our Approach

The life of a project

From first visit to returning salmon.

1. Finding the siteA landowner tells us about a stream on their property, or we identify a site where a fish passage barrier or a bare, eroding bank is holding salmon back.
2. Site assessmentOur project managers walk the site, usually with the landowner, to see what the stream needs: shade along the banks, an open channel, spawning gravel, or all of the above.
3. Design and permittingInstream projects are engineered and permitted before any work begins. Riparian projects get a planting plan matched to the site and the season.
4. ConstructionOur professional crew handles the heavy work: fixing broken culverts or replacing them with bridges, installing large woody debris (LWD, whole trees and root wads that create the rearing and spawning habitat salmon need), and adding spawning gravel.
5. PlantingVolunteers plant native trees and shrubs at Saturday work parties, restoring the shaded banks that keep the water clean, cold, and clear. Students plant too, through our Students for Salmon program.
6. Monitoring and maintenanceWe return for years afterward to weed, replant, and watch for salmon using the site. We care for and monitor riparian projects across Whatcom County for years after the planting is done.