When you see a fish jump, it’s for joy

Chinook salmon are perhaps the most iconic wildlife species of the Pacific Northwest. Whether it’s the commercial fishing industry dependent on them, the nutrients from their carcasses that help floodplain trees grow three times faster, or the gathering of indigenous communities for seasonal salmon feasts, these fish are deep in the lifeblood of this region.

But throughout their native range, Chinook population numbers are critically low. Across Oregon, Trout Unlimited, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of freshwater streams and associated habitats for salmon, is working to reverse this trend.

Trout Unlimited’s restoration project in the Grande Ronde Basin created a high-quality Chinook habitat and developed the next generation of environmental leaders. The restoration used low-tech, low-cost techniques. Projects like these are an important step in the process of bringing salmon and their habitats back to health.

Thanks to PGE Habitat Support customers and others, Trout Unlimited accomplished this project and engaged U.S. Veterans and students in on-the-ground natural resource education and stewardship.

Through funds provided to The Nature Conservancy of Oregon, PGE Habitat Support customers help with many restoration projects. Below are a few examples:

You can help with local habitat restoration projects like these by adding Habitat Support for $2.50 a month. Just log into your PGE account.

Trout Unlimited crews mimic beaver activity to restore Sheep Creek in the Upper Grande Ronde. Photo credit: Catalina Burch, Trout Unlimited