Nisqually Stream Stewardsby Jeanette Dorner Folks in the Nisqually River watershed are beginning to work together to protect and improve the health of their local streams and improve salmon habitat through a new program called the Nisqually Stream Stewards. The program is working to teach people in the Nisqually watershed about healthy streams and salmon habitat while helping them t o become involved in activities that help monitor and improve the health of the streams in their backyards. Volunteers are planting native trees to restore streamside vegetation, maintaining existing plantings to make sure the trees grow and survive, monitoring stream insects as an indicator of stream health, and will help return salmon carcasses to the headwaters of some local streams later this winter. The program was founded earlier this year by the Nisqually Tribe in cooperation with the Nisqually River Council, using federal salmon recovery funding. The goal of the program is to support and expand a culture of local stewardship for streams and salmon habitat. There are many folks living in the watershed that are interested in getting involved but may lack the tools to learn how and where they can help. Through the Nisqually Stream Stewards program, people can learn about what makes streams healthy while volunteering their time to help. This program is very similar to programs such as the Thurston County Regional Stream Teams or the Pierce County Stream Team. Earlier this year, students involved in the Nisqually River Education Project helped to plant native trees and shrubs along three different Nisqually streams. Volunteers have been working all summer, removing invasive plants that might outcompete the native plants and making sure the trees have enough water to survive their first hot summer. More plantings are planned for this fall and next spring at new sites. In September, volunteers will be collecting stream insects that can be used to evaluate stream health. Scientists have developed an index for Puget Sound lowland streams that lists what species of stream insects are associated with healthy streams and what species are associated with degraded streams. Comparing a list of collected insects to the index is a useful indicator of the health of a particular stream. Later in the winter, adult volunteers and students will help return salmon carcasses to Nisqually streams. Recent research has shown the tremendous value of salmon carcasses for stream health and salmon habitat. Salmon returning from the ocean bring with them marine nutrients. Once they spawn and die, those nutrients help to feed stream insects and other wildlife. Those insects are then eaten by the young salmon. Researchers have even discovered that the marine nutrients are taken up by streamside vegetation. This supply of marine nutrients has dwindled as salmon populations have declined, and not as many are able to return to streams and spawn. It is important to start placing salmon carcasses back into some of these streams to restart the nutrient cycling process. Research has shown it will help improve stream health as well as improve the habitat for young salmon. The Nisqually Stream Stewards is always looking for additional volunteers and new sites where we can monitor and restore stream health in the Nisqually watershed. For more information about the program contact Jeanette Dorner at (360) 438-8687 or e-mail her at jdorner@nwifc.wa.gov. Jeanette Dorner is the Nisqually Stream Stewards coordinator.
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