Wednesday, October 28, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
RESTORATION: Project
is collaboration of
many agencies
Continued from page 3
opportunity to demonstrate
the diversity of great organi-
zations working to ensure that
all Oregonians have opportu-
nities to enjoy our state9s fish,
wildlife and outdoor recre-
ational areas across the state.=
Funding for the project
also came from Pacific Gas
and Electric through their
Pelton Dam Fund which sup-
ports conservation, water
quality and promotes fish
passage and improved habi-
tats for fish above the dam.
Because Link Creek runs
through public and pri-
vate land, funding was split
between Trout Unlimited and
the Forest Service, who will
be involved in the restoration
work.
Nate Dachtler, a fisher-
ies biologist with Deschutes
National Forest9s Sisters
Ranger District, will focus
on a large wood restora-
tion project. Trees provide
cover and slow-water rearing
areas for fish. He9ll be work-
ing with Trout Unlimited9s
Pacific Northwest Education
Coordinator Darek Staab, and
Caldera Arts9 Youth Program
Director Karena Salmond.
<It9s nice to have all
these different people from
so many agencies working
together. That9s really great,=
said Dachtler.
Work on Link Creek
began in 1997 when a sur-
vey was done and data was
collected.
<We found there was little
wood on Link Creek back
then,= said Dachtler. <You
could tell the previous own-
ers had logged along the
creek and cut the bigger trees.
When a tree died they took it
for firewood so trees couldn9t
fall in and serve as habitat
for fish. I began talking to
Caldera folks and told them
what we found and we9d like
to do a project to increase
the wood and stream for fish
habitat. They9ve been great
partners on the project.=
With forest fires devas-
tating areas and taking away
team members who would
have been working on Link
Creek restoration, the time-
line for the project has been
pushed back to next year.
In the meantime, Staab and
Salmond have been work-
ing on online virtual field
trips for students. It9s their
hope that students unable to
attend Caldera Arts9 sum-
mer programs and local stu-
dents who9ve been learning
from home will still be able
to learn from the restoration
plan and eventually walk
along Link Creek and help
with projects now slated for
next spring and summer.
<I9m excited given that
Caldera has an environmental
and arts focus. We9re finding
more ways to promote inte-
gration through the project
and connecting creativity and
art,= said Salmond. <There9s
so many possibilities. I9m
looking forward to doing
things in person to fulfill the
project9s potential.=
Staab was able to do
one fieldtrip to the site with
students from Black Butte
School in Camp Sherman.
Students toured Link Creek
to see areas that haven9t had
wood placed in them yet, and
then saw a site where wood
had been placed.
<They saw what the log
structures looked like and
observed kokanee salmon
using the habitat,= said Staab.
Wo r k i n g f o r Tr o u t
Unlimited, Staab9s emphasis
is on education and the res-
toration of cold-water fisher-
ies. Staab created two virtual
experiences that inspire and
engage students.
<We wanted kids to feel
like they were there in per-
son,= said Staab.
Along with students, the
other big winners from the
project are the fish. Suttle
Lake has one of only two pop-
ulations of sockeye salmon in
the state of Oregon. It is the
only run considered recov-
erable. They went extinct in
the 1930s and 940s due to
dams. Sockeye salmon are
being reintroduced. Chinook
salmon used to be in Link
Creek and will benefit as well
as kokanee which are a land-
locked sockeye. According to
Dachtler, there9s a potential
for bull trout to benefit too.
<They9ve been docu-
mented in Suttle Lake but
not in Link Creek,= he said.
<In the last 15 years we9ve
been working on fish pas-
sage up to Suttle Lake by
removing dams and build-
ing natural streams simula-
tion over the dams. Now fish
can get up there from the
Metolius.=
Pajutee is hoping people
will participate in the fund-
raising campaign and donate
$10 each.
<It9s a great chance for all
of us including hikers, bik-
ers, bird watchers, and nature
lovers to demonstrate we care
about our natural places and
creatures and are willing to
help support improvements
so we can all enjoy being
outside more often,= said
Pajutee.
With funding diminishing
for the Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife, the
effort can show state legisla-
tors that Oregonians are will-
ing to invest in habitats and
access to nature that can pro-
vide comfort during difficult
times.
A sincere
THANK YOU
to our fi refi ghters from all of us at
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PHOTO BY DAREK STAAB
A restoration project at Link Creek near Suttle Lake will reintroduce wood
debris for fish habitat.
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