IS
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Kelly Doerksen stands next to one of
the two "bottomless" culverts in
Agency Creek that were replaced in
1998. Notice how easily the water
flows through the new arched design.
show respect, because their existence
hinged on the fish's existence. These
are the values we should be teach
ing our children. All animals, in
cluding us, are dependent on each
other for life."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Since last month's listing by the
National Marine Fisheries Service,
much attention has been paid to the
urban dweller and how much av
erage citizens may have to change
their way of living to protect these
salmon and steelhead trout. For ex
ample, people living in Portland and
surrounding suburbs, as well as
other areas in the populated Wil
lamette Valley, may now be limited
in their use of water and may be fac
ing an increase in taxes that will pay
for water improvements. No other
endangered species listing has ever
had this kind of a potential impact
on city residents.
And the Grand Ronde Tribe, lo
cated in both Polk and Yamhill coun
ties, has already played an impor
tant role in improving the rivers,
and acknowledges the need to help
improve all affected areas in Oregon.
Last year, the Tribe's Spirit Moun
tain Community Fund provided
funding for a stream enhancement
project on the South Fork of the Yam
hill River. Working with the youth
from the Salmon Corps, and volun
teers from Stop Oregon Litter and
Vandalism (SOLV), Doerksen and
Feehan helped out on that project:
"When different groups come to
gether like that," Doerksen said, "it
really helps educate people. If ev
eryone took responsibility for 50 or
100 yards of a river, we really would
be repairing them." f
Part of the Yamhill project included
clearing away debris and planting
trees along the river banks.
Last month, Council Chair Kath
ryn Harrison gave opening com
ments, following a blessing by Travis
Benoist, at the Willamette Mission
State Park stream restoration project
sponsored in part by the Tribe. At
Willamette Mission, 300 volunteers
planted more than 5,000 trees and
shrubs along a one-mile riparian
zone to reduce stream stilting and
provide shade to a level needed by
salmon and steelhead.
But the Tribe is about to do some
thing even bigger. The Grand Ronde
Tribe has recently announced it will
join forces with local governments to
restore salmon and steelhead runs
throughout the Willamette Basin.
This partnership includes the cities
of Portland and Gresham, Washing
ton and Clackamas counties, and
private business partners such as
Intel, Tektronix, the Port of Port
land, Portland General Electric, and
Weyerhaeuser. The Spirit Mountain
Community Fund has committed
$150,000 to this project, which has
been named "Team Up! For Water
shed Health," and will be carried out
over a three-year period.
Although not part of the reserva
tion as it exists today, these areas are
still Grand Ronde ancestral home
lands. June Olson said that this is
why the Tribe has an interest in
helping Oregon agencies improve
fish populations in the Willamette
and Columbia. : ,
- -"Historically, Native people never
had a concept of private property or
boundary laws," she said. "They
fished and hunted where food was
plentiful. Today those laws exist.
But our interest remains in protect
ing the whole length of the river, not
just the part that flows through the
reservation."
Confederated Tribes of the Grand
Ronde Community of Oregon
9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347
879-5211 800-422-0232
www.grandronde.org
Smoke Signals
Tracy Dugan, Editor
Kim Mueller, Graphics
Oscar Johnson, Reporter
Questions?
Contact the Tribe's Natural Resources
department by calling 800-422-0232
or 503-879-2381.
The Fish and Wildlife Committee meets
the second Tuesday of every month.
Tribal members are welcome.
Call Lonnie Leno, Chair, at 879-2405.
Many of the things we do in our daily lives can affect our watersheds. We must be
willing to do what we can to minimize degradation of waterways.
Always use water wisely. Minimize water waste.
Support riparian restoration projects.
Work to protect existing wetlands.
Avoid using or minimize the use of herbicides, fertilizer, and insecticides.
Support the use of environmentally safe products.
Involve yourself in local conservation efforts. A wide variety of organizations
exist, and focus on different natural resource issues. Call one you are
. interested in . and find put how.you can. help,. ,1 ,