Restoring Salmon Habitat on the Hood Canal Watershed

Alexandra Ehrich | PNW Salmon Center, Belfair

In addition to Chinook, Coho, Pink and the occasional Sockeye, Hood Canal is home to Endangered Species Act listed Puget Sound steelhead and listed Summer Chum, the latter of which is a completely unique species to this watershed. Structurally mature and diverse streamside plant communities not only increase the likelihood that salmon will continue to survive for future generations, but that the entire ecosystem will remain resilient against the effects of a changing climate.

Riparian habitat is the transitional area between land and aquatic ecosystems; therefore, the work in this program mainly takes place along rivers, streams, wetlands and estuaries. These are critical habitats for salmon and steelhead where they are born and die, and where they grow strong for their journey out into the ocean. Riparian habitat provides essential services and functions for fish, such as food; clean, cold water; large woody debris recruitment; and habitat complexity.

Without these, our salmon and steelhead populations would cease to exist, along with hundreds of species, the culture, and economy that depends on their survival.

HCSEG’s riparian enhancement program serves to protect and restore these services and functions, which can be understood by 4 broad categories: provisioning - the production of food and water; regulating - the control of climate and disease; supporting - nutrient cycles and oxygen production; and cultural - spiritual and recreational benefits. Salmon are a keystone species and the foundation of our sacred Pacific Northwest culture, and we have been working hard to change the projection of their dismal fate through riparian enhancement and knotweed control.

The World Conservation Union lists invasive knotweed as one of the world’s worst 100 invasive alien species. Knotweed spreads aggressively along rivers establishing dense monocultures that reduce native riparian plant diversity, structure and function. Invasive plant species are the second greatest threat to global biological diversity, only second to habitat destruction. In 2020, HCSEG installed 11,000 native plants, restored 0.5 river miles and 9 acres of riparian habitat through new riparian plantings, and the survey and control of knotweed on over 40 stream miles.

The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group’s (HCSEG) riparian enhancement program focuses on restoring critical habitat for Hood Canal salmon and steelhead populations.

Volunteers organize new plants

In 2021, HCSEG plans to install 17,500 native plants, and restore 1 river mile and 15 acres of habitat through new riparian plantings. All of this work would not be possible without the outstanding help from our volunteer community and our Washington Conservations Corps crew.

If you would like to see this work for yourself, we have several public riparian enhancement worksites that you can visit: Big Beef Creek and Estuary (feel free to park at the gate and walk-in), Seabeck Creek (by the new bridge) and the Union River Estuary Preserve (at the Salmon Center). If you have questions about visiting these sites or would like more information about these projects, visit pnwsalmoncenter.org for a full list of staff contacts as well as project descriptions.

And while you’re there, consider signing up to join our community of volunteers! If we plan to install 17,500 native plants this year, we are going to need lots of environmental stewards helping us fight for the future of Pacific Northwest salmon and steelhead.

Is it a weed or is it knotweed?

Both are true. Knotweed was introduced to the US as an ornamental plant in the 1800s and is now all over the country. Found in wetlands, ditches, and disturbed areas, it forms colonies that crowd out native species.

Knotweed’s appearance changes dramatically through the seasons. In spring, red shoots appear, turning into green bamboo-like stems which grow up to 4 inches per day. By early summer knotweed is usually fully grown, shooting up to 10' in height. Knotweed is very difficult to control.

County Noxious Weed Control programs help to identify weeds and work with landowners in control noxious weeds. Visit nwcb.wa.gov for information on your local respresentaive.