Just a few weeks ago, we found ourselves in the heart of Fortuna, California, soaking up the knowledge and camaraderie at the 40th Annual Salmonid Restoration Federation (SRF) Conference. CalTrout staff members were thrilled to be part of the bustling crowd of fellow scientists, conservationists, and policy-makers, all equally passionate about the world of aquatic conservation.
The conference kick-started with 2 days full of immersive workshops and exciting field tours. This was followed by a half-day plenary session that delved into the many intricacies of the Klamath River. (We highly recommend watching the talks from that session here.) The subsequent day and a half were packed with technical, biological, and policy-related concurrent sessions.
Among the wealth of insightful sessions, a few stood out. Workshops on the latest restoration techniques, symposiums on cutting-edge salmonid genetics research, and policy discussions were all a nod to the adaptability and resilience needed in the face of environmental challenges. These themes resonate deeply with CalTrout’s mission to safeguard California’s native salmonid populations. We left these sessions with a renewed sense of purpose and a wealth of actionable insights to incorporate into our future strategies.
The conference also served as an ideal stage for networking and idea exchange with a dedicated bunch of professionals. Our brains are still buzzing with the lively discussions and debates that marked these interactions.
CalTrout co-hosted tours of our restoration projects on Redwood Creek, Prairie Creek, and the Elk River watershed, with our North Coast team out there leading the way. CalTrout’s Field Reporter, Mike Wier, was on the ground to capture the action. Here’s Mike with his top three highlights from the conference:
- Redwood Creek Estuary and Prairie Creek Field Tour: “The way Redwood Creek estuary and the beach reacted to the harsh winter was simply awe-inspiring. The beach was covered with driftwood from the storm surges, and the mouth of Salt Creek had to be dredged to prevent a flood. But witnessing the scale of restoration on the Prairie Creek mill site, knowing its importance to salmon and steelhead recovery, and sharing this experience with over 50 colleagues was just remarkable.”
- Opening Session: “The conference started strong with engaging talks, especially by Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy, a Hoopa Tribal member. Her talk, ‘Why We Fish: Decolonizing Salmon Rhetoric and Governance for Climate Resilient Futures’, really struck a chord. It made us ponder the importance of asking nature’s permission when we want to do something that will affect it.”
- Closing Banquet Awards Ceremony: “The cherry on top was watching my CalTrout colleague Mary Burke receive the Golden Pipe Award. Seeing the Mad River Estuary Restoration project completed and the community already taking advantage of the improved outdoor recreation was truly special.”
A huge shoutout to Mary Burke, recipient of the 2023 SRF Golden Pipe Award! This award is a nod to the innovators in salmon restoration, and Mary had a few words to share:
“I am deeply honored to receive the Golden Pipe Award for Innovation at the 2023 Salmonid Restoration Federation Conference. As my work centers around building teams to reach agreement and take action, I believe this award is a recognition of the importance of collaboration. To receive this award during a conference where the plenary included keynote presentations from Amy Cordalis, Keith Parker, and Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy, I can see that our community is ready to elevate diverse and historically marginalized voices, work to find agreement, allow different questions to guide our direction, and build the future we all deserve.”
Looking back, the SRF Conference was a reminder of the collective effort needed to restore and maintain the health of our salmonid populations. Here’s to SRF for their 40 years of unwavering commitment and for creating this vital platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Photos by Mike Wier.
