Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Funds (PCSRF) are crucial to driving salmon recovery forward in our community. Conservation Partnership members and many others use these funds to restore and protect crucial salmon habitats that support a vibrant restoration economy, recreational fishing, and commercial fishing. PCSRF also supports projects that benefit farms and ranches in Eastern Oregon, such as improvements to irrigation that save farmers and ranchers on energy and water use. PCSRF provides critical federal matching dollars to Oregon’s state salmon dollars, which come largely from the Oregon Lottery and salmon license plates.
Eric Williams, OWEB grant program manager, emphasizes in a quote in this East Oregonian article that “The program solicits a broad range of water quality and habitat projects for species protection. It’s an awesome way to leverage dollars and make the money go so much further.” These funds in combination lead to on-the ground success. For example, Wheeler SWCD District Manager Chase Schultz describes one of their successful projects where a beaver dam analog* helped restore a side channel of the Lower John Day “from solid try to completely wetted” within a month.
Read the East Oregonian article here: “National Marine Fisheries Service Grants $15 million for salmon habitat” (Katy Nesbitt)
Other articles:
- “Oregon brings home $15 million for salmon” (North Coast Citizen)
- “Oregon Snares More Federal Money for Salmon Recovery” (The Jefferson Exchange Team, Jefferson Public Radio)
*For conservationists and partners wanting to learn more about beaver dam analogs, we have a webinar for you! You can find it in the 2019 section the Conservation Partnerships webinar archive.
