Over the course of the last 10 years, I have investigated many of the issues related to our forests, public timberlands and private management. As a forest/eco-system photojournalist I have covered literally hundreds of thousands of miles of forestland in the United States & Canada and investigated many issues.

An area of intense controversy is that of endangered species, and most recently that has focused on salmon/coho/steelhead in the western states. Not surprisingly, this encompasses virtually all lands within these boundaries. Any area that has rain-water, drains into a lake, stream or river that contributes to a waterway that could contain or is reported to once have a resident population of anadromous fish, is affected. The problem, roughly stated, is that these types of fish populations are declining or have so diminished that the native "runs" are either gone or endangered. Everything of human origin has been blamed for their decline: dams, former logging practices, agricultural practices, industrial and commercial development, over fishing, etc.. A few have also included some of the obvious natural obstacles to fish survivability: El Nino in the Pacific (a warming phenomenon of water temperatures), huge increases in sea mammal populations due to the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the subsequent over-predation of juvenile and adult salmon, and increases in predation of salmonoids due to sea and coastal birds. Coupling these with the fact that since 1976 many fewer mature salmon are returning from the sea to spawn in rivers as adults.

Dr. Kaczynski and Dr. Palmisano, noted fisheries experts, have done some very interesting research on the decline of anadromous fish, particularly along the Pacific Coast and Columbia River systems. Dr. Kaczynski reported an 80% decline in returns of all Coho to hatcheries in SW Washington, Oregon and California, from 6.5% in 1975 down to only a 1.2% return in 97'. El Nino, has severely impacted many other fish species in the ocean food chain effecting the Pacific west coast as well.

Solutions that have been expressed run the gamut of plausibility. Suggestions from extremists, including powerful environmentalist lobbyists in D.C., and even members of various state fish & wildlife departments, are adamant that dams be eliminated along rivers. They don't care that the reason dams were put in was to provide flood control, irrigation to grow food and supply drinking water, and in the West, to supply power for all electricity. What is also surprising to me is that these "proponents of dam" removal are both ignorant of the costs of such removal and totally unconcerned about the consequences to those it would affect. It doesn't seem to bother them that the potential costs could be in the billions for removal and "restoration" of the river after the fact, per dam. (There are well over 300 dams in California, Oregon, Washington, Montana & Idaho. Not all supply power.)

Also, try to imagine life as we know it without power.... No electricity. Dams provide hydro-electric power in the west. There are some coal-fired power plants, a handful of oil-fired power plants and a few nuclear. (However, many of the nuclear plants are being phased out or mandated by public law to be closed.)

All of these drastic measures are based on the supposition that Dam removal, total control of land practices including; timber harvesting, cattle grazing, farming practices, water and sewage treatment facilities, and all other human activities including manufacturing and recreation, would make a significant difference.

There are many factors involved, however I found a statement by a noted fish biologist to be very profound..... "If the fish are not returning from the ocean, there is little we can do from the shoreline in, that will make much of a difference."

Obviously, a radical approach is not the answer. Unless we can control El Nino and ocean conditions, this may be a scenario that must run it's course. However, relief may be in sight. Oregon State climatologist Dr. George Taylor has reported a likelihood that we may be returning to a cooler, wetter climate (climate changes tend to run in cycles of 15-30 years or so). Also interesting, that these cooler temperatures coincide with increases in salmon populations. When we are warmer, Bristol Bay, Alaska is cooler & their salmon populations go up, and ours go down. When temperatures reverse, so do the salmon population cycles. Coincidence? Not so.... this related phenomenon has a recorded scientific basis.