I really love the term stream keeper and I believe everyone is capable. Restoring land and bodies of water and other places to gather is a way to commune together, this is special, just like the salmon in the putah river getting another chance to thrive. So, are salmon considered keystone species? I too have been inspired by Finding the Mother Trees book, so many connections that go unseen by our human eyes!
I loved this piece, especially your insight that the Streamkeeper's main function is keeping community .. and what a story about the impact of that gravel replacement!
Your citation of 'Finding the Mother Tree' inspired me to march to my bookshelf and pull down my 2-year-old un-read copy. But rather than immediately put it back in my current reading queue alongside the 4 other books I'm holding myself accountable to, I just gave it to my biology-degreed older daughter who is considering grad school options. She's a little hung up between marine biology and botany/forestry, and we've been working together on a plan to discern her next steps, so I just presented it to her as something that may help with her decision process.
And lastly it was a nice mood-booster today to know that my sharing of that Orion article found someone who would appreciate it as much as I did!
Again, wonderful work & glad to be connected with you here.
Exceptional piece! Thank you for sharing this. My father, since retirement some thirty years ago, spends his time as a volunteer for what is called Stream Team, in Arkansas. They go out to the creeks and streams, testing water quality, digging up the larvae and other creatures, measuring flow, clearing debris, all to bring health to these often neglected bodies of water. I’ve been able to join them on visits and love the serene curiosity-filled experience of helping the earth. Never sure who comes away more healed- the earth or me. And Finding the Mother Tree…. I adore this book! ❤️
I have a future story in mind about all the retirees that are saving the planet. Put your father in touch with me if you feel he'd want to participate in such a story! Yes, Mother Tree ... amazing.
Wonderful article, Amanda. It nicely connects all the dots - people, place, and fellow species - for stream and habitat restoration. This is all hard-won optimism, which we need a lot more of. Thank you, and thanks also for recommending my recent Field Guide piece. (If you like rich, hearty stews, you might want to see my old work on Antarctic cuisine...)
I'm so glad to have found your writing here, Jason. These conservation successes are so "hard-won," aren't they? A mere 1,000 words don't do it justice. Entire history books could be written. I am very curious what kinds of stews one eats in Antarctica!
Yes! I love this story so much! What an amazing accomplishment! In the pnw we always hear that salmon are a keystone species but your post really brings this concept to life. We have seen similar progress the last several years with the Elwha dam removal here in Washington.
Thank you so much for reporting on this, it brings me so much hope.
Oh and extra thanks for the shout-out! That was so cool! 😍
I have spent some time at that hatchery in Juneau and have contemplated the way those fish leap to their deaths, literally right onto the table where they are cut up. Your "death on the beach" gets me excited because I think we all need to be thinking of more interesting, fun, fascinating, even sexy, ways to tell environmental stories. The movement as a whole has too much "granola" attached to it.
Yeah agreed. I’ve heard the fishers refer to them as zombie fish bc they continue spawning even though they are starving and falling apart. They are the most fascinating creatures to me. And even at the hatcheries, they take a portion of the dead to leave on the river banks to support the ecosystem. To your point, they are so important to so many other species. I could write about them all day. I’m so excited to hear about Putah Creek!
I really love the term stream keeper and I believe everyone is capable. Restoring land and bodies of water and other places to gather is a way to commune together, this is special, just like the salmon in the putah river getting another chance to thrive. So, are salmon considered keystone species? I too have been inspired by Finding the Mother Trees book, so many connections that go unseen by our human eyes!
Yes! I should have mentioned they are a keystone species. I want streamkeepers worldwide!
I loved this piece, especially your insight that the Streamkeeper's main function is keeping community .. and what a story about the impact of that gravel replacement!
Your citation of 'Finding the Mother Tree' inspired me to march to my bookshelf and pull down my 2-year-old un-read copy. But rather than immediately put it back in my current reading queue alongside the 4 other books I'm holding myself accountable to, I just gave it to my biology-degreed older daughter who is considering grad school options. She's a little hung up between marine biology and botany/forestry, and we've been working together on a plan to discern her next steps, so I just presented it to her as something that may help with her decision process.
And lastly it was a nice mood-booster today to know that my sharing of that Orion article found someone who would appreciate it as much as I did!
Again, wonderful work & glad to be connected with you here.
So great to be in community here with you as well, Doug!
If a person could only read one more book in their entire life, I'd put Mother Tree in their hands!
Exceptional piece! Thank you for sharing this. My father, since retirement some thirty years ago, spends his time as a volunteer for what is called Stream Team, in Arkansas. They go out to the creeks and streams, testing water quality, digging up the larvae and other creatures, measuring flow, clearing debris, all to bring health to these often neglected bodies of water. I’ve been able to join them on visits and love the serene curiosity-filled experience of helping the earth. Never sure who comes away more healed- the earth or me. And Finding the Mother Tree…. I adore this book! ❤️
I have a future story in mind about all the retirees that are saving the planet. Put your father in touch with me if you feel he'd want to participate in such a story! Yes, Mother Tree ... amazing.
Wonderful article, Amanda. It nicely connects all the dots - people, place, and fellow species - for stream and habitat restoration. This is all hard-won optimism, which we need a lot more of. Thank you, and thanks also for recommending my recent Field Guide piece. (If you like rich, hearty stews, you might want to see my old work on Antarctic cuisine...)
I'm so glad to have found your writing here, Jason. These conservation successes are so "hard-won," aren't they? A mere 1,000 words don't do it justice. Entire history books could be written. I am very curious what kinds of stews one eats in Antarctica!
Yes! I love this story so much! What an amazing accomplishment! In the pnw we always hear that salmon are a keystone species but your post really brings this concept to life. We have seen similar progress the last several years with the Elwha dam removal here in Washington.
Thank you so much for reporting on this, it brings me so much hope.
Oh and extra thanks for the shout-out! That was so cool! 😍
I have spent some time at that hatchery in Juneau and have contemplated the way those fish leap to their deaths, literally right onto the table where they are cut up. Your "death on the beach" gets me excited because I think we all need to be thinking of more interesting, fun, fascinating, even sexy, ways to tell environmental stories. The movement as a whole has too much "granola" attached to it.
Yeah agreed. I’ve heard the fishers refer to them as zombie fish bc they continue spawning even though they are starving and falling apart. They are the most fascinating creatures to me. And even at the hatcheries, they take a portion of the dead to leave on the river banks to support the ecosystem. To your point, they are so important to so many other species. I could write about them all day. I’m so excited to hear about Putah Creek!