For more information,
please contact the
Volunteer Services Coordinator.
Phone: (360) 902-2252
Fax: (360) 902-2157
Email: volunteers@dfw.wa.gov
RFEG Information
RFEG Annual Reports
Other
volunteer information:
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Executive Summary
Regional Fisheries Enhancement Program / Biennium Report for July 1, 1999
- June 30, 2001
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“The
salmon is the living icon of the quality of life in the Pacific
Northwest.”
—Honorable
Gary Locke, Governor of the State of Washington |
Overview
In 1990, the Washington State Legislature created the Regional Fisheries
Enhancement Program to involve local communities, citizen volunteers,
and landowners in the state’s salmon recovery efforts. Initially
there were twelve groups, all but one in Western Washington; two more
Eastern Washington groups formed in 2000. The fourteen Regional Fisheries
Enhancement Groups (RFEGs) perform a unique role.They are the only organizations
statewide dedicated solely to restoring salmon and steelhead populations.
In addition, the RFEGs create dynamic partnerships with state and federal
agencies, Native American tribes, and local businesses and landowners.Through
these collaborations, the RFEGs help lead communities in successful
restoration programs.
Biennium Report
for July 1, 1999 - June 30, 2001
This biennium report to the Legislature and other interested parties
meets the state requirements of RCW 75.50.050 and 75.50.120.The report
also publicizes the RFEG Program, giving information about its extensive
impact in Washington State.
There are a number
of components to the report:
The first section
includes this Executive Summary and charts and graphs about the work
of the entire program. Each of the groups has a section including the
following—
- A chart showing
all the RFEG’s projects, funds spent, and donations and volunteer
contributions for the biennium
- An overview
of the region and the group
- A description
of highlighted projects (for most), accompanied by pictures
- A list of board
and staff, and contact information
- Data on each
RFEG funded project
- Data on non-RFEG
funded projects
All information
comes directly from the RFEGs and from the Washington Department of
Fish and Wildlife’s contract summaries.Volunteer dollars are calculated
at the rate of $12.50 per hour.
RFEG Program
Structure
The overall program has a multi-tiered structure:
- The groups function
as fourteen separate non-profit 501( c ) 3 organizations, each with
a Board of Directors and, for most, staff overseeing their activities.
- Each Regional
Fisheries Enhancement Group has a specific geographic area based on
watersheds.
- Within each RFEG,
members develop and propose projects.
- The Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and tribal staff of the region
review project proposals for compatibility with laws and other recovery
efforts in the particular watershed.
- The RFEG Advisory
Board, appointed by the director of WDFW, advises the Washington Fish
& Wildlife Commission and WDFW.The Advisory Board advocates for
and coordinates the Program, making recommendations for funding RFEG
project proposals.
- Funding for the
RFEG Programs, administered through WDFW, comes from a portion of
fees assessed to commercial and recreational fishing licenses. Revenues
generated by the state’s sale of salmon eggs and carcasses also
go toward the program. In recent years the RFEG Program has received
substantial funding from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
- RFEGs form an
integral part of the local salmon recovery Lead Entity processes.The
Lead Entities include municipal and county governments, conservation
districts, tribes, and non-profits; their make-up varies from region
to region. Lead Entities prioritize projects for funding by Washington’s
Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB).
- The groups also
obtain grants from government agencies and private entities. Individual
donations and gifts in kind are also crucial. In the 1999-2001 biennium,
RFEGs received donations and in-kind contributions from thousands
of different businesses, agencies, and individuals.
- The involvement
of local volunteers and the participation of landowners willing to
have projects on their property form the key features of the RFEG
Program.
- The RFEGs create
numerous partnerships, bringing diverse interests together.
The Regions
The organizations share the common goal of restoring fish populations
and habitat to their regions, relying on support in local communities.
However, the geographic areas and therefore the groups vary widely.
The regions of Puget Sound—Nooksack, Skagit, Stilly-Snohomish,
Mid Sound, and South Puget—all have lower watersheds situated
in the populated Interstate-5 corridor.Their upper watersheds include
private and publicly owned forested lands. Consequently, these regions
deal with the combined environmental pressures of logging, farming,
industry, and urban growth. In addition, many estuaries fall within
their borders, and some have cities on their major rivers.
The areas along
the Olympic Peninsula and Washington coast—Hood Canal, North Olympic,
Pacific Coast, Chehalis, and Willapa Bay—all have resource-based
economies.The groups play a key role in helping balance the needs of
both the human community and the salmon. A significant portion of the
area is managed by state, federal and tribal agencies, and private timber
companies. Most of these regions receive substantial rainfall. The Lower
Columbia group also serves an area heavily impacted by forestry practices,
operating in an economy dependent on logging.The group is one of three
along the Columbia River.The others are located in Eastern Washington.
Mid Columbia and Upper Columbia, along with Tri State Steelheaders,
formed new regions January 2001.The regions east of the Cascade Mountains
are characterized by low rainfall, irrigated lands, and hydropower projects—all
affecting fish habitat.
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“Until
we find a way to effectively engage people at the watershed level
in development and implementation of strategy and ultimately a recovery
plan, we are not going to succeed.
“The
proof will be in the pudding as to whether we are able to gain
support from watershed groups. If we are not successful at that,
we will not be successful at bringing the fish back.”
—
William D. Ruckelshaus, Chairman SRFB |
Program Highlights
Challenges
- Decline of fish—listings
of many species of salmon, steelhead, and char under the Endangered
Species Act.
- Degradation
of salmon habitat—urban and industrial development, past forestry
practices, farming along streams and rivers, and increased population
pressures.
- Reduced state
and federal funding to the RFEG Program.
| “All
statewide salmon recovery is local. Volunteers working with
property owners through local enhancement organizations…play
a critical
role in getting our salmon back.”
—
Kelli Linville, WA State Representative |
Actions
Hard Working
Taking a hands-on approach, the RFEGs work hard to reverse the decline
of fish and degradation of salmon habitat.The groups maximize their
dollars to get as much done on the ground as possible.Their activities
include—
- Removing and
replacing culverts
- Placing large
woody debris in streams
- Planting native
vegetation in riparian zones
- Removing invasive
plant species
- Building fences
to protect streams from livestock
- Producing fish
- Reconstructing
historic channels or enhancing channel structure
- Removing barriers
to good habitat
- Scientific monitoring
of past projects
- Assessing habitat
conditions
Educating the
community
The regional focus enables the RFEGs to prioritize the needs for their
areas and involve local communities in habitat restoration and fish
production:
They pull in a large
number of local volunteers—a total of 9,006 for the biennium.
- Individual RFEGs
establish effective partnerships with many other agencies in their
regions, including county and city governments, the United States
Forest Service, and local Native American tribes.
- Many RFEGs receive
substantial support from local and regional businesses and community
members.
- Most groups
provide educational programs to schools, landowners, and community
members.
- RFEGs facilitate
the involvement of private landowners in the fish recovery process.
| "Locally-driven
salmon recovery projects have provided the best investment to
date in the ongoing effort to restore salmon and should serve
as a guide for future efforts."
—
Slade Gorton, former U.S. Senator from Washington State |
Cost Effective
The groups
put special emphasis on leveraging funds from many sources. Because
they rely on volunteers for a significant portion of their work, they
maintain low overhead and administrative expenses.They seek creative
funding with in-kind donations, partnerships, and special fundraising
activities. In the 1999-2001 biennium the groups—
- Spent a low
percentage of their total combined budget on administration.
- Received a
total of 126,376.5 volunteer hours, for a total contribution of
$1,579,706 (calculated at $12.50 per hour).
- Obtained in-kind
donations and non-RFEG funds totaling $8,443,987.
- Had a ratio
of 1:5.7 between RFEG funds and total expenditures.
Long Term Impacts
Strategic Plan:
In the past biennium, most groups participated in a strategic planning
process.The RFEGs developed individual strategic plans. Both the Advisory
Board and the unit administering the RFEG Program within
the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife also developed strategic
plans.The process resulted in a clear, long-term direction for all partners
in the RFEG Program.
Monitoring: Another
important component of the approach is the focus on the scientific monitoring.
Groups consistently track and evaluate the effectiveness of past projects,
enabling them to improve methods.The monitoring ensures the work of
the groups will have lasting impact.
Statewide Network:
In addition, the RFEGs’ statewide network of expertise enables
groups to help each other increase their effectiveness. This approach
to long-term results is essential for the Regional Fisheries Enhancement
Groups. All seek to improve fish habitat and increase numbers of salmonids
through habitat enhancement and fish production, goals that span many
years.
| “A
thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability,
and beauty of the biotic community.”
—
Aldo Leopold |
Results
The cumulative effect
of all the activities around the state is impressive. In the past biennium,
the groups had a combined total of 332 projects, but the number of actual
activities is many times that number. One project listing often includes
work at several sites. However, most groups participate in the following
activities:
- Three groups
planted a total of 95,816 native species.
- Four groups
installed 20,015 feet or 3.8 miles of stream fencing.
- Four groups
restored more than 46 miles of streams.
- All the groups
installed dozens of culvert replacements.
- Five groups
produced more than 5,000,000 fish.
- Two groups distributed
31,573 carcasses for nutrient enrichment.
- The groups also
opened thousands of acres of habitat for fish.
- They educated
hundreds of groups of students, community members, and landowners
about salmon habitat.
- RFEGs removed
numerous obstructions in streams and put in gravel, fish ladders,
and passages.
- Many groups
monitored miles of streams and did assessments of estuaries and watersheds.
- The RFEG program
makes a special contribution to Washington’s salmon recovery
efforts by—
- Leveraging
money for salmon restoration through local in-kind contributions,
private donations, and volunteer contributions.
- Maintaining
a ten-year track record.
- Encouraging
stewardship by developing grassroots support and encouraging volunteer
involvement.
- Offering
many secondary benefits through their projects, such as enhancing
water quality and restoring riparian corridors for all other wildlife
species dependent on healthy stream ecosystems.
“Salmon
Recovery will only succeed through the actions of local citizens
in their watersheds.”
—
Jeff Koenings, Director of WDFW |
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