A returning coho salmon at the Suquamish Tribe’s Grovers Creek Hatchery in Poulsbo, Washington. K. KING/U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE
BY SHAWN VESTAL, WSU NEWS & MEDIA RELATIONS For years, scientists at Washington State University’s (WSU) Puyallup Research & Extension Center have been working to untangle a mystery: Why do coho salmon in Puget Sound creeks seem to suffocate after rainstorms — rising to the surface, gaping and swimming in circles before dying? In 2018, the die-offs were linked to…
A grass fire burned about 300 acres near Highway 11 and Duff Road from the evening of Monday, Aug. 11 to Wednesday, Aug. 13.
By DANELI ATILANO MISSION – A grass fire burned about 300 acres on the Umatilla Indian Reservation from the evening of Monday, Aug. 11 to Wednesday, Aug. 13, prompting a large multi-agency response. No structures were damaged, and no injuries were reported. The fire was reported at 6:52 p.m. on Aug. 11 near Highway 11 and Duff Road. It quickly…
Spanning 11,438 acres, the Qapqápa Wildlife Area in Union County, Oregon, will be co-managed as a working forest by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION
MISSION – A wildlife area project backed by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) has been awarded $22 million in federal funding. Funded through the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program, the Qapqápa (pronounced cop-COP-a) Wildlife Area State-Tribal Partnership Project will complete an acquisition of more than 11,400 acres with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife…
Two teens in kayaks embrace while looking at the Klamath River. A group of Native American teenagers from tribes across the river basin were welcomed by an excited crowd as the group finished their month-long journey kayaking down the Klamath River after the removal of four hydropower dams. BRITTANY PETERSON/AP
By BRITTANY PETERSON, Associated Press KLAMATH, Calif. (AP) — As bright-colored kayaks push through a thick wall of fog, voices and the beats of drums build as kayakers approach a crowd that has formed on the beach. Applause erupts as the boats land on the sandy spit that partially separates the Klamath River from the Pacific Ocean in northern California. Native…
Located along Johnley Road north of the Umatilla River, the 30-foot-deep Johnley Pond is an old rock quarry that became an illegal dump and party spot over the years.
By TRAVIS SNELL, CTUIR Communications MISSION – After learning of a truck at the bottom of Johnley Pond, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Planning Department has initiated a cleanup of the pond and its surrounding area. Located along Johnley Road north of the Umatilla River, the 30-foot-deep pond is an old rock quarry that during the…
Clean Air Task Force Executive Director Armond Cohen said on Nov. 6 that states, cities, utilities and businesses that have committed to net zero emissions will keep working toward those goals, driving record installations of wind and solar energy. CUJ | STOCK PHOTO
By JENNIFER McDERMOTT and MATTHEW DALY, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The election of Donald Trump as president for a second time and the Republican takeback of the U.S. Senate could undo many of the national climate policies that are most reducing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, according to climate solutions experts. When they list measures that are making the most…
Chronic Wasting Disease has been detected in wild cervids in most western states, including Washington and California. CWD INFO.ORG | COURTESY
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a 100% fatal disease that impacts all members of the cervid family (deer, elk, moose, caribou). CWD has been detected in wild cervids in most western states. Early detection is critical to preventing the spread of CWD in Oregon. State and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) wildlife managers are collecting samples from…
Gov. Tina Kotek holds up a ceremonially signed copy of Senate Bill 1567 while members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Board of Trustees and elected state officials applaud on Thursday, April 25, outside of the Nixyáawii Governance Center in Mission. SB 1567 or the Walla Wall 2050 Strategic Plan calls for cooperative water management between Oregon and Washington in the Walla Walla Basin to help restore salmon. Standing from left to right are Board Member at Large Lisa Ganuelas, Rep. Bobbie Levy, Sen. Bill Hansell, Board Members at Large Steven Hart and Corinne Sams, Chairman Gary I. Burke, General Council Chairman Alan Crawford and Board Vice Chairman Aaron Ashley. LEE GAVIN | FILE PHOTO
Today, Governor Tina Kotek announced that she is directing state agencies to take all actions necessary and work cooperatively to fulfill the State of Oregon’s commitments to the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI). “The Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative is the result of a historic, unified partnership with sovereign Tribal nations and the states of Oregon and Washington – and I…
The planning of a prescribed fire involves meticulous care and consideration, especially after an active wildfire season. Umatilla National Forest burns only when objectives can be met, which include creating fire-resilient landscapes and protecting values at risk, like homes, infrastructure, and drinking water.
PENDLETON — Fire management officials on the Umatilla National Forests are preparing to implement fall prescribed burning activities to reduce the risk of severe wildfire in the future. While we have seen our fair share of smoke and fire over the last few months, conducting prescribed fire is critical to reduce the intensity of wildfire and to help protect our communities…
