A report from the Oregon State University Department
of Fisheries says that current salmon habitat and river restoration
efforts will fail unless they focus on entire watersheds or
landscapes, rather than on a single process or species. For such a
holistic approach to work, the report says, overgrazing, pollution
and too much water consumption must stop and riparian areas must be
allowed to heal themselves. “If you have emphysema,” J. Boone
Kauffman, co-author of the report, said, “the first thing would be
to stop smoking. We can’t just give you an iron lung and say, “Go
ahead.” And this is what we’re doing with restoration now.”
To get a copy of the report, which appeared in
the May 1997 issue of the journal Fisheries, write Judy Starnes,
Publications, Forest Research Lab, Oregon State University,
Corvallis, OR 97331
(541/737-4274).
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Let rivers heal.
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