Field reports: Salmon carcasses boost Tucannon
FISHING – More than 500 adult salmon carcasses were distributed by volunteers in the Tucannon River basin in southeast Washington this week to boost the river’s food web.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff and Tri-State Steelheaders put out the carcasses from hatchery returns to improve fish productivity, said Jeremy Trump, state fish biologist in Dayton.
“Salmon carcasses provide marine-derived nutrients to the river,” Trump said. “Too few salmon and steelhead have returned to the Tucannon River in recent years to provide the necessary nutrients to maintain a productive food web.
“We’re giving Mother Nature a jump-start so that the natural process of recycling salmon nutrients can resume.”
Several research studies have shown that distributing salmon carcasses helps streams rebound to healthy salmon habitat, he said. Bobcats, otters, mink and other wildlife also consume the salmon carcasses.
The carcasses, many of which are in the 20- to 30-pound range, are surplus or spawned hatchery origin spring or fall chinook salmon from the state’s Lyons Ferry and Tucannon fish hatcheries.
Paper company
increases access fee
FORESTS – Inland Empire Paper Co. will be increasing fees for public access to its lands in 2017.
In 2001, the company began charging for recreational access to its 115,000 acres of forest land in Washington and Idaho.
Families will pay $80 in 2017 for an annual pass that allows them to pursue activities such as hunting, hiking and mountain biking on company land. That’s an increase of $15. The individual annual pass will increase to $40 and daily passes will increase to $15. Individual nonmotorized permits will be $2.50.
Sales outlets for passes and other information is online, iepco.com.
Inland Empire Paper is a subsidiary of Cowles Co., which also owns The Spokesman-Review.
Avalanche Awareness
sessions in Sandpoint
WINTERSPORTS – Two avalanche awareness seminars will be be offered free this month in Sandpoint.
Selkirk Powder Company and the Alpine Shop have teamed to host the one-hour seminars promoting avalanche awareness for outdoor enthusiasts, especially those in the Selkirk and Cabinet mountains.
On Wednesday, avalanche awareness and snow pit analysis will be discussed at the Alpine Shop downtown. On Dec. 28, Barrett weather influences and the snow metamorphosis phenomenon will be discussed at the Alpine Shop’s on-mountain location at Schweitzer Village. Both sessions will begin at 5 p.m.
Other avalanche related seminars and courses are listed on the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center website, idahopanhandleavalanche.org
John Muir Trail
program set
HIKING – Tips on hiking a classic 220-mile route through the high Sierra-Nevada Range of California will be presented by the Spokane Mountaineers at 7 p.m. on Monday at Mountain Gear Corporate Headquarters, 6021 E. Mansfield Ave. in Spokane Valley.
Luke Bakken and Natasha Volkmann, who hiked the John Muir Trail this summer, will be joined by other hikers who have backpacked the route separately to present photos and offer information in the free program.