Bringing the Urgency of Salmon Recovery from the Pacific Northwest to Washington, D.C.

My Name is Brooklyn Newman. I am a senior at Boise State University. I completed an internship with Youth Salmon Protectors (YSP) this past semester. I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., on the annual Youth Salmon Protectors trip this May, alongside Idaho Conservation League staff, Kayeloni Scott from the Columbia Snake River Campaign (CSRC), 4 youth from the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) chapter of YSP, and the Nimiipuu YSP Coordinator.

Over the span of 3 days, we had 11 meetings with staff from congressional offices in  Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and California. We discussed the urgency of salmon and steelhead restoration and the removal of the lower Snake River dams. Getting to be involved in these meetings was a huge learning experience for me. 

I didn't know what to expect going into this trip, but after our first meeting, I felt how important it is to talk to representatives and their staff face-to-face. Idaho Representatives are known to be more hesitant when it comes to discussing the removal of the lower Snake River dams, which is what our main topic was at our meetings. 

Much of the feedback we received from Idaho representatives focused on the need for a plan to replace the energy generated by the dams and concerns about impacts on agriculture. During our meetings, we introduced ourselves and shared very personal stories, and discussed our connections to salmon, explaining how salmon are a crucial part of the Pacific Northwest ecosystems and cultures.

We received more encouraging feedback from representatives in Oregon and Washington, who told us that the messages that we brought were really impactful and important in order to change the minds of representatives. I am so grateful that I got to be a part of this trip this year. I learned so much about how to fight for the species, rivers, and places that we love. 

I also learned about how important it is to stay engaged by communicating with your representatives, which you can do from home! Staying involved with the things you are passionate about is crucial right now in order to make a change. 

Every individual has a role to play. Stand with communities, Tribal Nations, and conservation advocates working to restore a healthy Snake River. Encourage Congress to support investments that help recover salmon and steelhead populations, protect ecosystems, and uphold cultural and environmental values throughout the Columbia River Basin.