Idaho’s Youth are Making it Clear: “We Deserve a Future with Wild Salmon”

Beginning July 20th, thousands of Idahoans traveling westbound on Interstate 84 will see a message from Idaho’s youth:

We deserve a future with wild salmon.

Displayed on a digital billboard near the Boise airport, this message will serve as a reminder that young people, across Idaho and beyond, aren’t willing to accept a future without salmon. A series of designs will rotate throughout the course of the day, amplifying different youth voices.

For years, Youth Salmon Protectors have been fighting for salmon and steelhead through school presentations, community events, rallies, meetings with elected officials, and trips to Washington, D.C. 

Wild salmon, steelhead, and orca are icons of the Pacific Northwest. As keystone species, they sustain Tribal cultures and treaty rights, support local economies and recreation, and feed forests and wildlife, with over 130 species relying directly on them for survival. Today, many Snake River salmon and steelhead are dangerously close to extinction–something that would drastically change Idaho as we know it.  

Young people understand what’s at stake, and we know that we will live with the consequences of the decisions that are made today. We also know that recovery is still possible. By restoring a free-flowing Snake River and replacing the services provided by the four lower Snake River dams, we can recover the abundant salmon and steelhead populations while maintaining reliable energy, transportation, irrigation, and agricultural opportunities for Northwest communities.

The billboard features youth from across the state who are leading this movement, and it will run for four weeks beginning July 20th, 2026. We hope that this billboard reminds Idahoans every day that youth deserve a future with wild salmon, and that it inspires people to stand alongside young leaders who are fighting for healthy rivers, thriving communities, and a future where salmon still return home. 

Take action today and help protect wild salmon for future generations.