By Justin Andress, The Mountain Times
The streams and rivers of Mt. Hood became a little healthier in December when a second-grade class released around 170 juvenile salmon at the Wildwood Recreation Site in Welches. This annual tradition, a partnership between local schools and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), is more than a science project — it’s a chance to inspire the next generation to care for their environment.
As any angler will tell you, salmon play an essential role in Mt. Hood’s ecosystem. They serve as a critical food source for various animals, including bears, birds, and even other fish. In their natural habitat, salmon interact with the riverbed, aerating the soil and supporting the life cycle of smaller aquatic creatures. Even in death, their decaying bodies release nutrients into the water, enriching plants and contributing to a healthy environment. These are just some of the lessons Blaesing’s students learn each year as they prepare for their salmon release.
The program, overseen by ODFW, allows teachers like Blaesing to show their students the importance of wildlife conservation in a hands-on way. “The ODFW sends a representative to teach the kids,” Blaesing explains. “We explore the uniqueness of salmon… We also talk about how important salmon are to the food chain and the survival of animals as large as killer whales.”
Blaesing, a veteran educator with a passion for aquatic life, has been a long-time advocate for the program — this year marks her sixth time participating. While the physical release of the salmon takes place on a single day, Blaesing’s enthusiasm for teaching her students about wildlife spans the entire school year. “I’ve always loved anything aquatic!” she says. “I have two
tanks at home and two in my classroom.”
The excitement on release day is palpable. The process begins when a group of juvenile salmon, known as “fry,” are delivered to Blaesing’s classroom. Carefully transferred to a large bucket, the fry are transported to their release location as quickly as possible. Time is critical — the water in the bucket can warm up quickly and harm the delicate fish.
At the Wildwood Recreation Site, the students watch eagerly as the fry acclimate to their new environment before being released into the river.
This year’s release spot offered an extra layer of excitement. Blaesing chose to release the salmon fry right above Wildwood’s Streamwatch Viewing Window. The location provided her 25 students with a unique opportunity to see the fry hit the water and begin their journey in the Sandy River.
For Blaesing, Wildwood Recreation Site is the perfect setting for the annual release. It was a chance to teach her 25 students about the bounty available to them beyond, as she put it, “a playground and basketball courts! It is a breeding ground for so many living things!”
While releasing the salmon fry is the highlight of the day, Blaesing believes the program’s real purpose goes far beyond the release itself. “The goal of the project is to bring awareness to the importance of actively participating in, nurturing, and understanding nature,” she explains. “It also helps kids realize that we live in an area that has a large impact on fish and wildlife. We need to protect and take care of our waterways and support maintaining fish population numbers in order to not cause a disruption in the food chain. I want to inspire kids to find small ways that they can positively impact nature.”
This message of environmental stewardship resonates with the second graders in Blaesing’s class. For many of them, the experience doesn’t end when the salmon fry swim off into the river.
She says that over the next few months, “reports trickle into the classroom” as students return to the viewing window to see if they can spot the salmon they released.
Programs like this salmon release play a vital role in fostering an early appreciation for the environment. Blaesing’s students are learning firsthand about the delicate balance of ecosystems and the ways humans can make a positive impact on the natural world.
For Mt. Hood’s streams and rivers, the release of the salmon fry offers hope. As the juvenile salmon grow and return to spawn in the same waters where they were released, they’ll play their part in keeping the ecosystem healthy for generations to come. For Blaesing and her students, the day serves as a reminder that small actions can make a big difference.