This July, 20 middle schoolers came to Warm Springs Reservation to take part in the annual CRITFC Salmon Camp . Each CRITFC member tribe takes turns hosting the annual camp. The annual camp focuses on providing culturally relevant science, technology, engineering and mathematics experiences to foster interest in natural resources careers for Native American youth, specifically middle schooler age children. This years camp activities included a tour of the Lake Billy Chinook Hydro Facility, kayaking the Warm Springs River, a tour of Sherars Bridge, cultural tradition and customs lessons, a presentation by NASA, a hike up Mount Wilson, lots of swimming and a “water ecology” day.
Staff from the Warm Springs Fisheries Department and the Water and Soil Department spent half the day showing camp participants what they do on a daily basis and teaching them various aspects of stream ecology. Camp participants had an opportunity to snorkel for and observe juvenile salmon, take stream flow measurements, observe macro-invertebrates, learn about the salmon life cycle, and tour the Potters Pond Restoration Project.
