Water
Sockeye salmon fishing is about to ramp up in Bristol Bay, Alaska as more than 60 million fish are expected to return, as they do year after year, to the rivers and streams within this globally important watershed. Thousands of people devote their lives to this pursuit during the height of the short summer season from June to July. Bristol Bay’s thriving sockeye salmon population depends on a healthy ecosystem—one that our Pedro Bay Rivers project is trying to permanently protect. We asked photographer Bri Dwyer to take us on a journey into the fishing culture of the area to find out what makes it so special, and why so many people in this community are lining up to support our preservation effort.
When you think about our country’s most important rivers, which come to mind? The Mississippi? Colorado? Rio Grande? Well, how about the Perdido River? This critical ecological resource, while lesser known, has an optimal environment for native species and direct connection to the greater Gulf of Mexico. Dividing Florida and Alabama, the Perdido River’s watershed supports water quality and flood prevention in both states AND has been designated worthy of special protections. This World Rivers Day, we want to recognize the Perdido River watershed and those who have worked strategically for decades to keep it protected.
The Eklutna River was once a prolific salmon-producing river that provided a rich subsistence resource to the Eklutna Dena'ina people. When a major dam was installed in the river, everything changed. For five years, The Conservation Fund and our partners have worked to remove the dam and restore the salmon population. A new film details how.
The people of Greater Portland, Maine, and their upstream Sebago Lake watershed neighbors enjoy exceptionally pure water. This purity is in large part due to the forests surrounding the lakes, rivers, and streams in the 234,000-acre Sebago watershed acting as a natural filter. Sebago Clean Waters, a coalition of eight conservation organizations and a regional water utility, aims to protect the forests that keep these waters clean, provide habitat for wildlife, support community well-being, and boost the local and state economy.
