On a bright day in May, Confluence Park in Issaquah, Washington was buzzing with the excitement of young minds immersed in the world of Kokanee Salmon. The annual Kokanee Education Day, hosted by the dedicated Kokanee Work Group has become a pivotal experience for local students.
Trout Unlimited staff and volunteers at our Three Rivers Chapter once again played a leading role in planning and organizing the event, blending fun with a strong conservation message.
A day of engaging and informative activities
Kokanee Education Day 2024 welcomed 100 fourth graders eager to explore and learn along Issaquah Creek. Throughout the day, students rotated through a series of stations, each designed to deepen their understanding of kokanee salmon, their ecosystem and their cultural importance.
Here is a peek at the day’s activities:
- Restoration and Reciprocity: Led by the Snoqualmie Tribe’s Environment and Natural Resources team, students helped remove invasive weeds and spread mulch to enhance the health of Issaquah Creek’s riparian zone.
- Canoe Story: Hosted by the Snoqualmie Tribe’s Cultural Department, this station featured stories about canoes, water and the tribe’s cultural connection to these elements. A highlight of the day was having one of the Tribe’s traditional canoes on site for the students to see.
- Dissection: Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery (FISH) provided an up-close look at salmon anatomy, revealing the biological adaptations that help kokanee and other salmon thrive.
- Water Quality: The City of Sammamish emphasized the importance of clean water through a hands-on demonstration of the impact of pollution on our environment.
- Kokanee Habitat Challenge: Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group engaged students in a game simulating the survival challenges kokanee face in their ecosystem.
- Wolf Camp:Wolf Camp & School of Natural Science brought to life some of the other wildlife that call the Lake Sammamish watershed home by showcasing tracks and furs of all kinds.
- Kokanee Toss: Trout Unlimited captivated students with the “kokanee catapult,” where they launched toy fish towards a culvert, illustrating the obstacles salmon encounter in their migration.
A rich history of education and engagement
Kokanee Education Day began in 2010, when it was first organized by the Kokanee Work Group and called “Celebrate Kokanee.” The first few events included releasing kokanee fry into Lake Sammamish and highlighting the efforts of partners to save the “Little Red Fish.” The event has evolved over the years to focus more on education and environmental awareness, welcoming more students from local schools with new engaging and educational activities.
The Kokanee Work Group (KWG) is an ad hoc collaborative group established in 2007 with a mission to uncover the causes behind the decline of native kokanee salmon in Lake Sammamish and identify and implement key actions to reverse this trend. The ultimate goals of the KWG are to restore the Kokanee population to robust health and re-establish a sustainable fishery in the lake.
Key members of the KWG come together annually to host Kokanee Education Day, include the US Fish and Wildlife Service, King County, Snoqualmie Tribe, City of Sammamish, Trout Unlimited, Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, Friends of Issaquah Salmon Hatchery, Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group, and Washington State Parks.
TU’s integral role
Trout Unlimited has been a key player in Kokanee Education Day since early in its inception. This year, TU led the popular “Kokanee Toss,” blending fun with education to highlight the impact of undersized, perched or failing culverts on salmon migration. The activity left students with a deeper understanding of salmon-friendly infrastructure and the importance of conservation.
As stewards of the Lake Sammamish Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership, TU’s involvement in Kokanee Education has grown significantly in the past few years. We are collaborating with partners to expand the reach of Kokanee Education Day, aiming to inspire more youth across the region with the importance of environmental stewardship. TU’s involvement in Kokanee Education has grown significantly in the past few years. We are collaborating with partners to expand the reach of Kokanee Education Day, aiming to inspire more youth across the region with the importance of environmental stewardship.
Looking Ahead
We look forward to many more years of Kokanee Education Day, engaging diverse communities by connecting them to nature and inspiring them to be good stewards of our watershed. By educating young kids about salmon recovery and environmental issues, we aim to give them a deep understanding of the incredible ecosystems around them and the importance of restoration efforts. Together, we can foster a generation that is knowledgeable and passionate about conservation.
