When it came time to find a construction contractor for a restoration project on a remote, mostly uninhabited island in Southeast Alaska, Trout Unlimited’s Alaska habitat restoration director, Aaron Prussian, didn’t have to look very far.
“Construction projects in remote Alaska are inherently challenging,” said Aaron. “We needed a contractor with the right expertise and the grit to complete the project in the face of all that Alaska can throw our way. Thankfully, the right guys for the job were home grown and just a couple islands over.”
A local legacy
The Reid Brothers grew up living, working and recreating in Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. The towering mountains, lush temperate rainforest and abundant waters that surround their small hometown of Petersburg, Alaska have been an office and playground for their family for generations.
Reid Brothers Construction is a third generation, Alaskan-owned business. Alex and Glen Reid founded the company in 1945. They passed the company on to their seven children, including Alex Reid, who then passed the reins on to his sons. Bosjun and Tyler, the current owners, took over the business created by their grandfather and great uncle in 2010.
When Bosjun and Tyler aren’t working, they enjoy the unique lifestyle that Southeast Alaska provides. “As a local southeast contractor, we are excited about building structures that improve habitat in areas that we personally hunt and fish,” said Bosjun.
Kuiu Island
The opportunity to improve habitat in their local hunting and fishing grounds came this past summer on Kuiu Island, which lies about 40 miles west of their home in Petersburg. Trout Unlimited contracted Reid Brothers Construction to remove four failing culverts that blocked salmon and trout from migrating upstream and replace them with new fish-friendly designs.
The Kuiu Island project is part of a nationwide watershed restoration partnership between TU and the U.S. Forest Service.
Material delivery issues caused the initial scope of work to stall after the Reid brothers mobilized their equipment and crew to the island. Not ones to waste time nor resources, the Reid brothers quickly pivoted and worked with partners to develop additional projects that made use of the manpower and equipment available. That effort led to the replacement of five additional failing culverts and over four miles of high-risk road were “stored” by removing 54 old culverts that altered stream hydrology.
“We had the opportunity to work together with Trout Unlimited and the U.S. Forest Service to construct multiple aquatic organism passages (AOP) on Kuiu Island,” said Bosjun. “We feel that this type of work can benefit and improve fish habitat in the region. It is work that Reid Brothers excels in and would like to do more of. AOP work provides good jobs for our employees and should benefit the subsistence community in our region as well.”
In total, the project reconnected nearly two miles of habitat for coho, chum, pink salmon, rainbow trout, coastal cutthroat trout and sculpin. It also made Kuiu’s mainline road more durable and flood resilient to maintain access to fishing, hunting and subsistence use.
All about salmon
Much of life in Southeast Alaska revolves around salmon, and that’s especially evident when speaking to the Reid Brothers’ crew. Eldon Walker works for them as a heavy equipment operator. He also grew up in Petersburg.
“I spent 25 years as a commercial fishmen, a good portion of that time I was out chasing salmon around,” said Eldon. “Now that I’ve taken a step back from commercial fishing and gotten into construction, I find it pretty ironic that here I am still making a living off of salmon. Now I’m seeing it from a different angle and doing some really good work.”
While ironic that Eldon finds himself back in the fish business after he thought he’d left, it’s no surprise considering how large of a role the industry plays in the region. Salmon are a keystone species in the Tongass National Forest. They play a vital role in the health of the environment and economy, where tourism and fishing account for nearly a quarter of Southeast Alaska’s jobs.
Benefits beyond fish
Restoration projects like the one the Reid Brothers constructed on Kuiu Island have wide reaching impacts.
“Restoration isn’t just about improving fish habitat and populations,” said TU’s Prussian. “It’s about bringing jobs to rural communities and investing in critical infrastructure that Alaskans rely on for hunting and fishing, subsistence and recreation.”
While working on the Kuiu project, Reid Brothers operator Jarred Olsen had eyes on his next hunting trip. “I’m looking at the mountains behind us counting deer left and right,” he said. He just might drive down the road he worked on to access them.
This story is one more example of the many Faces of Restoration. TU works with contractors like Reid Brothers Construction across the country to restore and reconnect rivers and streams.