A Portland non-profit has deemed Eugene’s parks “salmon-safe”, following efforts to improve water quality and habitat in more than 4,500 acres of city park land. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports.
The ducks at Delta Ponds certainly seem happy over the news. While flanked with highways on either side, the waters here are clear and teem with wildlife.
“We’re only the second municipal park system to be certified ‘salmon-safe’ so we’re very excited about that,” says Shelly Miller. She's the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Ecological Supervisor.
The only other municipal park system to be deemed "Salmon-Safe" is the City of Portland's. The Port of Seattle has also received the designation.
She says scientists with the Salmon Safe group came down and assessed the park lands before giving its seal of approval. However…
“...the certification is a five-year certification, and it’s considered to be a continuous improvement model. And so they’ve given us some conditions and some things to make progress on for the next five years.”
Miller says areas they’ll work on next are improving riparian habitat and expanding on planting and restoration work. Juvenile salmon use the Delta Ponds in the winter, before migrating to the ocean.
Copyright 2018, KLCC.
