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River restoration embellishes life

Tom Hennessey hit the nail squarely on the head (BDN, Nov. 23). Our rivers are a precious resource to us all, more valuable than many realize. Protecting and resurrecting our rivers is vital not just to the health of the natural environment but to our own as well. They provide a resource that is diverse and nourishes everything from blackflies to bear.

Somewhere in the food chain you can place us, also. Our use and abuse of our rivers has been apparent, but our desire to reverse course is evident from individual to industry. We’ve made some progress at improving our attitudes and approach to use of our rivers and surrounding habitat. Agriculture and forestry practices have been amended. Individual use, construction codes, and site evaluation have been altered to lessen negative impacts. It’s a good start, but much more can and must be done.

Whether the solution is global or local, we all can do our conscientious best to help. Being actively involved with salmon restoration, I’ve been asked why I bother, as some believe it not possible. I’m more inclined to think positively.

Aptly said by a salmon education coordinator, “We’ve done everything we can to destroy them, and there is still some swimming!” It goes way beyond salmon, as they are just an umbrella species. What also have we endangered? We need to restore and protect our rivers because it’s the right thing to do. It embellishes life.

Access to the rivers brings the stewards, whether in the form of a fisherman, farmer, or photographer. Mr. Hennessey sagaciously points to the importance of this valuable natural resource and its health relative to our own. Thanks, Tom, for both the article and the painting.

Alan Kane

President, Downeast Salmon

Federation/Downeast Rivers Land Trust

Columbia Falls

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