Habitat restoration knowledge exchange workshops
Rivers, estuaries and other aquatic environments provide critical habitat for Pacific salmon but have undergone significant habitat degradation and loss. Restoring fish habitat and increasing climate change resilience are critical for the recovery of wild salmon stocks. Process-based approaches and tools for habitat restoration are being applied in a variety of locations and habitats to support climate adaptation and salmon recovery.
This workshop series, co-presented by the Pacific Salmon Foundation, brings together habitat restoration experts and members of the restoration community to exchange knowledge on emerging tools, process-based approaches, and prioritization frameworks to effectively restore salmon habitat at both the local stream and watershed scale, and to improve adaptation and resilience to climate change
Previous workshops
| Workshop | Date | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Low-tech approaches for salmon recovery | 20260112March 12, 2026 | This virtual workshop brings together experts to discuss the latest practices and emerging techniques in low-tech habitat restoration. |
| Rewetting our waterways: Floodplain restoration in an occupied landscape | 20251118November 18, 2025 | This virtual workshop brought together experts to discuss how floodplain function has been altered by human activity and how those changes have led to cascading effects on our river systems. |
| Opening the gates: Solutions for fish passage and flood control | 20250910September 10, 2025 | This workshop brought together experts to discuss solutions for fish passage and flood control in environments regulated by floodgate and tide gate infrastructure. |
| From watersheds to waves - Restoring estuaries for salmon | 20250611June 11, 2025 | In this workshop, experts presented the latest science, tools and guidance to restore estuary connectivity and habitat to support early life stage survival of salmon, and Pacific salmon recovery. Through informational talks and case studies, speakers presented technical design details from estuary projects, provided the most current guidance on restoration techniques, and shared valuable lessons learned. |
| Large wood applications in river restoration | 20250213February 13, 2025 | This virtual workshop brought together experts to present the latest science on wood dynamics and processes in rivers, as well as effective strategies for designing and implementing restoration projects using large wood in both streams and large rivers. Through informational talks and case studies, speakers presented technical details and monitoring results from large wood projects, provided the most current guidance on large wood restoration, and shared valuable lessons learned. |
| Restoring watershed resilience | 20241114November 14, 2024 | This workshop brought together experts in watershed science to discuss habitat restoration approaches for increasing watershed resilience. Strategies for increasing the absorbing capacity of the watershed, restoring connectivity, project planning and implementation, and bridging project-scale actions to a watershed-scale response were discussed through practical case study examples and the most current science. |
| Restoring our shores: Armour removal and nature-based solution | 20240620June 20, 2024 | This workshop brought together experts in coastal science and restoration to present information on shoreline monitoring, armour removal strategies, and alternative nature-based protection options. Through case studies and project examples, they shared insights on the challenges and opportunities to restore these habitats integral to Pacific salmon recovery. |
| Nearshore habitat restoration | 20240131January 31, 2024 | This workshop brought together restoration experts who presented information on tools to advance restoration in nearshore areas and, through case studies and project examples, shared their insights on the challenges and opportunities to restore these critical habitats. |
| Lessons learned in salmon habitat restoration from Intensively Monitored Watersheds | 20240326March 26, 2024 | This knowledge exchange workshop, which we co-hosted with the Pacific Salmon Foundation, brought together lead IMW scientists to present results from over 20 years of fish and habitat monitoring. Their presentations gave insights into restoration strategies that succeeded or failed, and why, and provided guidance to inform restoration tools and design |
| Restoration monitoring | 20230314March 14, 2023 | Together with the Pacific Salmon Foundation, we provided an opportunity to share knowledge on practices and standards for restoration effectiveness monitoring from a diverse panel of researchers, scientists and field professionals working in the Pacific Region and beyond. |
| Stage Zero river restoration | 20221102Nov 2, 2022 | This workshop brought together lead experts from the UK and USA to discuss reconnecting incised channels to their floodplains following the Stage Zero approach. Through the presentation of theory to set the stage and present the problem, and using case studies to demonstrate effectiveness, participants learned about the Stage Zero method and where it may be applicable in the Pacific Northwest. |
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