The Kings Return to the Upper Elwha

It’s an unbelievable sight. There are so few successes of this magnitude. After over 100 years, the Kings are back.  They beat themselves on the dam for decades. Now it’s gone. The Elwha continues to be the environmental restoration story of the last 50 years. I only wish  that Dick Goin was here to see this day. It was part of his vision that brought this about, along with the vision of a small number of other people. It happened due to the work of those people’s visions and many hands, along with  the raw power of nature to heal. Thanks to John Gussman for a superb short film. Thanks to the Lower Elwha Tribe for persevering.  In a week that saw the death of Twyla Roscovitch, the pre-eminent young environmental filmmaker working on salmon restoration issues, leaving behind a grieving partner and young daughter, we see a renewal that the fish themselves give to us all. Not a miracle. The result of immense hard work and the power of nature.

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