Undamming a river, rebuilding a forest | WILD HOPE

I've been to this place many times before and after the dam removal. I'd recommend people who visit Seattle make it a point to visit the area above the removed dams. It's amazing how quickly it's reclaimed itself.

The most hopeful thing I have seen on the internet in a long time.

Congratulations on winning a hard-fought battle. Your people deserve to have your way of life restored.

I live in Shelton 90 miles south of the Elwah. My county took out our small dam on Goldsborough Creek. This is no small undertaking. The habitat needs to be rebuilt. Many trees and native plants planted and replanted until they are well established. It was pretty ugly for awhile, but now I can walk a couple miles from my home and find wildwater; the best kind. I was honored to help with the restoration of Nalley Island on the Skokomish Land. Volunteers can really help make a big project smaller.

Progress is measured in many ways. Some consider the building of dams to be progress. Some consider their removal as progress. It fills my heart with joy to see these rivers, restored. To see the hard work of the lovers of nature, the salmon, the forests, and the wildlife thriving is wonderful. Jack

Then the reintroduction of Beaver into the smaller streams and tributaries will help hold water and build up the steady state watershed. It's such a great thing to see the region return to it's past health.

Love seeing how much it has changed. I was out there a couple years after the dams were removed and it's fantastic to see how much it has changed and grown!

I hope to see the snake river dams come down in my lifetime.

So inspiring! I used to work on the Salmon River in Idaho, which is part of the Columbia River drainage. There's a salmon restoration project underway there too, and I hope the dam removals downstream come to pass so Idaho can become truly rich in nutrients and fish again!

Was forest biologist forOlympic National Forest during fight to remove dam. Sooo happy to see this marvelous portrait of habitat rejuvenation. Awesome opportunity for intensive monitoring to spur future dam removals.

I've been following this story since the beginning. It is so awe inspiring to see all of the changes! Undaming the Snake River would be a miracle!!

Very inspiring! I'm hopeful that after the four dams on the Klamath River are removed the benefits will be positive as well. Next hopefully are the dams along the lower Snake River.

congratz to the ELwah tribe finally having their river back

I grew up in area and remember the debates/arguments we had in high school, the early 80's, and all the nay sayers. Their biggest argument against dam removal was that "it would never recover, so just let it be." Nature will find away if just left alone. Since the removal the Elwha Clallam have had a resurgence of pride for who they were, are and will become as a group.

Thanks to the People who Fought to Remove the Dam and allow the River to Heal and Flow once more!!

Having grown up in Washington, I have seen the salmon populations returning in limited numbers but the work is not done. Seattle City light is fighting local tribes to keep many dams in place. I hope the local tribes can overcome these companies.

I lived on the Oregon/Idaho border, where the snake river was the dividing line between the two states. As an Oregon resident the Salmon and Steelhead fishing was closed due to low returns, however Idaho kept the Salmon and Steelhead fishing season open due to their right to fish those fish regardless of the fish numbers decline. These efforts to take down the dams are the first step to restore the fisheries in the areas. The next step is to get All of the states to act as one in restoration. Washington state and Oregon state, and parts of California can't be the only ones to take the restorations seriously. Idaho also needs to be on board and restrict the fishing of these fish in order to fully restore the fisheries.

This is a great video on the importance of removing old technology that disrupted nature. Working with nature instead of against it is the only way humanity can continue to grow. The narrator is excellent, very smooth voice.

DOES bring tears to my eyes!!!!!

Really amazing to see the rapid change to the river and the benefits brought to the wildlife! And it's great to see my backyard being shown here.