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Since 1871, the National Fish Hatchery system has been at work improving recreational fishing and restoring aquatic species that are in decline, at risk, and are important to the health of our aquatic systems. Across the country, the network of national fish hatcheries work with states and tribes to conserve, restore and enhance the fish and aquatic resources of America for future generations.
Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery is truly a special place, nestled at the base of the majestic Cascade Mountain Range near the charming Bavarian themed town of Leavenworth, Washington. One of the hatchery’s standout features is its extensive public trail system, offering over five miles for visitors to walk, bike, snowshoe, and explore. This winter, we invited 5th grade classes from the Eastmont School District to come experience everything the hatchery has to offer. As a part of the Cascade Fisheries' Project: WOW (Watching Over the Watershed), these students are raising and learning about salmon and stewardship in their own classrooms, and this winter field experience helps get students out in the watershed year-round. Students experienced an educational snowshoe hike through a winter wonderland. Many were first-time visitors to the hatchery and had never been snowshoeing before.
Engaging Educational Experiences
Out on the trail, students had the opportunity to explore nature and observe salmon habitat firsthand while enjoying breathtaking views of the mountains that define our watershed. The snow on these mountains play an important role for our water supply during the spring and summer, providing cold snowmelt to the creek when the weather is hot and dry. Through engaging activities, like measuring snow water equivalency in snow pits, students investigated how scientists calculate the amount of water stored in our mountain snowpack. Once back at the hatchery, classes toured the hatchery and saw two life stages of salmon up close. In our biosampling room, students learned how hatchery salmon are tagged and how data is extracted from these tags. Another educational station hosted a salmon dissection, highlighting the anatomy of salmon that allows their unique life cycles.
Community Collaboration
Following the last school field trip of the season, the hatchery hosted a Snowshoe Family Day for students to bring their families to experience what they learned on their field trip. In the spring, these same classes will return to the hatchery for additional educational activities, including releasing their classroom-raised salmon into Icicle Creek. This allows them to experience the hatchery in a new season, reinforces the importance of our public lands, and enriches their understanding as part of the Project: WOW experience. All of these activities were made possible through partnerships and volunteer collaboration.
“Partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Project: WOW for the Eastmont School District has been invaluable in connecting students with community members protecting and recovering our threatened and endangered native fish species in different ways,” shares Jen Herdmann, community engagement and education specialist for Cascade Fisheries.
“Seeing a dedicated fish and wildlife agency with passionate professionals working to prevent salmon extinction excites students, inspiring many to learn how they can contribute—and even envision themselves in these careers. We are deeply grateful for the work being done at the hatchery and for all our community partnerships that strengthen our grassroots efforts in salmon recovery and bring amazing students together with their finned neighbors.”
Thanks to our partnership with Cascadia Conservation District and Cascade Fisheries, we can provide high-quality educational programs on public lands participants can revisit time and again.
The next time you go fishing, you might just catch a salmon that was raised at Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. Producing fish continues to be an irreplaceable tool in managing or restoring fisheries along with habitat conservation. In doing so, we help provide recreation opportunities to America’s 39.9 million anglers who spend $99.4 billion annually in pursuit of their favored pastime. Learn more about Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery!
