Christmas for Coho day 3

Text and Photos by Michael Ellis
except where noted

TVTU volunteers transfer trees collected at The Royal Treatment Fly Shop into  the drop box at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters. From left: Erle Norman, Peter Gray, Mark Rogers, Erin Conway, and Jeff Price.

The weather really cooperated for the third and final day of tree collection for Christmas for Coho. There were not as many trees being dropped off as the previous two weeks so we had more of a chance to visit with each other at both drop sites. Even with the lessened activity we still collected over 100 trees to be used for coho salmon habitat. We seemed to have learned a thing or two about loading dumpsters because, with the help of Northwest Flyfishers member Phil Hager and TVTU member Jon Pampush we got all of them in one drop box!

 Jon Pampush stomps the trees down in the drop box at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters.

Phil Hager stomps trees down in the drop box at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters.

We had a great time talking to people dropping off their trees and telling them about the project. Quite a few families brought their tree in and it was really great to see so many young people learning about the conservation ethic.

Gunner Backstrom (in fishing vest) brought his tree in with his dad Mike. Here is a fly fisherman in the making.

TVTU volunteer Erle Norman (in blue coat) explains the Christmas for Coho project to a family dropping off their tree at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters.

Father and son bringing their tree to the drop site at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters

TVTU volunteers Craig Westlin (l) and Jeff Price load trees at the Royal Treatment fly shop in West Linn.

TVTU member/volunteers Greg Fritts, Craig Westlin, Michael Ellis, Robert Williams, Andy Andrews and Jeff Price at the Royal Treatment drop site in West Linn.
Photo by Jerry Lorang

Our volunteer response for this project has been great. We had 30 people volunteer to staff the drop sites over the three weekends including members of the Clackamas Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the Stonefly Maidens and the Northwest Flyfishers. Thank you all for your help!

Now the collection phase is done for this year. We will be placing some trees in the water next weekend in the Mill Ponds in Seaside. There will be an in stream placement at Coho Sanctuary again in late June or Early July and we aren't completely done gathering trees yet. We will  be picking up 1000 trees donated to us by McKenzie Farms in February and hauling them to the coast. Keep watching the blog for more information. If you aren't on our volunteer e mail list yet, send me, Michael Ellis, an e mail at TVTURestoration@gmail.com . I will add you to the list and you will receive e mails about upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Christmas for Coho volunteers from left: Nancy Dyke, Erle Norman, Phil Hager, Terry Turner and Tom Wolf, at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters.

From left: Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited volunteers Mark Rogers, Erin Conway, Michael Ellis and Peter Gray.

Here are a few more pictures from the day:

Jon Pampush tosses a tree into the drop box as Erin Conway watches.

Peter Gray (l) talks to another customer as Erin Conway and Jon Pampush look on.

Erin Conway (l) and Jon Pampush unload the tree as Peter Gray (l) talks to the customer dropping off her tree at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters.

Phil Hager and Erin Conway haul a tree from the parking lot at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters. Erin is completely out of sight due to the size of the tree.

Loading the drop box at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters. From left: Mark Rogers, Erin Conway, Jon Pampush and Phil Hager.