Recently, I invested time to pursue a small Oregon grant from the Blue Sky Habitat Fund. The pool of money varies slightly from year to year, but generally is about $130,000, which typically goes to four or five award winners. The grant is funded by Pacific Power customers who choose to give a small monthly donation to the fund.

50 years ago, ecological problems stared us directly in the face: smog blanketed major US cities, the Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland caught fire 13 times from industrial discharge, and oil leaked onto the beaches of Santa Barbara and covered the plumage of sea birds.

The fish living in the rivers of the Pacific Northwest generally don’t like the sun beating down on them. They are cold-loving species. This is particularly true for salmonids at crucial stages in their life cycle. The rivers in which they roam and reside can be surrounded by forests, owned both publicly and privately. When the riparian canopy around these forests are preserved, the solar load of the sun decreases.

Curiosity has been a constant driver in my life. Curiosity has drawn me to learn widely, take on intellectual challenges, and embark on physical adventures. Early in my life, curiosity brought me to summer camp to play in the waters of Lake Winnipesauke, to discover snow and ski the Green and White Mountains, and to explore the ecology of my backyard.