EUGENE–A proposal to save a salmon run earned a University of Oregon student research team top honors in the first annual Undergraduate Research Team Challenge held at the University of Washington this spring.

The team, 13 students from the UO Environmental Studies Program and the UO Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM), captured the Most Creative Idea Award by demonstrating ways in which watershed health can be restored and maintained for the preservation of salmon. Competing teams included undergraduate students who made the official presentations and graduate students who provided technical assistance.

"It was a wonderful collaboration. The students worked until three in the morning some nights. They put their hearts into it and I just really want to give them credit," says team adviser John Baldwin, PPPM professor.

After assessing the biophysical and socioeconomic conditions of the Calapooya Creek Watershed in Douglas County, the students analyzed which mitigation measures would be most effective and feasible to implement. They then developed a package of management activities for the restoration and conservation of the salmon run and for public outreach and education programs designed to involve the whole community.

Project manager was Josh Peters, a community and regional planning master’s degree candidate of 3226 Dee Highway, Hood River.

Student participants, each of whom received a certificate to go along with the team plaque, were:

• Bob Rogowski, a senior environmental studies major of 1020 S.W. 35th St., Corvallis;

• Daniel Walters, a Community Education Program graduate student of 23871 S. Metzler Park Rd., Estacada;

• Jason Smith, a senior environmental studies major of 2970 Kincaid St., Eugene;

• Lori Olson, a public affairs master’s degree candidate of 546 N. 6th St., Springfield;

• Joy Dilday, a senior environmental studies major of 5620 E. 4th St., Long Beach, Calif.;

• William Kay, a community and regional planning master’s degree candidate of
250 Campsie Place, Lexington, Ky.;

• Laura Kegley, a senior environmental studies major of P.O. Box 723, Mankato, Minn.;

• Steve Mital, a community and regional planning master’s degree candidate of 4120 Dietz Farm Circle N.W., Albuquerque, N.M.;

• Kristin Lee, a public affairs master’s degree candidate of 2338 Club Dr., Aiken, S.C.;

• Sean Edwards, a community and regional planning master’s degree candidate of
2932 Maringo Rd. S.E., Olympia, Wash.; and

• Jennifer Lewis, a community and regional planning master’s degree candidate of
1304 S. Mica Park Dr., Spokane, Wash.

The competition was sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region X, in cooperation with the Government and Academia Team for the Environment, Northwest–an informal collaborative association of northwest environmental government agencies, along with faculty and students with environmental interests at 23 West Coast universities.

Participating schools received awards for projects to restore the salmon population within the Pacific Northwest region of Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Alaska.

#H-6088/Local,OrDailies,Hometowns/Environment,HiEd/jnd