As we travel along Highway 3 the development around the airport and on the hillsides heading into Belfair is a topic of conversation. Remember, not so long ago, when it was just two lanes and there was no bypass, and the Salmon Center was just an exciting idea? And all that construction work — putting in sewers, stormwater, and the highway improvements, what a challenge that was, but it sure made an improvement in the water quality of Hood Canal!

What a difference a decade makes. The research and classes at the Salmon Center have been beneficial to the Belfair economy as well as the greater Puget Sound area and beyond. It’s great to see biologists working here whose interest was developed by taking classes at the Center when they were attending our local schools.

The wetland trail at the Pacific Northwest Salmon Center which is located at the head of Hood Canal near Belfair

We park on a permeable surface that allows rainwater to penetrate into the ground below, and we carefully note which area we’re in. The native plants have grown up so much that you really can’t see the small lots from any distance and it’s easy to forget where you’ve parked. Today, we park in the Huckleberry lot and sneak a few ripe berries from the mature plants as we leave our car.

Walking along the gravel path towards the main exhibit center we pass the stormwater ponds. Remember when they were built and the plants were new? They were so small and forlorn those first couple of years! The number and variety of birds to be seen and heard on this lovely fall day is almost overwhelming. We take the time to walk around our favorite pond, the one with a bridge and a bird blind, reading the interpretive signs. The kids read about marsh wrens, and then spot one just a few minutes later, eagerly showing off their new knowledge. It’s hard to picture the old hayfields that were here, and the community is proud that our state of the art stormwater system has been duplicated in other locations.

Continuing towards the exhibit building, the kids charge off towards the salmon spawning stream — their favorite part of the Salmon Center. We follow the path to the underground viewing chamber that lets us watch the salmon at eye level through large windows. Today we’re lucky — a beautiful female is carving a redd with strong sweeps of her tail. The children are silent as the dance plays out in front of them. They watch a large male aggressively scare off other males who are a threat to his chosen mate. However, while he’s busy chasing the other salmon, another male sneaks in quickly and fertilizes the females’ eggs, and he will have to find another mate. This makes the kids laugh, and we have a good discussion about managing priorities as we head back down the path.

Hurrying because now we’re running late, we dash to our destination and get signed in for the Wetland Wildlife class. The assembled children are all fitted with dairy boots and buckets, and head off on their adventure with giggles and screams.

We want to spend some time in the new exhibit center, which we have not yet explored. There are a number of interesting hands on things to do, which are not just for the young ones! We ride a stationary bike at a good clip for five minutes, and learn that was the equivalent of a salmon migrating just ? mile upstream! Imagine that some swim hundreds and even thousands of miles to return to their birth streams.

There is a beautiful, quiet area with information about the spiritual importance of salmon to the first people. They depended on the salmon for much of their food, and had celebrations each year to welcome the great fish back and thank him for nourishing their bodies. The area dedicated to water quality has an almost overwhelming amount of information about Hood Canal and Puget Sound. It wasn’t that long ago we were so concerned about losing Hood Canal to low dissolved oxygen. It’s wonderful to be on the other side of that now; the graphs in the exhibit show a positive trend for the last three years. We pick up a number of brochures to read back at home and learn more at our own pace.

Hungry and ready for a rest, we stop at the Wild Salmon Café for a quick cup of coffee and a snack. Our favorite picnic table is open, so we go quickly outside to sit and relax in the afternoon sun, looking out over the Union River. If we stay for while, perhaps we’ll see a sturgeon swimming upstream.

Rested and ready to go again, we head out to the trails, wishing we had enough time to explore the new extension that goes all the way to the State Park. Perhaps next time we’ll skip some of the other interesting things to do and take the extended walk long the North Shore Trail. We stop at the interpretive displays that show the return of 40 acres from hay field to salt marsh, when the dykes were breached. The students have done a great job of putting these displays together, and we read about how quickly the freshwater plants died, but it took years for the salt marsh plants to return and take hold. We also learn about how the salt marsh helps water quality and provides protection for juvenile salmon. What a difference 10 years has made to this land! The summer chum returning to the Union river continue to increase every year with no supplementation.

As we wander back to pick up the kids, we can’t resist walking through the art displays in the main entry, and of course stopping in the bookstore to browse. Our timing is perfect, and we approach the pick up area just as the kids return from their adventure.

They had a great time and are both speaking at once about birds, crabs, eelgrass, and the importance of saltwater estuaries. We hear more of what they learned as they both blurt things out rapid fire: an Estuary means it has both salt and fresh water, and lots of critters like to live there. It’s where the river meets the sea. Estuaries filter and clean the water. They protect baby fish from predators. Things are improving for estuaries in the last few years on Puget Sound — we’re all making a difference! They are excited by this last fact as the teacher has done a great job of making them feel they are part of the solution.

We’re ready to head home now, feeling tired from the fall sun and salty breezes of the day. As we head North on the highway, we have relaxed conversations about the importance of being good stewards for the land. I smile to myself, seeing the ownership and sense of responsibility in my children growing, and proud that they want to protect the beauty here for future generations.