World Salmon Council (WSC) is a for-purpose 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Our mission is to provide experiential education and encounters with Pacific wild salmon to connect students and adults with nature and empower community engagement. We do this primarily through the Salmon Watch program. 

Using salmon as a key indicator species of watershed health and the cultural icon of the Pacific Northwest, Salmon Watch engages annually more than 5,000 students throughout Oregon and SW Washington in comprehensive, multidisciplinary education in the classroom, field study and service learning projects.

Since 1993, Salmon Watch has addressed the nature deficit that many of our youth experience. If we want future generations to value nature and make informed decisions about natural resource issues as adults, we must give them opportunities to understand and relate to the natural world on a personal level.

WCS currently coordinates Salmon Watch in schools from Forest Grove to Troutdale, McMinnville to Vancouver, and Hood River to The Dalles. WSC also provides leadership, resources and support to partner Salmon Watch programs in Salem, Corvallis-Albany, Eugene-Springfield, Medford and Grants Pass school districts. 

Many of our urban, suburban and rural youth have never hiked through a wilderness area, never seen a spawning salmon, never gathered aquatic insects from a riffle to gauge the health of a stream. 

Bringing classroom instruction into the field, and then taking field learning back into the classroom enhances the learning experience for these students. Many participating schools also complete service learning projects as part of their Salmon Watch experience, complementing the other program components and providing stewardship opportunities.

Together, we are creating an ongoing learning community focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.

World Salmon Council

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