Lauren Gives the 411 (on our Education Program) by Lauren Schwartzenberger

Over the past few months, I have had the incredible opportunity to intern with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group. This internship has been so much more than just learning about salmon–it’s been a dive into community engagement, ecological restoration, and understanding the complex relationships between people and the environment. From classroom visits to field trips, planting parties, and salmon sightings, each experience has deepened my understanding of conservation.

One of the highlights of my internship has been visiting local classrooms to talk about salmon and their importance to our ecosystems. It’s so rewarding to see how engaged kids can become when they learn about the salmon lifecycle, the challenges these fish face, and what we can do to help. A key aspect of the classroom activities involves the students raising salmon eggs in their schools. Each spring they release young salmon into local streams, but before that happens we take field trips to assess the release sites. Using chemistry and scientific observations, the students are able to determine if the habitat is suitable for salmon. It is always fun to guide the students through questions and watch their curiosity grow as they explore the site. 

Lauren made a snail friend at the Skagit River South Mount Vernon planting event…

Restoration work is one of the most hands-on aspects of my internship, and I have had the wonderful opportunity to participate in several planting parties. Alongside staff members and volunteers, we have planted countless native vegetation to help improve salmon habitats around the area. Many great memories have been made at these planting parties, and it is so gratifying to be able to give back to the environment. I am always so excited to see the volunteer turnout at these events as it shows the efforts of our community outreach and the commitment of those around us. 

Perhaps my favorite element of this internship was the ability to participate in salmon sightings. Seeing these incredible fish return to the rivers where they were born is a reminder of their resilience and the importance of the work that we are doing. Having never seen salmon returning to their home streams, I found this experience absolutely magical. From being able to watch a female build her redd to watching the fish struggle up the stream, this experience was one of the best my internship has had to offer so far.

My time here has taught me so much about the importance of collaboration–between people, organizations, and the environment. Every classroom visit, field trip, and planting party builds on the collective effort to support salmon and the ecosystems they rely on. It has been such a privilege to intern with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, and I cannot wait to further my experience and gain more knowledge as I go.

And she made some human friends along the way, too!

A froggy friend at the planting party in West Hamilton…