About Us
It takes a lot of different people working together to implement the Chehalis Basin’s salmon habitat restoration and preservation plan. The Collaborative structure brings many organizations working together to decide on the most strategic way to take on salmon restoration and preservation actions in the Chehalis. The work of the Chehalis Basin Collaborative for Salmon Habitat (CBC-fSH) is undertaken by members of dozens of stakeholders and governments in the Chehalis Basin. These include cities, counties, conservation districts, non-governmental conservation organizations, land trusts, business interests, landowners, citizens, regional fish enhancement groups working alongside Tribes and Indian Nations, state and federal agencies.
Habitat Work Group
The Habitat Work Group is the steering body for the CBC-fSH. It is composed of local citizens and technical experts with an interest in improving the habitat conditions for fish in the Chehalis Basin. Throughout the year, they look for projects that will help meet goals for salmon as outlined in the Chehalis Basin Lead Entity’s Strategy. They engage eligible sponsor organizations who will undertake salmon habitat projects on the ground and coordinate review and ranking of projects that will be proposed for state and federal funding.
The Habitat Work Group meets the first Monday of every month, from 9:00am – 12:00pm, at the Chehalis Tribe Community Center, Oakville and via Zoom. These meetings are open to the public. Contact us for more information.
In 2026, the Habitat Work Group includes representatives from:
| Lewis Conservation District | Grays Harbor Conservation District |
| Mason Conservation District | Citizens of Thurston, Lewis and Grays Harbor Counties. |
| Thurston Conservation District | Trout Unlimited |
| Quinault Indian Nation | Chehalis Tribe |
| Chehalis River Basin Land Trust | Capitol Land Trust |
| Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force | Grays Harbor Stream Team |
| Lewis County (Public Works) | Thurston County (Public Works) |
| Port of Chehalis | Washington Department of Ecology (Ex Officio) |
| Chehalis Basin Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) (Ex Officio) | US Fish and Wildlife Service (Ex Officio) |
| Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (Ex Officio) | Aquatic Species Restoration Program (Ex Officio) |
View the Habitat Work Group Minutes.
View the Habitat Work Group’s Bylaws and Conflict of Interest policy.
Local Review Team
Evaluating the technical merit of each proposed salmon recovery project takes a lot of time, so a smaller group is needed. The Local Review Team is a subcommittee appointed by the Habitat Work Group to carry out the work of reviewing and ranking projects proposed for salmon recovery funding. They look for projects with the highest benefits to salmon that best meet the goals of the Chehalis Lead Entity’s Salmon Strategy
The Local Review Team can consist of representatives of counties, cities, state and federal agencies, conservation districts, tribes, environmental groups, business interests, landowners, citizens, volunteer groups, regional fish enhancement groups. Membership of the Local Review Team is not restricted to members of the Habitat Work Group. Citizen participants ensure that the projects reflect the interests and values of the citizens within the watershed. To join the review team, contact us.
Lead Entity Coordinator
The Lead Entity Coordinator is in charge of strategic planning, committee facilitation, supervising outreach programs and running the SRFB grant round for the CBC-fSH (Lead Entity). Get in touch with the Lead Entity Coordinator if you have an idea for a habitat restoration project, want to serve on an advisory committee, want to know more about the Chehalis watershed, or have any other questions. Reach Kirsten Harma at kharma@chehalistribe.org
Outreach Coordinator
The Outreach Coordinator meets with community members throughout the basin to share what makes the Chehalis Basin and its salmon so special. Programming includes demonstrations with the River Table and groundwater model, leading stream walks and the Return of the Salmon event, and production of educational materials. You can learn more about these activities under For Students and Educators and on our “Events” calendar. Contact us to reach Outreach Coordinator, Kathy Jacobson.
