. Amazing time to visit the west coast to see the wild salmon run

. RETURN OF THE SALMON FESTIVAL
. Postponed until further notice
. Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve,
. West Coast Of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Kennedy Watershed booth Learning Activities at the Salmon Festival Great seafood at the Salmon Festival Pacific Rim National Park Staff making fish prints with visitors	Site of Salmon Festival Everyone welcome!! The Central Westcoast Forest Society, in partnership with Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and many community partners, invites you to the annual Return of the Salmon Festival at the oceanfront Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre. This year's Festival is postponed, but watch for next year's event. See wild Pacific salmon returning to spawn. Taste gourmet West Coast seafood. Browse the displays, listen to the interpretive shows, learn about one of Canada's most precious resources. Share a fun and informative time with your kids… The 'Return of the Salmon Festival' is an important event the CWFS has enjoyed sponsoring, but shortfalls in funding prevent the 2003 festival. We hope to be better positioned next year to bring back the festival in 2004. If you or your organization are interested in sponsoring an event or booth next year contact: cwfs@alberni.net For more information see our Press Release. Biologist with salmon during a tour. HIGHLIGHTS: Unveiling of new signs for the Fisheries Restoration Interpretive Drive at the official opening ceremony Guided salmon watching tours via shuttle service Informative films and slide shows in the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre Educational and fun information fair with booths set up by many different organizations and businesses Games, displays, demonstrations, and fun activities Lunch available on site at no charge Wine Maker's Gourmet Fundraising Dinner with proceeds to the Central Westcoast Forest Society and the Tofino Salmon Enhancement Society. More still to be announced Past Participants: International Forest Products Ltd. Fisheries and Oceans Canada Pacific Rim National Park Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council Fisheries Clayoquot Biosphere Trust Long Beach Model Forest Society Rainforest Interpretive Centre BC Salmon Marketing Council World Fisheries Trust Steelhead Society of BC Pacific National Aquaculture Regional Aquatic Management Society Clayoquot Sound Central Region Board Bamfield Marine Station Ucluelet Recycles
There is lots to do. Join in the fun. Check the site again closer to the festival for more details. Stream Tours will be offered during the Festival, or you can drive yourself to the Fisheries Restoration Interpretive Drive. Fisheries Restoration The festival highlights the importance of restoration work such as the award-winning salmon habitat restoration work at the Fisheries Restoration Interpretive Drive. That effort was coordinated by the Central Westcoast Forest Society (CWFS) with the support of its many partners. Tours: Groups may request special tours if arranged in advance. September 19, 2003 Press Release There have been significant government cutbacks in a variety of areas and salmon habitat restoration is no exception. The federal and provincial governments have dramatically cut back on programs directed at bringing our threatened wild salmon runs and their ecosystems back to the vibrant health of former days. The not-for-profit Central Westcoast Forest Society (CWFS), like many other organizations that work with communities to bring endangered wild salmon and rivers back to health, depends on support from various sources; the government being key among them. This past summer's watershed restoration efforts saw a drop in funding of over 70%. This has forced the CWFS to restructure the organization and its priorities. The focus, more than ever, is on fundraising efforts for watershed restoration work. Though the 'Return of the Salmon Festival' is something the CFWS has enjoyed doing and although the CWFS feels it is an important event for the community, we have not been able to find the funding necessary to stage the event this year. We hope to be better-positioned next year and hope to bring back the festival in 2004. In the meantime, the CWFS will continue to work with the local communities to bring back our endangered wild salmon runs and restore the health of our local streams for the benefit of all British Columbians. Last year the CWFS had over a million dollars in project expenditures with over 78% going to wages and benefits, most of it to local workers. Although it is easy to lay the blame for the changes at the CWFS at the feet of government, we should also take up the challenge this change has presented. It is ultimately up to all of us to make salmon habitat restoration and the festival that celebrates the work a reality. We need to work harder and smarter, but most of all we need to work together better. If you have ideas about how to bring the festival back next year please contact us. Len Dziama General Manager, Central Westcoast Forest Society

Stream filled with wood debris which blocks salmon from spawning.

Stream habitat restored. Click photo to see a wider view.

Sponsors "The Return of the Salmon Festival is an exciting idea that wouldn't be possible without a great deal of cooperation and commitment from area groups, businesses, and individuals," says Len Dziama, General Manager of the CWFS. "It's a win-win situation. We get to educate people about salmon, we get to talk about the important work of the society and its partners, and by making it an annual event, with the communities' help, we can hopefully extend this area's tourism season." The Return of the Salmon Festival is coordinated by the CWFS.

The Central Westcoast Forest Society and the festival gratefully acknowledge past partnership support from Parks Canada/Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, International Forest Products Ltd., KPMG, Ucluelet's Tauca Lea Resort & Spa, Tofino's Wickaninnish Inn/Pointe Restaurant, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Forest Renewal BC, Fisheries Renewal BC, Regional Aquatic Management Society, Steelhead Society of BC, World Fisheries Trust.

If you - or your organization/business would like to get involved with the festival - please get in touch with the Central Westcoast Forest Society cwfs@alberni.net To view a report summarizing the 2002 festival download: Salmon Festival final report 2002.pdf brochure.pdf click here to download a pdf file version of our Central Wescoast Forest Society brochure. This is a 500 kilobyte file. fishery.pdf click here to download a pdf file version of our brochure discussing Salmon Stream Restoration. This is a 670 kilobyte file. To view above documents you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download from adobe). Contact us: Central Westcoast Forest Society Box 405, Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0 Tel: (250) 726-2424 Fax: (250) 726-7211 Email: cwfs@alberni.net ACTIVITIES: I TRAIL I FISHERIES I FESTIVAL I WILDLIFE I FUTURE PROJECTS I  Location Page . .