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For example, in addition to the AFS list of 214 endangered 

 salmon, at least 132 species of riparian-associated animals includ- 

 ing three birds, four mammals, 12 amphibians, et cetera, and over 

 700 of 1,100 native fishes which includes estuarial and resident 

 fishes were found to be at risk of extinction on the west side of the 

 Pacific Northwest within the range of the spotted owl. This is a re- 

 gional ecosystem crisis, not just a salmon crisis. 



Second, although the media has focused primarily to this point 

 on the dams in the Columbia as the major problem, these types of 

 broad-ranging problems cannot be blamed exclusively on dams, nor 

 on overfishing, nor on anything else. For example, 175 of the 214 

 at-risk salmon populations in the region spawn outside of the Co- 

 lumbia River basin, many in streams with no dams. Many are not 

 commercially harvested by commercial fisheries, and the vast ma- 

 jority of riparian and resident fish species at risk such as Bull 

 Trout indicate that something else is going on. And as we have dis- 

 cussed today, what is going on is habitat loss and river ecosystem 

 disfunction. 



Third, I support what Dr. Karr just said and that is there is no 

 quick solution to these problems. Fourth, however, I do believe, we 

 do believe, and the scientists we have been working with believe 

 that there are some immediate steps in the Pacific Northwest that 

 can and, in fact, must be taken to stop the hemorrhaging of the 

 systems and to anchor watershed restoration recovery strategies. 



Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that only a few pock- 

 ets of healthy habitats remain throughout the region. The vast ma- 

 jority of these areas, as Pat just said, are found in the steep, un- 

 roaded, primarily old growth areas on Federal lands regionwide. In 

 fact, the salmon evolved in an old growth environment, that the 

 old growth provides the best habitat for salmon, the most complex 

 and diverse habitat. These key watersheds act as the physical ref- 

 uges for fisheries and biodiversity and is a source of species to reco- 

 lonize degraded areas once restored. They are also the key to main- 

 taining the existing levels of health for most of our river systems 

 and, hence, as I have said, are the anchors for watershed restora- 

 tion programs. 



We believe that it is imperative to immediately identify and pro- 

 tect the remaining healthy habitats, the remaining key watershed 

 refuges at the watershed level to provide a basis to maintain and 

 restore the region's river systems and biodiversity. We also believe 

 that riparian protection and flood plain protections must be imple- 

 mented across the board on Federal lands throughout the region. 

 However, I want to reiterate that riparian protection alone is not 

 going to be sufficient. We need to establish the key refuges. 



Fifth, once protected, the key refuges must be secured, and I will 

 use that term as different than protected. Even the best remaining 

 habitat for salmonids and the best watershed refuges are at risk 

 from primarily road systems that are already build into these wa- 

 tersheds. We have not had a major rain event in the Pacific North- 

 west in about 10 years except north of Seattle in the Skagit area. 

 The next major rain event, in fact, could create catastrophic debris 

 flows from the road systems and essentially degrade or, in fact, 

 wipe out many of the best remaining salmon habitat areas in the 



