Come out to support our mission and vision!
Volunteer Program
Volunteer with Mid-Columbia Fisheries
Mid-Columbia Fisheries (MCF) offers a variety of volunteer opportunities in salmon recovery for all ages and abilities as groups or individuals. We believe hands-on opportunities to help restore habitat and salmon populations will help foster the commitment needed to sustain wild salmon in rivers in eastern Washington.
Interested in volunteering with Mid-Columbia Fisheries? Fill out our volunteer survey to be added to our mailing list!
Mid-Columbia offers a wide-range of volunteer opportunities
Want to connect with our Volunteer Team?
Aaron Balagot
Restoration & Volunteer Coordinator
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Outreach
Help MCF table at fun educational events such as Nature of Night or Get Intimate with Shrub Steppe and engage with the public on the status of bull trout or the benefits of riparian buffers.
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Education
Have fun teaching kids about the importance of salmon and their habitat during in-class lessons and for salmon release field trips! Background Checks are required before working with children.
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Monitoring
Sometimes our biologist or ecologist could use extra help on their research projects. Come join us for a great morning doing a spawning survey or monitoring native plant growth.
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Restoration
Installing restoration projects often takes lots of time and workforce. Having a group of volunteers helps us plant a riparian buffer or install a beaver dam analog more efficiently and we get to have more fun with the extra help!
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Stewardship
After restoration work is installed, the stewardship work that comes after is essential to the success of the project. Having volunteers water, remove weeds, lay down mulch, and perform necessary maintenance makes all the difference for our projects!
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Bull Trout Volunteer Program
Looking to get into the fisheries field, passionate about Bull Trout, or just want to explore the beauty of the Yakima Basin? Our Bull Trout Volunteer program might just be right for you! Check out our Bull Trout page to find out more.
Volunteers are critical for our success! Stay tuned for 2025 events!
This spring Mid-Columbia Fisheries is potentially hosting four volunteer stewardship days for all community members and families to visit a few of our habitat restoration sites, participate in meaningful stewardship work, and engage kids in fun outdoor educational activities. Volunteers will be assisting in weeding and watering with planting projects while learning about native plants, riparian buffer zones, and salmon habitats. Kids will be able to take part in fun environmental educational activities and experiments. All gloves and tools are provided, as well as refreshments and a free pizza party donated by our local Dominos to thank volunteers for their hard work!
We hope you will join us for in 2025 for volunteer events!
If you have any questions, please email our Volunteer Director, Aaron Balagot , at aaron@midcolumbiafisheries.org
2025 Mid-Columbia Fisheries continues 'Dedicated Volunteer Program' and invites you to join Bull Trout restoration work!
Volunteers are critical for our success! So why not have them involved with our direct fish work? This program is tailored as a repeat, educational, and field experience to get volunteers out in the watershed to help with activities directly benefiting Bull Trout. Volunteers will be invited to rescue events, demographics, redd surveys, and general outreach to the public! However, the program requires at least one training event, and must sign up for at least 3 activities from July through October. The experience, knowledge, and locations this program has to offer are only unlocked if you get out in the field with us!
If you have any questions, please email our Fish Biologist, Aimee Taylor, at aimee@midcolumbiafisheries.org
Adopt-A-Stream Program
The Mid-Columbia Fisheries (MCF) Adopt-A-Stream (AAS) program is a citizen-based program focused on protecting the health of our local waterways. Within the city of Ellensburg alone, there are more than 12 miles of urban stream and nearly 50 mapped stream crossings. These urban streams are also home to salmon, steelhead, and trout. Keeping these streams litter-free is a task that requires cooperation and participation from governments, industries, businesses, and residents alike. Stream cleanups provide opportunities for local businesses, organizations, churches, schools, and scout groups to work independently or collectively to cleanup our local streams.
This program is supported by the Backyard Buffers Grant from the City of Ellensburg and the Mercer Creek Restoration Grant from the Department of Ecology. Contributors include AAS participants, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Yakama Nation Fisheries, and the Washington Conservation Corps.