We are at the Wellpinit fair grounds in Spokane. Spokane reservation employees, Billy Joe: Natural Resource director, Warren Sayler: Coordinator, John Matt: Heritage Coordinator, Bill Matt: tribal elder, Brain Crossley: project coordinator, Brent Nicholas: Program manager, Candace Bennett: wild life biologist. They spoke about the reservation and said that they manage about 157 thousand arcs. They mentioned some projects with damps and lakes that they are working on. The water in that area seems to fluctuate with winds and other natural occurrences that destroys historical sites and burial locations. John Matt has said to have found some burial sites dating before Christ (B.C.E) with carbon dating. He says that it does not frighten him to find these burial sites because he believes that he is helping them move to a better location with no disturbances.
All these Environmental employees have a degree and some have years working for the reservation.
After our talk about water restoration projects, fishing, damps, budget, hunting, education, culture, tribal regulations, etc. Warren and the crew took us out in the field to set up track plates with Candace Bennett: wild life biologist. She spoke to us about setting up track plates to detect carnivores. The track plates helps them identify carnivores in the area. When the wild animals come in to grab the chicken on the end of the plate. The plate has some type of black tracing that leaves the paws of the animal on a white sheet of paper. A camera is also installed near the location where the plates are installed. Candace taught us how to set up the plates and we helped camouflage it with tree limbs, dried grass and leafs.
After we finish installing the camera and plates we went to have some lunch. After lunch we went to the stream to get the opportunity to shock some fish and collect them for sampling. I could not believe they were going to have us do this. I was very excited, especially when I volunteered to be a shocker. I was also nervous because I did not want to shock myself or anyone around me but everything went alright. We went up the stream looking for fish. I did not see any in the open waters but as I began getting closer to the edges they began drifting away. I had two students netting behind me catching the fish. They had difficulty looking for the fish because they could not see through the water because of the reflection of the sun shinging bright on the surface of the waters. I was able to see just fine because I had polarized glasses. Overall this experience was awesome. If I had the option to continue I would have but I had.
After sampling fish we went to a great place to swim and cool off. A great place to end the day with everybody reunited and listening to tales.
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