Beezer,
Your group is to be comended for the work they are doing with private property owners. We do need more of this and we are seeing much more of it over the last few years. But as fisherpersons /conservationists we must be aware that groups like the Pacific Leagle Foundation which is a conserative think tank with loads of backing from big developement comanys want to undermine our efforts to restore habitat. Years ago when I owned a small ranch in Montana I looked into this group and believe me they were up to no good. Don't think they cared a damn about us small land owners but loved using us in the name of development, clearcutting without concerns for the land and unrestricted mining.
In the last year or so I've talked with dairy farmers from the Arlington area and commercial fishermen from Washington state and all most every one wants to do there part to save Salmon. But it's frustrating they can't afford to do the things needed to their property to correct problems. Most people who own critical habitat love their land and want to do right by it. Not long ago it was said that there would be 1 Billion dollars put into Salmon recovery. We need a US congress and Senate that is willing to apropriate this kind of money and make sure it gets in the hands of people who truley want to improve the way they do buisiness and help Salmon. Without this help we are only going to drive small land owners over to groups like the PLF and before any of us know it our farmlands will be developed even faster than they are now into housing and stripmall developements. That means the end of our Salmon. Keep up the good work but please be aware of some of the conflicts in the private land rights.