BLM manages millions of acres of forested lands in a checkerboard pattern through eighteen counties of western Oregon. Critical to the health of the land are the rivers and streams that snake their way through these mountainous areas. BLM is one of many agencies concerned about providing strong habitat for migrating coho salmon, Chinook, steelhead, and other species. Consequently, BLM works with many partners to maintain and improve watersheds. 

In this episode of "On The Ground," we interview Rose Hanrahan, a fish biologist in Medford, Oregon who works in the BLM's Butte Falls Field Office. The Field Office received more than $700,000 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to improve fish habitat. Hanrahan describes why a river that benefits fish might look very different from a recreational river.