An approach to restoring salmonid habitat-forming processes in Pacific Northwest watersheds

We present an approach to diagnosing salmonid habitat degradation and resto ring habitat-forming processes that is focused on causes of habitat degrada tion rather than on effects of degradation. The approach is based on the un derstanding that salmonid Stocks are adapted to local freshwater conditions and that their environments are naturally temporally dynamic. In this cont ext, we define a goal of restoring the natural rates and magnitudes of habi tat-forming processes, and we allow for locally defined restoration priorit ies. The goal requires that historical reconstruction focus on diagnosing d isruptions to processes rather than conditions. Historical reconstruction d efines the suite of restoration tasks, which then may be prioritized based on local biological objectives, We illustrate the use of this approach for two habitat-forming processes: sediment supply and stream shading. We also briefly contrast this approach to several others that maybe used as compone nts of a restoration strategy.