"It often seems that concerned citizens must make sure their voices are heard to protect our national parks for future generations – to make sure national parks are still around for our children and grandchildren. But on rare occasions we can celebrate activities that will actually make the parks better than how we experienced them.

The removal of the two dams on the Elwha River is one of these rare opportunities. So in three, ten, 30, 100 hundred years from now, our children and grandchildren will find it incomprehensible that the Elwha River, teaming with salmon and other wildlife, was once choked by not one, but two huge dams preventing the salmon from reaching their final destination.

The impediment presented by those two dams impacted the cultural and spiritual traditions of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and hurt the ecosystem of Olympic National Park. The recent celebration was the right thing to do."

Get the Story:
David Graves: Groundbreaking Of Elwha River Restoration At Olympic National Park Something To Remember (National Parks Traveler 9/30)

Related Stories:
National Parks: Webcam offers a view of historic dam removal (9/26)
Editorial: Removal of dams a step towards return of Elwha River (9/19)
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe praises start of dam breaching work (09/15)
National Parks: Secretary Salazar to celebrate removal of dam (9/14)
Blog: Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe's hatchery threatens salmon (9/13)
Lower Elwha Klallam to auction items from removal of dams (9/8)
EnergyBiz: Dam breaching benefits Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe (9/7)
KLCC: Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe restoring salmon at hatchery (8/24)
Blog: Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe holds ceremony for First Salmon (8/22)
OPB: Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe keeps an eye on health of rivers (8/17)
Opinion: Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe could hurt salmon recovery (8/3)
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe welcomes dam removal for salmon (7/29)