Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2013

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Resource Management

Committee Chair

Kathleen Barlow

Second Committee Member

Hope Amason

Third Committee Member

Jennifer Lipton

Abstract

Removal of the Elwha River dams to restore the ecosystem and salmon fisheries is the largest project of its kind in the history of the United States. Spanning decades and affecting generations, this project has changed and will continue to change the landscape. This research examined the influence of the anticipated return of salmon on 18 key stakeholders' sense of place of the Elwha River. For almost all stakeholders, changes to the Elwha landscape are welcomed as they expect that salmon will restore the ecosystem to its natural state. Narrative data revealed dominant themes in participants' sense of place expressed through memory, symbol, and nostalgia. The return of salmon, as a culturally significant species, marks change in participants' perceptions of the Elwha.

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Note: There is no page 125 in the final publication.

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