Cool breezes have started rustling through the trees as the first leaves tumble to the ground. That can only mean one thing in the Pacific Northwest — the salmon run has begun! Each fall, salmon embark on one of nature’s greatest gauntlets. Against raging currents and up waterfalls, they endure unimaginable hardship. Remarkably, each salmon returns to the same stream it was born, which has allowed for their incredible genetic diversity and adaptability. Though they die after spawning, their sacrifice ensures the next generation is born while their bodies nourish the land. Salmon connect the ocean with the forest. Their bodies deliver precious marine nutrients like nitrogen to ecosystems that would otherwise go without. Bears drag them ashore, eagles pick them clean, and the forests themselves grow taller and greener because of salmon. The salmon run is one of nature’s most fascinating and dramatic events. If you live near salmon country, find out where you can witness the salmon ru...