Light thinning of young, dense, riparian (or streamside) forests, allows trees to grow more quickly with the decreased competition for light and nutrients, providing more riparian shade in a shorter amount of time. Shade plays a key role in providing the cool water that is essential to salmon survival.

In the long run, these larger trees will fall, becoming structures that provide salmonids with shade, habitat, and protection from predators. Smaller, thinned-out trees are also used to establish in-stream structures to improve fish habitat.

Many riparian areas are completely void of conifers due to historic logging practices. Dense stands of hardwoods dominate many riparian areas, which do not offer the same height and shade capacity of old-growth Douglas fir trees. As a result, stream temperatures often rise above 68 degrees, too hot to for salmonids.

The Council works to enhance the number of riparian zone conifers through tree planting.