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Artist's print to raise money for salmon conservation

Joe Mandur Jr. has contributed a piece of art to salmon conservation charity SkeenaWild Conservation Trust to help raise funds.
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Artist Joe Mandur Jr.

Local Artist Joe Mandur Jr. has contributed a piece of art to salmon conservation charity SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, as an effort to help raise funds.

Mandur's art depicts the connectedness of our watershed, showing that the Skeena is still intact and undammed, ecologically diverse, relatively healthy, and continues to support diverse runs of wild salmon and steelhead. Mandur and SkeenaWild believe that this is an important story to tell.

"Things are changing in the Skeena and I wanted to help remind people through my art that healthy communities are built on the foundation of clean water, clean air and accessible food," says Mandur.

"Simply put, we place salmon, the people who depend on them, and the watershed at the heart of all we do, for the well being of the ecosystem, ourselves, our kids, and our future," explains Julia Hill, projects coordinator for SkeenaWild Conservation Trust.

"Salmon are the backbone of the diverse cultures, economy and ecosystem in the Skeena region. Protecting this iconic species is fundamental to maintaining and building a healthy watershed and local communities. We think that Joe's beautiful art encompasses this and we are grateful for this opportunity," concludes Hill.

These unique prints are available at Mountainside Gallery (same location as the Flying Fish at Skeena Landing) or at the SkeenaWild Conservation Trust office at 4505 Greig Avenue. The cost is $199 and all of the proceeds go directly to supporting on-the-ground salmon conservation.

SkeenaWild Conservation Trust is a Terrace-based organization committed to creating a global model of economic and ecological sustainability. Their work encompasses four main pillars: Science and Research, Sustainable Fisheries, Habitat Protection and Community Engagement.

Mandur writes "Born to spawn every year, the Chinook, Sockeye, Pink, Chum and Coho salmon battle upstream to lay their eggs. For millennia, the death of the fish have provided an important source of food, which feeds the lands—from mountaintop to valley bottoms, from trees to us. In the egg, there is a woman who holds the DNA for all life, Mother Earth. Her umbilical chord connects the small fish, which feeds all life. The blueback fish carries the new egg out to sea, continuing the cycle. There is a frog in the fish, which represents love. They teach us how our waters are. So...everything is one."