Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Salmon-Trout Enhancement Program and Gardiner-Reedsport-Winchester Bay STEP invite the public to the 2006 STEP conference, set for Oct. 12-14 at Reedsport Junior/High School, 2260 Longwood Drive, Reedsport.

Gardiner-Reedsport-Winchester Bay STEP, a volunteer organization, will host the biennial conference this year to celebrate 25 years of volunteer efforts through STEP to restore and enhance Oregon's fish.

Activities include tours of area volunteer projects, a youth fishing event, informational displays, an art show, and presentations covering a variety of topics. Attendees also are invited to a Friday evening social and can participate in a Salmon Derby hosted by GRWB STEP that will take place in the Umpqua River and Winchester Bay.

The conference concludes Saturday evening with a banquet and performance of “The Best of McManus,” a stage presentation of works written by award-winning outdoors author Patrick McManus.

Since 1981, STEP volunteers each year have donated money, materials, equipment and countless hours of time and labor to efforts that have monitored fish populations, restored stream habitat, provided youth and adult educational opportunities, and produced salmon, steelhead, and trout for Oregon fisheries.

The STEP Conference provides a forum for STEP volunteers from around the state to gather, discuss activities, share ideas, and learn new information. The conference also is designed to create broader public awareness of STEP and the opportunities that exist for volunteer participation with fish management and recovery efforts.

For more information about the conference and registration, those interested can call the ODFW office in Roseburg at (541) 440-3353, or Ron Vierra at Gardiner-Reedsport-Winchester Bay STEP, 271-5660, or visit the STEP Web site at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/STEP.