Annual Report 2018 3 3 - Connecting People People Connecting and Nature Body and the Both Nurtures “Nature Thehealth and for Benefits Soul—The Dr
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OREGON Annual Report 2018 Protecting Land and Water Connecting People DEAR FRIENDS “In an era of large and damaging wildfires, protecting our land, and Nature SHARED forests and watersheds, communities and homes will take col- “Nature nurtures both the body and laborative effort. Speaking all over the West and British We have a lot to be proud of this year, the soul—the benefits for health and Columbia, I’ve found that the reach, capability, and well-being are undeniable,” says Dr. but we know that our biggest chal- contributions of The Nature Conservancy William Johnson, President of Moda Health lenges still lie ahead. Climate change CONSERVATION on this issue has been exceptional and TNC Oregon Trustee. “We must be as diligent in conserving is altering life as we know it in Oregon; and highly influential to public land our environment as we are in improving our health because the catastrophic summer wildfires are the manager efforts at restoration. two are inextricably connected. Healthy people are the product TNC’s science support to the Rogue new norm, native plant and animal of healthy places.” AGENDA Basin Forest Restoration Strategy species struggle to adapt to warming advanced a practical and ecologi- —Dr. William Johnson, President Moda Health temperatures, coastal fisheries are cally sound response to the current threatened with risk of collapse and wildfire predicament in that area. This collaborative effort illustrates how people can work together to people with water shortages, property loss and sea level rise. The Addressing Climate Change The Nature Conservancy Nature Conservancy has the science, expertise and experience to address differences, reduce the risk of severe wildfires and adapt treated forests to a rapidly evolving climate.” “To avoid the irreversible consequences of climate change, we in Oregon make a difference, but we can’t do this critical work alone. need to keep global warming to less than 2° C, and preferably less —Paul Hessberg OFFICERS & EXECUTIVE than 1.5° C. For this to happen, we need to significantly reduce COMMITTEE As we align our conservation efforts under the organization’s emissions as soon as possible and increase sequestration in our Chair: Shared Conservation Agenda, collaboration with partner organi- 2 Margaret Kirkpatrick natural and working lands. How quickly we act to reduce and off- 3 zations, policymakers, and supporters like you is more important set GHG emissions will have profound effects on the health and Vice Chair: Building Healthy Communities Charles Wilhoite than ever. That’s why we’re eagerly awaiting the opening of the prosperity of businesses, communities and ecosystems in Oregon OREGON ANNUAL REPORT 2018 REPORT ANNUAL OREGON This is 64 words. Intro copy to go here. Oregon Conservation Center. Designed as a gathering place, our “It has become clear that water in Harney Basin is overallocated and that we are not using and around the world. Failing to act now will Chair Emeritus: groundwater at a sustainable rate. The decisions that need to be made to correct this John von Schlegell Steve Pratt reimagined headquarters will serve as a community resource Orisqui ium atur sedis peria dit odi result in drastically higher climate change Steven H. Corey Curtis Robinhold are not just difficult decisions—they are life-changing ones for the people in my adaptation and mitigation costs later.” Betsy Cramer Sandy Rowe by bringing thought leaders and change-makers together to put debisciis doluptumque dolupta audia- community. We are working through this issue with multiple stakeholders in a David C. Harrison Christine Vernier Oregon, and the world, on the path to sustainability. collaborative process we call place-based planning. The Nature Conservancy is a —Cathy Macdonald, Title Tbd Rob Hinnen tibust officiendit a eat reribus quam ab trusted and valuable partner in this effort, thanks to their ability to understand MEMBERS We hope you will join us there. the social and economic concerns of Harney County as well as the ecological.” Kathy Shaloo Berg Lorelei Juntunen imin res sit et quam latur? Beatqui tem Marcilynn A. Burke Catherine —Mark Owens John Carter Kordesch quis voloreribus sus aut omnis dolupta Scott Chambers Kristin Luck Holly Coit Eileen O’Neill Jim Desmond tibeat excerio cor a dolum, suntur Nick Ehlen Odum Oregon State Director Jeffrey A. Evershed Merritt Paulson Jonathan Fink Judy BlueHorse alibusape experi vendipsam. Simaximp Ensuring Sustainable Food and Water Roger Hinshaw Skelton “A rancher in Southwest Oregon, Reed Stacey has been working with TNC to restore tidal wetlands and critical salmon habitat adjacent to William Johnson Roy W. Tucker errunt earuptas aut voluptibus. Omnissi Julie Jungers Carol Wendt ON THE COVER Light shining through the forest was one of our favorite submissions his agricultural land. “I love to fish. If we can graze cattle AND help raise more fish, that’s huge for our community. The amount of jobs, the from our 2018 Global Photo Contest © Alicia Ames/TNC Photo Contest 2018 ape consequ issendis eaquasimint idebit number of people who come here to fish, and knowing my kids can grow up fishing while our cattle graze right next to them—I’m all for it.” THIS PAGE LEFT TO RIGHT Rendering of the new building © LeverArchitecture; Oregon State Director Jim Desmond © Tim Jewett; A tiny Pacific Tree Frog © Ben Herndon/ Tandem Stills+Motion OPPOSITE PAGE Caption to come © Lester Tsai/TNC Photo volorro veliquas a quoditatur. —Reed Stacey, Rancher in Southwest Oregon Contest 2018 “The Nature Conservancy lent a lot of legitimacy to BONUS! Take a real-time peek inside a our land trust when we PROTECTING sage grouse lek from March through May were starting out,” said and watch these iconic birds perform their Katie Voelke, Executive Land and Water mating dance: nature.org/sage-grouse Director or North Coast Land Conservancy (NCLC). “The ‘street cred’ Protecting the Sage Grouse we got from partnering As our scientists develop more effective ways to restore sage-brush habitat with TNC went a long way and native grasses in eastern Oregon, our Government Relations team has toward helping us grow been working with stakeholders and government agencies to secure funding to implement the state’s official Sage-Grouse Action Plan. With your help, to where we are today, we’re committed to restoring the sagebrush sea and protecting the iconic protecting over 5,000 birds that call it home. acres of the Oregon coast from Lincoln City to the Columbia River.” North Coast Land Conservancy 4 We began working with North 5 Sycan Marsh Preserve: Coast Land Conservancy, or DID YOU “Bringing scientists and fire “Blind Slough is diverse, OREGON ANNUAL REPORT 2018 REPORT ANNUAL OREGON A Living Laboratory NCLC, to protect the Oregon KNOW? workers together advances silverspot butterfly in the 1990’s Blind Slough complex and very special,” Thanks to your generous support, our skills on all sides as we and, since then, we’ve watched Preserve is the said NCLC Stewardship Sycan Marsh Preserve in south central largest intact the organization grow from a Director Melissa Reich. Oregon has become a model for col- learn from each other and fledgling land trust to a pillar of the coastal conserva- example of a laboration and a living laboratory for share ideas and expertise,” tion community. Our two organizations have several tidally influenced Reich organized work studying forest ecology and restoration says Craig Bienz. “With volunteers and staff alumni in common and have sitka spruce and parties at Blind Slough strategies. In 2018, we convened 80 been hosting work parties together on Blind Slough cedar swamp. Swamp from 2009 to researchers and fire practitioners from everyone at the table, Preserve for several years, removing invasive English This type of plant 15 organizations on the preserve to we’re able to engage on Ivy and other weeds that threaten the forest. We community used 2012 as an AmeriCorps study fire behavior, gain certifications policies, practices and believe in the people and mission of NCLC and it’s our to cover the volunteer for The Nature and to implement controlled burns. partnerships with the shared commitment to the ongoing stewardship of Lower Columbia Conservancy before With the need for forest restoration the coast that convinced us that Blind Slough could be River, but only 3% becoming increasingly urgent across the common goal of protecting better served in their capable hands. We’re excited to of it now remains. joining the NCLC staff in West, sharing knowledge has never been our lands and waters.” continue our long-lived relationship with the pre- 2013. “It’s unlike any other more important. serve after we transfer ownership to NCLC this fall. conserved land in the area at this scale.” OPPOSITE PAGE CLOCKWISE, LEFT TO RIGHT Sage Grouse © Joe Kiesecker/The Nature Conservancy; Zumwalt cattle © EarthShare; Melissa Reich paddles in Blind Slough Swamp Preserve © Catherine Dunn Willamette Confluence Restoration Project “Restoring tidal DID YOU Climate change is increasing the risk of KNOW? wetlands can help flooding in our rivers and streams, putting ADDRESSING Scientists have people, homes and communities at risk— mitigate climate discovered that and making floodplain restoration more tidal wetlands change while Climate Change important than ever. Our work to reconnect remove and store the Willamette River to its historic floodplain improving habitat up to 10 times in Eugene-Springfield has resulted in six miles more soil carbon of riverfront restoration that included planting for fish and wildlife— per acre than 500,000 native trees and shrubs and recreating forests. making restoration “Our work on Natural habitat for western pond turtles, juvenile an important part Climate Solutions salmon, migratory birds and more. In the event of flooding, the interconnected pools and ponds of the climate combines TNC’s will slow and absorb floodwaters, protecting the surrounding community.