WINTER 2017 W etlands VOLUME 9 I SSUE 2 Scott Shuey Scott Adam Baumbach Throughout 2017, wetlands have made headlines across the United States. Their ability to act as natural sponges and alleviate flooding has played a role throughout the country, from the storms in the Pacific Northwest to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Irma in Florida, tropical storm Nathan in Louisiana, and Maria in Puerto Rico. Dramatic videos from coastal areas have shown wetlands slowing down storm surges, reducing erosion and property damage. A recent study documented that within more than half of the zip codes along the East Coast, wetlands helped reduce property damage costs by 22 percent. Even in urbanized New York, where wetlands cover only two percent of the land, it is estimated that about $138 million in property damage was saved thanks to the functions of wetlands. Maybe it is time to start looking at wetlands as insurance that reduces the adverse physical and economic impacts of natural disasters and other stressors. TheWetlands Conservancy 2017 Accomplishments Esther Lev Esther OREgon’S GREATEST WETLANDS Alexis Brickner Alexis Over the past seventeen years since TWC began the Oregon’s 2016-2017 was Greatest Wetlands (OGW) project, more than 28,000 acres POOLE SLOUGH ACQUISITION of wetland in 57 separate sites have permanent conserva- a busy year. The This acquisition resulted in permanent conservation of tion status. With these additions, 54% or 390,500 acres of 70 acres of diverse estuarine, riparian and upslope habitats descriptions listed OGW-identified wetland sites will remain and be managed in the lower Yaquina estuary. It builds on The Wetlands as important wetlands forever. These irreplaceable gems here provide a Conservancy’s ownership and management of 500 acres include montane meadows, high desert marshes, playas, of salt marsh and timber habitats in McCaffery and Poole sampling of last riverine bottomlands, freshwater wetlands, wet prairies, Sloughs and conservation management of an additional coastal fens, and estuaries. years efforts to 7,000 acres of adjacent upland habitat by Pacific Forest Trust and further conservation lands in the watershed man- conserve, enhance aged by the Siuslaw National Forest and the City of Toledo. and restore the IN THE COMMUNITY BEAVER TALES physical and Community groups, ART EXHIBITION ecological values ACQUISITIONS FOR WILDLIFE individuals, school groups More than 4,000 A small-threatened diving bird that favors similarly at-risk mature coastal forests and students of higher people visited of Oregon’s greatest for its nests has a friend in Oregon State Parks and Recreation and The Wetlands education worked with the Beaver Tales Conservancy. Oregon State Parks and Recreation purchased 160 acres of intact wetlands for TWC staff on restoration, Art Exhibit in six high-quality marbled murrelet, northern spotted owl, and red tree vole nesting amphibian egg mass different locations in Western Oregon. To celebrate current and future habitat one mile from the Pacific Ocean in Seal Rock, Oregon. The addition of the surveys, flood water monitor- beavers and their contribution to the ecology of Forest Reserve to the Beaver Creek State Natural Area in conjunction with adja- generations. ing, beaver dam mapping, Oregon, The Wetlands Conservancy hosted the cent preserves owned by The Wetlands Conservancy create a 1,574 acre conser- invasive plant removal and Beaver Tales Art Exhibit to showcase the aesthetic vation area within a three-mile radius of the Beaver Creek confluence with the ocean. installing native plants at and ecological significance our state animal plays in our Portland Area Preserves. the creation and maintenance of wetland habitats. Beavers, though woefully misunderstood, actually create and sustain wetlands that aid in resuscitating CONSERVING WETLANDS AND WATER IN HARNEY COUNTY wetland and riparian stream habitats. TWC is forming new partnerships with private landowners Esther Lev Esther Brandyn Six Brandyn in Harney County to keep water in the high desert of the SE Oregon Closed Lakes Basin. Wetlands in the Closed Lakes Basin, which includes Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, COLLABORATION WITH CONFEDERATED TRIBE OF SILETZ INDIANS provide critical habitat for a large diversity of bird, plant, and TWC and Confederated Tribe of the Siletz Indians are prioritizing amphibian species and livelihoods for farmers and ranchers. joint conservation opportunity areas in the Lower Siletz, Yaquina The waterfowl and waterbird populations that migrate and Alsea watersheds. The Siletz is a new but natural add on area to along the Pacific Flyway depend on flooded pastures and our Central Coast Initiative. The new and updated assessments will meadows for forage, resting, and nesting habitat. On the add information about traditional knowledge and sea level rise to managed wetland/pasture, public and private lands host our conservation prioritization and planning. hundreds of thousands of waterbirds every spring. 2 3 TheWetlands Conservancy The Wetlands Conservancy and The Benefits of Urban Confederated Tribes of Siletz Wetlands: Meyer Memorial Indians Join Forces to Conserve Trust Grant 2018 Goals Central Coast Wetlands The Wetlands Conservancy received a 2-year Acres of Willamette Valley and During the past 20 years the Confederated Tribe grant to evaluate the ecological value and com- Coastal wetlands are added to the of the Siletz Indians (CFTSI) has carried out aquat- munity benefits of individual Willamette Valley 500TWC portfolio. Lower Siletz wetland conservation ic research, assessments and restoration across wetlands in five Willamette Valley sub basins. projects are identified and planned the Siletz and Yaquina Basins. This work has re- TWC will work with agency and resource OUR MIssION by TWC and Confederated Tribe sulted in the Tribe identifying the need to achieve management to use study results to illustrate To partner with of the Siletz Indians. many aspects of cultural preservation through and describe the potential for investments in 3 communities Additional acres of habitat enhancements and conservation actions. wetland restoration and conservation to help 1500Oregon’s Greatest Examples of cultural preservation include the accomplish agency water quality, stormwater across our state Wetlands are protected ability to access basketry materials as well as tra- and fish and habitat goals and mandates. in conserving, ditional foods (camas) found in wetlands. Camas by TWC and partners. enhancing and was once a regular food staple, which conse- Tualatin Basin wetland conservation and quently disappeared from tribal diets as owner- Land Trust Alliance restoring the physical restoration projects are implemented by ship and land management changed. Camas is Re-Accreditation and ecological TWC, private landowners, Tualatin Soil now being brought back for ceremonial uses and People will volunteer, attend values of Oregon’s and Water2 Conservation District and as a traditional food that can alter poor diets and In August, The Wetlands Conservancy (TWC) 2000events, and connect through was awarded accreditation renewal through greatest wetlands Clean Water Services. diseases such as diabetes. Wetlands histori- TWC via social media to learn cally used by tribal members for digging camas, the Land Trust Alliance (LTA) Accreditation for current and about the importance of spruce roots, and gathering basketry materials Commission. The LTA is a national organization wetlands. future generations. have been tiled, ditched and drained. Most of that advocates for over 1,000 land trusts. They these wetlands are not located on tribal land and offer support and training for land trusts, and Elementary school students have Water conservation and thus access has been limited or non-existent. also work to improve the quality of land trusts 500a broader awareness of ecosystem All of these factors have threatened the Tribe’s throughout the country. TWC was originally wet meadow restoration services provided by beaver and projects are implemented ability to preserve its culture specific to wetland accredited in 2012, and is required to seek urban wetlands. with Harney County private resources. In 2016, The Tribe identified The Wet- re-accreditation every five years. landowners, resulting in lands Conservancy as a likely partner to conserve Accreditation is no small task and requires important wetlands. In May 2017, The Tribe and land trusts to meet the highest standards for conservation of scarce The health of our water water resources in the The Wetlands Conservancy signed a Memoran- land conservation and shows that the land trust is the principal measure Closed Lakes Basin. Acres of Bayview Oxbow are dum of Agreement (MOA) forming a partnership is strong, effective and trustworthy. Re-Accredi- 2 122hydrologically reconnected focused on land conservation, enhancement, tation demonstrates that the TWC is responsible of how we live on the to Alsea Bay. restoration, and Tribal cultural preservation. The and professional in our mission of partnering land. MOA recognizes the partnership’s common goals with communities across our state in conserv- Luna Leopold and priorities; the need for coordination, and the ing, enhancing and restoring the physical and need to seek and aggregate funding to accom- ecological values of Oregon’s greatest wetlands plish common goals and priorities. With funding for current and future generations. We are dedi- cated to our mission and hope that you will join Kim Payne Kim from the Environmental