Douglas County Local Work Group Meeting

Douglas County Local Work Group Meeting February 7, 2013 10 AM – 12 PM ODFW Roseburg Office

David Chain, District Conservationist, NRCS called the meeting to order and welcomed participants to the Local Work Group Meeting. Self introductions followed. Those in attendance were:

David Chain, NRCS Suzy Liebenberg, NRCS Donna Fouts, Douglas SWCD Roseanna Breeding, FSA Stan Petrowski, South Umpqua Rural Community Partnership (SURCP) Mike Kennedy, Siletz Tribe David Baker, USFS, Tiller Ranger District Jim Muck, NOAA Fisheries Brian Connors, Cow Creek Tribe Donna Owens, USFS, Tiller Ranger District Blair Nash, Sutherlin Water Control District Jacquie Fern, Oregon DEQ Eric Himmelreich, ODFW Lee Russell, Elk Creek Watershed Council Kelly Coates, Cow Creek Tribe CalLee Davenport, USFWS Cindy Bright, Douglas SWCD Rob Burns, USFWS Chris Anderson, ODA Walt Barton, Douglas SWCD Daniel Jenkins, ODFW Rhonda Black, Umpqua SWCD

David stated that the purpose of this meeting is to provide a forum for NRCS to work collaboratively with our partners so we can develop a plan that strategically utilizes limited resources in a way that benefits all of us.

If any Hispanic or women farmers feel they have been discriminated against by Farm Service Agency, a USDA Agency between 1981 and 2000, you may file a claim. For more information contact your local FSA office in Roseburg.

EQIP is one of the main programs that NRCS has available to address resource concerns. Financial assistance is available to meet identified resource concerns. Local EQIP funds are targeted to specific areas and resource concerns. Private landowners may apply for funding. Applications are ranked utilizing locally developed ranking criteria. The highest ranked applications are funded with available funding. Additionally, nationally identified initiatives are available including, High Tunnels, Organic initiative, Energy Conservation and Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) such as Oak Restoration in this area. All NRCS programs are for private lands. Cost lists are developed on a regional basis.

Other USDA programs are utilized including the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) through FSA and NRCS, Healthy Forest Reserve Program to enhance Northern Spotted Owl habitat and the Wetland Reserve Program.

Local resource concerns currently are for Pasturelands in two areas in central Douglas County. They are from Rice Hill to Oakland from I-5 east to the timberlands and an area roughly encompassing the North Umpqua River from I-5 to east of Glide and from north of the river to Dixonville. Additionally, the Oak CCPI area runs from Rice Hill to an area south of Dixonville. David reviewed progress reportable from fiscal year 2012: Conservation Plans Written 1,733 acres Water Quality improved acres: 1,744 acres Grazing Lands improved 2,700 acres Land with improved fish and wildlife habitat 956 acres Forest lands improved 1,207 acres

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program has 107 contracts enrolled to provide buffers for streams. We have an ongoing level of interest in this program. CREP provides significant positive impacts to stream habitat and water quality for fish and other species.

We continue to have interest from landowners in improving pasturelands in central Douglas County where invasive brush pressures are very evident. Generally there is also a need to improve cross fencing and livestock water systems to improve pastures and control brush. Cattle and sheep are still the economic drivers in Douglas County on pasturelands. Vineyards are increasing in the area along with blueberry production.

The Oak CCPI has received considerable interest from landowners interested in controlling invasive brush/trees and getting an appropriate stand density of oak trees to enhance the habitat qualities of the oak stands. Considerable leveraging of funds has occurred in the Oak CCPI. The community is certainly noticing the results of the work and is commenting positively about the results.

The Healthy Forest Reserve Program (HFRP) is a joint easement project with USFWS and ODF to enhance and provide long term habitat to enhance Northern Spotted Owl habitat. Currently there are a number of easements in place and interest being shown if additional funding becomes available.

Emerging resource concerns/target areas for future Conservation Implementation Strategies in Douglas County: Two new resource concerns in specific areas are emerging. One is for doing in-stream work in the Elk Creek area east of Tiller. Many private landowners are participating in SURCP, a local organization, and are working with the Forest Service to enhance watershed conditions on a landscape scale. Pilot projects have been installed including one with a local landowner and the Cow Creek Tribe to enhance in-stream habitat. Additional projects are planned with 4 owners and 14 others are interested. The project is for restoration for Coho, lamprey and steelhead habitat. Additional objectives are to remove non-native plants and return beavers as a management tool. Improvements to uplands adjacent to the stream could yield significant benefits such as improved instream water flow by improving irrigation system efficiency. Significant partnership and leveraging to assist in installing projects may be available for this project.

The second potential project is for the Umpqua Agland and Estuary Restoration Program with the Umpqua SWCD on the lower Smith River and Umpqua River. The Umpqua SWCD has completed a through inventory of all tidegates in the estuary. The potential impact from fish passage improvements to tidegates in the estuary is very high. Agency interest in moving forward and when time comes to propose a package of tidegates to restore to maximize benefits. Conservation groups are interested in focusing on tide lands. Local interest has been shown in moving the project forward. NOAA can provide pre-application consulting on tidegates. Douglas County should be part of process with roads and culverts adjacent to the rivers. The Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siletz Tribes and Smith River Watershed Council would also be partners. Additional technical assistance and partners are being sought to move the project forward.

Round robin of partner focuses and project updates: Douglas SWCD: Treatment of noxious A, T and B listed weeds. 15,000 treated acres in 2012. 6 0f 13 major weeds are funded for control. Ongoing participation in Oak Restoration projects, partnering with NRCS and USFWS ‘Partners Program’ and some funding. Morgan Creek water quality focus area upstream of Winston. Outreach is currently ongoing in the area. Numerous other ongoing grants in service area are ongoing.

Umpqua SWCD: Primary involvement in tidegate project in Lower Smith River and Umpqua River. Tidegate inventory is completed and SWCD is looking to move project ahead to improve fish passage and habitat availability. Outreach efforts to 780 students this year. Bus tour is open to public to view Ag in area during the summer. Native plant sales event for landowners is held.

ODA: 5 permitted CAFO’s in Douglas County. Utilize Best Management Practices for landowners. Concerns expressed about animal mortality and how to best handle it.

Sutherlin Water Control District: Cooper Creek and Plat I reservoirs are reaching 50 year lifespan. Currently completing assessment of dams and seeking funding with NRCS to complete needed rehabilitation and current dam requirement upgrades.

Forest Service: Tiller Ranger District is completing a landscape scale assessment of Elk Creek. The Forest Service wants to also improve oak habitat, forest condition and quality in moving to a sustainable model, concerns and planning for Wildland/Urban Interface including the burn component, instream habitat. Tiller area has highest Bio-Mass volume of any area in the state. Opportunities to reduce biomass volumes to reduce fire danger and restore landscape present opportunities for local employment. Biochar production has potential in the area. Forest Service is working with the community in plan development and review. Noxious weeds are a concern. South County community would like to not use herbicides in control efforts.

Cow Creek Tribe: Leading effort in Lamprey restoration efforts with USFWS. Elk Creek restoration project east of Tiller is ongoing with great potential to improve habitat. Cow Creek Tribe may be able to provide engineering on future projects. The Tribe is looking at Wetland Restoration including inventory, monitoring and looking for shareholders in area. There may be potential to do instream work at Seven Feathers with great accessibility for public to view work and fish.

South Umpqua Rural Community Partnership: Elk Creek action plan for the watershed including uplands and streams being developed. It is time to do Cooperative Projects. Technical Advisory grant funding is available. Group is working with the Forest Service on landscape scale restoration plan. Great involvement of local private landowners in stewardship collaborative and wanting to make improvements. The group is very involved in Beaver restoration and lamprey workgroups.

NOAA Fisheries: Supportive of tidegates and culverts to improve fish passage and habitat. NOAA is interested in reducing temperatures for in-stream habitat. 56 tidegates identified in Lower Smith River and Umpqua River.

USFWS: Interested in improving invertebrate habitat. Oak habitat restoration and habitat improvements are a major focus benefitting Columbia Whitetail Deer and migratory birds. Potential funding might be available through climate change initiatives. ‘Partners for Wildlife’ has been an important source of oak restoration funding. Oak work benefits upland contributions to streams. A number of projects with local schools are ongoing. Programmatic Biological Opinion for USFW and one with NOAA are available. Eco Trust is a funding source interested in whole watershed restoration that is community based. Climate change may be a funding driver within USFW. Collaborative Approaches are most beneficial and best approach in gaining funding. Surrogate Species also helps to focus funding.

Siletz Tribe: 6,500 acres of timberlands purchased in NW Douglas County. Tribe is working on fish passage and undersized culvert replacements and improving beaver habitat.

ODFW: Riparian and wetland projects in last 4 years have improved 100 miles of fish passage and stream restoration. Coos and Douglas BLM have been partners.

Elk Creek Watershed Council: Funding current CREP position in Douglas County. Projects include log ponds in Yoncalla, and a number of instream habitat, culvert improvements and stream work with boulders and logs in Elk Creek.

Consensus of group was that a lot of good work is happening!

Meeting adjourned at 12:00 PM

David Chain District Conservationist