Conservation Report 2017-2018 Columbia River Gorge © Brian Chambers Photography
A Shared Blueprint Building a Northwest where all life thrives
We live on an amazing planet, one of a kind in the known universe. We have a protective atmosphere, abundant water and rich soil, minerals, and highly complex, diverse, and interconnected life. The Pacific Northwest plays a critical global role in fish and bird migratory systems and in overall planetary health. The people of the Northwest, from indigenous times to present day, take a special pride in knowing, loving, and caring for nature.
Still, human impacts to the planet and to the Pacific Northwest have been accelerating and people are more disconnected from nature than ever before. Species are going extinct at record rates, our air and water is often fouled, and our atmosphere is undergoing dramatic change. Locally and around the globe, this generation will play a crucial role in determining the fate of all life on earth. As a dominant presence on the planet, we have an obligation to behave in ways that support this precious, interconnected life.
Fortunately, across our diverse human communities we share common values in support of nature. In the Pacific Northwest especially we can be fearless role models for the rest of the country and world. Columbia Land Trust is one of the Northwest’s leading conservation groups mobilizing people to act to conserve our amazing nature, from our backyards to our farms, forests, and wild places.
In 2017, Columbia Land Trust adopted a conservation agenda that offers a shared blueprint for taking action to conserve the Pacific Northwest. This agenda shows how we can unite people from rural and urban communities in support of the nature of the Northwest. In order to succeed, we all must play a role. We must look beyond our own perspectives to consider the needs and threats to all human and non-human life.
This report shows our 2017 successes and 2018 actions to implement this new agenda. First, we’ll look first at our broad conservation initiatives, then visit each of the five ecologically-distinct regions, or ecoregions, in which we work for detailed accounts of our work on specific sites. How your gift grows
The four-year objectives outlined in our agenda require $1.2 million per year, which we’re poised to leverage into $100 million worth of conservation. Thanks to generous individual donors, foundations, and funding agencies, we met our goal in 2017. Over the next three years, we need to dig even deeper. This unprecedented capacity-building campaign calls on more Northwesterners to be fearless. If you enjoy all the good that the Northwest’s wetlands, forests, mountains, meadows, high deserts, parks, and trails have to offer, join us in taking aciton. Support the places that we’re losing to development at a mind-bending pace.
Your investment today will help permanently protect the nature of the Northwest, funding more conservation in the next three years than in our previous 27 years combined. We have the plan, the staff, and the determination to make it happen. All we need is you.
$ $ Every dollar you donate to Columbia Land Trust is leveraged into $20 for conservation. We accomplish this by securing private and public grants to fund comprehensive, collaborative projects.
g Fo in r k e Our conservation agenda r s t al L o focuses our efforts by r a s u n t d W guiding where and how a s we conserve land. We N are working at a grand rm La scale to conserve land a n an L F d b a r n across the Columbia River s U d region’s vibrant tapestry s of lands.
Group icon created by Oksana Latysheva form the Noun Project About Conservation Opportunity Areas When drafting our conservation agenda, we identified geographies most vital to our region’s wildlife, which we dubbed conservation opportunity areas (COAs). When establishing COAs, we analyzed the current presence of wildlife species and habitat, landscape connectivity, climate resiliency, expert opinion, and local knowledge. The map on the next page depicts our highest priority COAs color-coded by ecoregion. Throughout this report, we’ve noted when site-specific projects exist within COAs. Increasingly, new projects will fall within these areas of strategic focus.
Smoke from the Eagle Creek fire. © Brian Chambers Photography
Our Agenda At Work 6 A scenefrom acattledriveintheSimcoeMountains, mented by aculturally-diverse set andindividuals. of partners ENSURE collaborative restoration and enhancement. INCLUDE andcommunities partners indecision-making toimprove conditions through ecological and foster aculture of stewardship. ENGAGE thousands of people in the Land Trust’s work to build long-term support for conservation REMOVE social,political, andeconomic barrierstolandconservation. approaches that we willusetogain far biggerconservation outcomes. Ourlong-termobjectives are: thepace andscale ofto fundamentally conservation. changing Thissection describestheinnovative essential, aren’t enough to achieve these goals. In addition, we face significant social impediments the Northwest. Traditional land trust tools such as acquiring, restoring and stewarding land, while Our 25-year conservation agendadescribesambitious goalstoconserve thebroad landscapes of Klickitat County, WA. PhotobyGabrielOlson that theagendarepresents a shared, and that inclusive it vision is imple- for the region, Innovation at a Grand Scale aGrand at Innovation Our Agenda At Work Our Agenda At Work 7 - - Sustainable Forests Sustainable bound to their surrounding forests, relying on relying forests, bound to their surrounding jobs, and recreation. revenue, county them for public in a balance to help strike Our goal is management. forest Our Solution a concept Columbia Land spearheaded Trust State a Washington become has now that commissioners and community leaders, is is leaders, community and commissioners help to capitol State’s the in story this sharing understanding, support, and funding advance helping of goal the forestry with community for for program a grant develop State Washington forests. community Our Challenge one are in Forests of our the most Northwest essen- are They resources. natural important habitat. wildlife and for tial to our economy Columbia Land supports these both of Trust supporting is The challenge goals. sustainable our on some of practices management forest while ensuring pro forests publicly-owned stands. old-growth remaining our of tection Forested communities in the Northwest are Simcoe Klickitat Community Mountains Forest communities where a movement is There both urban, and rural in Northwest the across see Mountains, Cascades the of and east west ownership bringingforestland of benefits the closer to home. Columbia Land has been Trust helped We in this movement. voice a leading Coa Forest Community Northwest the create funding develop helping are we and now lition forestry. community for supportand programs are County in Klickitat Mountains The Simcoe forest community a potential for in point a case revenue, offorest benefits could provide that and grazing. habitat, water, clean public access, in the foothills acres 70,000 nearly Spanning as a is cherished Adams, this forest Mt. of County. Klickitat for resource and viewshed County Columbia Land Klickitat with Trust, - -
Working Lands Working the effectiveness of conservation tools on tools on conservation of the effectiveness lands in the Willamette Valley, these working grow to and our work, to opposition reduce to conservation for incentives and funding new in Oregon. improve the relationship between farmers and between the relationship improve land trusts, forging a partnership on based farms and ranch protecting goals of shared a to provide continue es, and ensuring they services ecological of economic and myriad to increase seeking are We the future. into conservation and wetland restoration efforts restoration and wetland conservation a commissioned 2016, we In Oregon. across this goal. a first step toward as study Land Columbia report, the by recommended As Land Oregon of the Coalition Trusts, Trust, to working and the Land are Alliance Trust Columbia Land Trust is playing a lead role in an role a lead Columbia Land is playing Trust re strategy positive to build state-wide Oregon and agricultural land trusts between lationships political increasing after of landowners years tensions and legislative attempts to curtail land Oregon Agricultural Agricultural Oregon Program Outreach Our Solution on our trust and listening based strong Build the of the nature for caring of goals shared Northwest. Conservationists and working landowners landowners and working Conservationists are frequently at odds, fightingrather than increased missing out on are We collaborating. from come could that funding and incentives all those between relationships strong building the land. for in caring invested Our Challenge 8 Our Agenda At Work A patchwork offorestland visiblebeyondPine Creek, SkamaniaCounty, WA Columbia Gorge National Scenic area have area Scenic National Gorge Columbia where thenational forest, state forest and economy.areaother The Countyis Skamania ties wherecore is forestry tolocalculture and Willapa Hills in Pacific and Wahkiakum coun- One area of focus isinthe for thisstrategy Skamania Forest Strategy Willapa Hills and vide protection status for olderhabitat forests. forests for toprovide harvest revenue and pro forest landtrades that would release working and habitatadvocates. teamThe isdeveloping Office of the State Superintendent, and forestry NaturalResourcesofleadership, Department representationof three forest-reliant counties, Steering Committee, which includes diverse
- are ineffective. so vast that traditional conservation strategies In areas, certain critical habitat corridors are ChallengeOur habitat protection. revenuesforestry for thecounty aswell as seekingsolutionthata willworkinginclude TrustCounty iscreatively leaders, theLand over how tomanagetheforest. With Skamania been at the core of disagreement and conflict Habitat Corridors Habitat Conserving Conserving Our Agenda At Work 9 - -
People to Nature Connecting More capacity to engage with more people and new and new people more with to engage capacity support to conservation, land audiences diverse and communications a statewide and initiating diverse strong, a build to initiative engagement support. of foundation In a project led by the Coalition of Oregon Land Oregon of the Coalition by led a project In a key Land Columbia play will Trusts, Trust strategy communications in a statewide role and about nature knowledge public to expand Oregon envisions The Coalition conservation. institutions and essential land trusts as beloved listening their communities, of representative moving needs, citizens’ their addressing and to tide of a rising heartsand creating and minds, conser lasting public supportmake will that all communities issue for an imperative vation a unique opportunity to have We in Oregon. and then extend in Oregon this work initiate across in other states sharing it by this work a inform also could work This country. the the Land by spearheaded campaign national Alliance. Trust campaign Coalition the of years three first The will focus on understanding land trusts’ cur statewide developing capacity, collective rent building messaging awareness, to build greater Our Challenge from increasingly are disconnected People public funding and new Support for nature. that to ensure need We is weak. incentives cares and loves, knows, generation the next nature. for Our Solution people the number of increase Dramatically conservation. supporting nature Million One Engage in Conservation People ------
increasingly threatened oak habitats east of the of east oak habitats increasingly threatened this group two years, the next Over Cascades. will lead mapping, classification, outreach, prioritization and conservation education, efforts in the East Cascades. three-county, multi-agency effort multi-agency to prioritize three-county, in the and restoration conservation oak habitat ecoregion.East Cascades Land staff con Trust the partnership, which and initiated of ceived is the firstregional-scale effort to prioritize In September 2017, the Land Trust received Land the received Trust 2017, September In Part Investment Focused OWEB a $100,000 the East Cascades to initiate grant nership ranked Oak Partnership. partnership The was first the eight among across applications 80 The partnership Oregon. has over of state individual members and is a two-state, active East Cascades Partnership Oak opportunities within the Tualatin River water River Tualatin the within opportunities a it Columbia Landshed, has prioritized Trust geography in which we will focus significant will deploy We years. four effort the next over partnership, and restoration, land acquisition, strategiesengagement in this area. tributes a high amount of essential habitat and tributes a high habitat essential of amount urban resi upon by ecological relied functions signif also experiencing is It and wildlife. dents boundaryas the urban growth pressure icant expand to continues Portland of population and west. Recognizing the unique pressures and Tualatin River Partnership River Tualatin The Tualatin River watershed is the Port region’s largest land-Vancouver watershed, one quarter- the comprising region. con of It Create collaborative partnerships that provide provide partnerships that collaborative Create support and better for incentives, education, habitats. critical of land management Our Solution 10 Our Agenda At Work Nearly 30volunteers cameouttoCranes’ Peloquin Landing for aplanting event.PhotobyPaul about naturalabout habitats empowersand to them Specifically, the BHCP educates city residents munity-building makes it animportant asset. andtheadded valueacross of theregion, com servation education and habitat enhancement recognized asanintegral component of con- developed landscape. Theprogram iswidely to preserve privately heldgreen space inthe within Multnomah and Clackamas counties (BHCP) since 2009. TheBHCP is aninitiative Program Certification Habitat Backyard the the AudubonSociety of Portland tomanage Trust partnered has withColumbia Land Habitat Program Expand theBackyard - 700 new each properties year. Currently, the nomah andClackamascounties andenrolls over BHCP currently works cities inMult- ineight healthy ecosystems. ofthe importance stewarding andmaintaining it educates thosewholive inurbanareas of thrive. Moreover, thisworkcritical is in that wildlife by providing sanctuaries needed to birds other migratory and space, supports and center, muchin need anarea of very green in theiryards iscrucialtohabitat intheurban one yard at time. Thework members are doing changes to their communities make meaningful Our Agenda At Work 11 ornamental species in her yard. Korina received gold certification for gold certification received Korina her efforts planting a mix of native and her efforts within the next few years. few the next within we expanded into new areas of Clackamas Clackamas of areas new into expanded we Oak Milwaukie, Linn, including West County, 2018, spring of Lodge. In and Jennings Grove, urban the into expansion our complete will we adding Oregon by parts Clackamas County of and Gladstone, Valley, Happy Wilsonville, City, anticipate We to our service area. Damascus counties and Clark Washington into expanding - - City of Gresham to expand our services into into our services expand to Gresham of City funding with 2017, In Fairview. and Gresham agencies serving local from Clackamas county, local green businesses to provide tens of thou tens of businesses to provide green local to participants. plants native sands of increasingly is program Habitat The Backyard managers resource natural local by seen being supporting to con important municipal as the with worked efforts. 2016, we servation In program has nearly 4,500 properties enrolled 4,500 properties enrolled has nearly program 80 Annually, 1,200 urban acres. over and covers hours 1,200+ volunteer contribute volunteers with and work operations to support program 12 Our Agenda At Work Emerging Leaders Counciland friends atKlickitatCanyon of alongjourney. We made strides in 2017, but we’re at the outset more people inmore ways thanever before. with connected we region, River Columbia ofhow communitiesthe serve to best of the conservation solutions.To getsense abetter Weasked howarriveto atequitableenduring, of common ground. well as having earnest conversations in search our traditional approaches to conservation, as meantThis evolving expandingand beyond commitment topractice fearless conservation. In 2017, Trust we at madea Columbia Land Stronger Movement Stronger Building a Building Engagement region, and that it canregion, and should do better. River Columbia the of diveristy the reflect currently doesn’t organization the that ue, have been slow toelevate equity asaval Trustwe at acknowledged theLand that we moving forward. Within thesecommitments, efforts Trust’s Land the to core be will that committee published equity commitments well astheboard of directors. In addition, the multiple trainings with the entire and staff conductand committeea establish to charter year,committeethe worked with consultanta first its In organization. the across inclusion partmental committee toadvance equity and In 2017, Trust formed ainterde staff TheLand - Inclusion Diversity, Equity, and
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Our Agenda At Work 13 - - - evaluating our current programs, partnerships, programs, our current evaluating a road and develop groups, and stakeholder while building people more meeting map for support conservation. broader for itoring and site work. We are hiring seasonal hiring seasonal are We work. and site itoring gener the next staff to help train and interns to continue We access. public manage lands for to engagement regarding thinking our expand and equity, on diversity, focus include a larger in youth of as the engagement inclusion as well partnerships strong a is Developing our work. support strategy of the base to broadening key protection. and its nature for for Capacity Adding Engagement partial the Land funding secured Trust 2017, In a manager, program engagement an hire to and formalizing with charged position new building our effortsstrengthening toward relationships. community stronger This position will be filled inearly 2018, at manager will beginwhich time the program Next-Generation Next-Generation Conservation a group The Emerging Council (ELC), Leaders support building to of dedicated volunteers of major made their peers, among conservation for built the foundation They strides in 2017. com their formalizing by council a stronger a successful also organizing while mitments, hands- and a handful of event outreach Habitap 2018, the group opportunities. In on volunteer through capacity its to growing is committed recruitment. active and Engagement Access Opportunities of benefits the and work the in people Engaging this to our mission. To is integral conservation mon with assist to volunteers recruit we end, and provide and we conservationists, of ation -
underscores the need the need underscores Voices River | Five One as educators, action, to take people more for leaders. community and scientists, advocates, to high 2018, the LandIn will continue - Trust on conservation light perspectives of a diversity channels. through media various its complex conservation issues in 2017. We also We issues in 2017. conservation complex release to the a 10-minute film tied produced highlighted that agenda conservation our theof fiveecoregions in whichwe work, aswell as along the people which in ways of the diversity nature. of behalf on action take River Columbia More and Deeper Stories More Fieldbook maga Through its issues of three e-newsletter, the Moss of issues monthly zine, and web communities, social media vibrant into deeper the Land delved content, Trust people in the Portland/Vancouver metro area. metro in the Portland/Vancouver people immersive full of is already The 2018 schedule stewardship and volunteer tours experiences lands. on our conserved activities crucial funds at our Wild Splendor gala in in gala Splendor Wild our at funds crucial 200 sup- nearly addition, In September 2017. annual picnic and our portersout for turned and in February, event, member appreciation happy Habitap our of addition another held we to more our work to introduce hour as a way We convened supporters to celebrate the the supportersto celebrate convened We agenda and raise our conservation of launch and sandhill crane-filled croplands. Meanwhile, Meanwhile, croplands. crane-filled sandhill and our volunteers helped us in the office, took cuttings, willow planted amazing photographs, Columbia the along up litter stranded cleaned holly, blackberry, invasive wrangled and River, with volunteers 2017 alone, In and English ivy. Landing property near the Woods HP visited the their toofficefour maintain on occasions landscape. We led many tours and volunteer events to to events tours and volunteer many led We Tours the land in 2017. to people connect explored Columbia River Gorge pika habitat, habitats, backyard plants, and wetlands coastal Tours, Volunteering, Volunteering, Tours, and Events 14 Our Agenda At Work and growing year. every significant is conservation land in aid to ogy land surface model.Thepower of this technol projects, andeven develop a three-dimensional weeds, characterize forestdocumentstands, resotration and management acitivities, map data to assess large and complex sites, plan Trust can quickly and efficiently collect aerial process data. With this equipment, theLand its own equipment and training staff to fly and advantage by investing of this technology in Trust has beguntotake greaterThe Land Monitoring Program Unmanned Aerial Vehicle understanding for landmanagement tracking. conservation by creating acommon andshared of thedatabase. This vision would bolster land trusts andgroups develop tailored versions tion agreements, which will help other land developOuzel the andsubscrip- Partnership functionality. willbeworkingIn 2018,staff to the system,whileconcurrently adding new year, and working with the contractor to refine testing thedatabase intheearly of the part be will Staff workflows. and functionality is imminent. Thelarge systemwillimprove and its migrations andrelease use for staff votedStaff tonamethenew database Ouzel the new application. Washington andOregonto share landtrusts, presentedStaff Camp,aconference at of Land affordable forto implement.land trusts other much more useful and flexible, as well as more lands database. Thisiteration promises tobe buildanew to tor andimproved iteration of our In 2017, continued staff towork with acontrac Meet Ouzel in leading-edge systemsandtechnologies. ourstewardshipthe curve, team isinvesting and steward habitat grows. To stay ahead of its responsibilitymonitor, to restore manage, Trust succeedsAs theLand land, inconserving Land ManagementLand Systems - -
stewardship lookslike. and what theoverall for responsible effort resources ofprogram the be deployed should provides critical information regarding how the of thisinformation, onanacre-by-acre basis, isit(i.e. declining, atbetter). orgetting risk All land (i.e. degraded vs functional), and its trend green spaces), thecondition of thenatural habitat landsvsmore recreation-oriented the program is responsible for (i.e sensitive program. It informs onwhat of type property understand andplanfor thefuture needs of the us the ability toof land managers and gives system is based ontheprofessional judgement dition and status of ourconserved lands.This rapid understandthecon systemtobetter a provides that system classification habitat The Stewardship Program hasadopted anew Assessment Program Habitat Classification in bothOregon andWashington. standing of thecondition of conserved lands developed aconsistent and broader under approach. the adopt If successful, we willhave the hopethat more conservation will partners orientation andtraining onthemethod with toprovide out tootherlandtrustsintheregion Plateau.Columbia We willalsobereaching with afocus ontheEastCascades andthe implementworkEIA on conserved properties Trust in2017. use willcontinue For2018,staff to Land for method EIA the adapt and refine to the Washington DNR Natural Heritage Program isacollaborationsponsibilities. Thiseffort with of the stewardship program in fulfilling its re- habitats ameans and measure to progress the tailedway to assess conditionthe of conserved Trust morea de- Land the This methodgives integrity of ourhabitatthe ecological lands. science-based, structured method of assessing Supporting the habitat classification system isa Assessments (EIA) Ecological Integrity - - Our Agenda At Work 15 Stewardship staff members conduct conduct staff members Stewardship a field test of their EIA methodology. 16 Coast Range & Estuaries providing healthy andfunctional natural areas. STRENGTHEN interdunal wetlands andlakes, associated forests, andbeaches. CONSERVE ing invasive species. INCREASE theprevalence of tidalwetlands andcontinue manag intheColumbiaRiver Estuary habitat areas, set thestagefor more oldforests, thesurvival of endangered andsupport species. PROTECT olderforests, ensuringthat large expanses are managed inways that connect critical and riverside habitat without threatening communities andinfrastructure. GIVE rivers room tomove andfloodnaturally, healthy salmonruns enablingthemtosupport Walluski River, ClatsopCounty, OR andrestore thelastremaining large, undeveloped containing properties coastal local economies andexpand publicawareness of conservation benefits by Coast Range Ecoregional Objectives Ecoregional & Estuaries - Coast Range & Estuaries 17 - - East Willapa Bay East Willapa WA County, Pacific Hills Willapa COA: Hines Marsh Hines WA County, Pacific Peninsula Beach Long North COA: Marsh Hines WA County, Pacific Peninsula Beach Long North COA:
27 54 190 ACRES ACRES ACRES Bay Bay is of national significancefor migratory designated was and waterfowl—it shorebirds as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Site of International Importance in on activities stewardship will focus We 2017. charac to old growth the forest restoring teristics to better support including wildlife, murrelet. nesting marbled federally-listed - and migratory wa importance to shorebirds This Park. State Point Leadbetter near terfowl forests, interdunal of consisting site, 27-acre of acres 120 on builds wetlands, and lakes, wildlife and fishconserved habitat previously the Landby The property is also home Trust. which migrate swans, trumpeter to impressive each Washington of to Alaska the state from to overwinter. year 190 the Land June, also conserved In Trust Pacific in Bay Willapa of side east the on acres property The conserved Washington. County, Slough Seal on the 365-acre builds property north, Columbia Land directly conserved Trust by managed habitat of to 900 acres addition in and Fish & Wildlife of Department Washington Wil of a mile of The property consists Forterra. Willapa forest. and coastal shoreline lapa Bay 54 acres the Land March, acquired In Trust Lake property Skating on near wetland of conservation Oysterville the purpose of for The acquisition protection. habitat and wildlife the neighboring of builds on the habitat 340- Lake Park. Skating acre State protected June, the Land permanently In Trust significant with land of piece small relatively a
- Wahkiakum County, WA County, Wahkiakum Estuary River Columbia COA: Crooked Creek Crooked Chinook River Chinook WA County, Pacific Estuary River Columbia COA:
Conservation Successes: 2017 Successes: 31 285 ACRES ACRES the land converted to pasture. The Land to pasture. Trust the land converted is working with conservation partner CREST restoration habitat a tidal wetland to develop strategy the property. for Rock Road near Rosburg. This acquisition builds acquisition This Rosburg. near Road Rock Co by owned lands conserved of on 120 acres Crooked along Landlumbia upstream Trust Bay Grays which is part broader the of Creek, habitat Thisswamp historic spruce watershed. and a dike by river the from disconnected was In January, the Land Trust conserved with the the Land with conserved Trust January, In Administration Power support the Bonneville of the Colum- and Creek along Crooked 31 acres bia River at Grays Bay in County, Wahkiakum just south The property is situated Washington. on Altoona-Pillar Bridge Creek the Crooked of
aquatic aquatic wildlife. also We’ll encourage wildlife to help shape the landscape. such as beaver support will and out-of-basin local The project salmonids, including 13 listed Columbia River eulachon. listed as well as steelhead and salmon property in January 2017, protecting one mile protecting property in January 2017, of the Chinook River, three fish bearing trib- wetland associated of acres utaries, and 245 habitats. Moving forward, we’ll engage in removal, including road restoration, habitat and habitat planting, native control, weed and terrestrial for construction structure Columbia Land Trust acquired a 285-acre a 285-acre Columbia Land acquired Trust
18 Coast Range & Estuaries and waterfowl, including trumpeter swans. national significance for migratory shorebirds freshwater wetlands, aunique environment of The area is comprised of interdunal lakes and the Washington Department of Fish&Wildlife. itat managed by Washington State Parks and directly inaddition to460acres north, of hab conserved andLoomis Lake alongIsland Lake Trust previouslyacres750 Columbia Land The conserved wetland builds on property acresinterior inthe of Beach Long Peninsula. In September, Trust conserved 55 the Land Streaked hornedlark, PhotobyADWilson ACRES 55
Pacific County, WA Lakes Island Loomis and - Trust willcomplete three large-scale intertidal acquisition of additional the Land properties, Grays River to move forward in 2018. With the being evaluatedCrookedalong Creek the and forward. Additional are properties currently to allow atidal restoration project tomove which is the fourth of five planned acquisitions February, in River Deep on property small a the Columbia River at Grays Bay. We will acquire Grays River, Deep River, and Crooked Creek and the of confluences the at properties multiple Trust isintheprocessThe Land of purchasing COAs: Columbia River Estuary, Grays River Wahkiakum County, WA Grays Bay Watershed Upcoming Projects Coast Range & Estuaries 19 - - - South Point Tongue OR County, Clatsop Estuary River Columbia COA:
Stewardship Successes: 2017 Successes: 90 ACRES historic plant community is not currently pos is not currently community historic plant sible. The floodplain currentlyexists below which woody at extent elevational the lowest survive, can so the Land is vegetation Trust recolonize species what to see closely watching necessary inform will This area. the restoration the into activities and seeding control weed future. Kerry Island: Floodplain Floodplain Island: Kerry Enhancement OR County, Columbia Estuary River Columbia COA: the hydro the Land 2016, restored In Trust logic propertyby to the 109-acre connection and excavating levee of sections removing these restoration continue tidal channels. To were and shrubs trees efforts,50,000 nearly the to expedite order 2017 in early in planted throughout species native of establishment the property. Restoring native plant - commu the site part in is an experiment: here nities diking due to past elevation) (lost has subsided the the property so restoring of and draining The Land Trust is in the process of fundraising fundraising The Landof is in the process Trust for a 90-acre property on Columbia River in by land will be owned The Astoria, Oregon. a College, Community which owns Clatsop will door and next facility education marine its a living laboratoryuse the property for for the USFWS include funders Likely students. Wa and Oregon Program Coastal Wetlands With (OWEB). Board Enhancement tershed the property (estimated of the acquisition with be able to work College will the 2018), intertidal a large-scale partners complete to salmon, benefitting project restoration wetland migratory eulachon, and numerous steelhead, and shorebirds. waterfowl
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Chinook River Chinook WA County, Pacific Estuary River Columbia COA: Pacific County, WA County, Pacific Peninsula Beach Long North COA: Hines Marsh Hines Lower Lower River Elochoman WA County, Wahkiakum Estuary River Columbia COA:
24 23 122 ACRES ACRES ACRES 2017 in Pacific County, Washington. The The Washington. 2017 in Pacific County, wetlands of add 20 acres will acquisitions and additional Chinook River frontage, add elk, ing benefit salmonids, bear, to listed is funded The project and migratory birds. Program. the USFWS Coastal Wetlands by The Land Trust is in the process of acquiring acquiring of The Land is in the process Trust on the Chinook acres) (23 properties two more River, adjacent to the 285 acres acquired in gered Species Act-listed nesting snowy plover plover nesting snowy Act-listed Species gered Roosevelt as well as lark, horned streaked and among other wildlife. elk and black bear, The Land Trust is in the process of acquiring acquiring of The Land is in the process Trust the northernmost properties at tip of several Point. Leadbetter Peninsula, the Long Beach there acres 355 The Land conserved has Trust the donation to accept expect and in 2018 we The land will support acres. Endan more 23 of altered for grazing. With the acquisition of of the acquisition With grazing. for altered a will be able to complete the properties, we restoration project benefitting listed Colum salmon, eulachon, and deer, bian white-tailed shorebirds. and migratory waterfowl numerous three properties on the lower Elochoman River Elochoman lower the on properties three just off the Columbia River near Cathlamet, the proper 122 acres, Totaling Washington. the of floodplain and wetlands once were ties Elochoman, supporting Fifty salmonids. to 100 and hydrologically cleared were ago, they years The Land Trust is in the process of purchasing purchasing of The Land is in the process Trust steelhead, eulachon, and numerous migratory and numerous eulachon, steelhead, are projects These and shorebirds. waterfowl Administration. Power the Bonneville by funded wetland restoration project benefitting salmon, benefitting project restoration wetland 20 Coast Range & Estuaries the installation of approximately 20,000 plants. with Planting beginning tookplace in February continues on agood restoration trajectory. winterensureto thatthis restoration project toring,and weed control work over lastthe Trust continued Land The planting, moni COA: Columbia River Estuary Pacific County, WA Tidal Restoration Wallacut River: fall 2017tocontrol population. theblackberry during effort significant a including ongoing, woody species.Weed control are also efforts graphic complexity have been planted with topo- areasfilled leveeremainingfor and the ground consistingIn ofmeantime, the higher A dayofdike breaching toreconnect historic floodplain at Island, ColumbiaCounty,Kerry OR - action effectiveness monitoring program. five years post-construction as part of a larger sediment dynamics onthesite willcontinue for channel morphology, vegetation changes,and well established. Monitoring of site hydrology, until woodyongoing effort vegetation becomes over winterthe weed and controlan willbe early spring.Additional planting willtake place invasive species of concern onthissite, through We continued tocontrol gorse,ourprimary Coast Range & Estuaries 21 - Stewardship Projects: 2018 As a last piece of follow-up work for the in- for work follow-up of As a last piece be will areas disturbed all restoration, stream early in shrubs and trees 4,000 with planted This conditions. reference 2018 to approximate as as well vegetation native will help restore af common species invasive of flush a prevent control Weed disturbing activities. ter ground throughout place the property will also take during summer 2018. streams, which creates and maintains habitat habitat and maintains which creates streams, fall chinook salmon and steelhead juvenile that stand The forest and spawning. rearing use for in 2016 provided completed work enhancement enhancement, in-stream for 350 logs used over were trees more 10,000 and approximately Priority 2017. in early areas in thinned planted also treated on the property were species weed in 2017. Forest: Elochoman Upper Enhancement In-stream Planting Follow-Up WA County, Wahkiakum Elochoman River COA: Upper Elochoman Forest: Forest: Elochoman Upper Enhancement In-stream WA County, Wahkiakum River Elochoman COA: Originally 2015, Columbia Land for slated Trust of a stretch of the enhancement completed mainstem Elochoman River and two of its Fifteen engineered log jams tributaries in 2017. the mainstem Elochoman within installed were in- were structures smaller twenty and River, tributaries. Additional its two within of stalled into Creek Cat re-meandering included work a historic channel. roughness, channel provides wood The large shading, provides activation, floodplain in aids - avail and nutrient production prey increases spawning additional helps create and ability, forestry sorting. Historic throughhabitat gravel greatly and land use in the watershed activity to the available wood of the amount diminished - - - to a larger effortto a larger of to understand the effects func- habitat being done to restore the work partners with and supported by tion. Working staff is Administration, Power the Bonneville including data, and sharing collecting regularly temperature, water elevation, surface water channel metrics. and tidal accretion sediment using the best available science and by imple- and by science using the best available approach management an adaptive menting of the effectiveness staff informs regarding that where Estuary, River Columbia the In work. our the Land Trust has implemented significant contributing are we restoration, floodplain tidal Multiple OR and WA counties WA and OR Multiple Estuary River Columbia COA: lands The Land conservation manages its Trust portant habitat communities productive for a for productive communities habitat portant species. fish and wildlife of wide variety Action Estuary Restoration Monitoring Effectiveness In 2017, we continued trial treatments and data and data trial treatments continued we 2017, In the on site trial a second added and collection, Columbia in project restoration Kerry Island from gained the information hope We County. these trials will assist the Land and other Trust managers in the estuary im habitat to restore literature in 2016, the project team designed designed team in 2016, the project literature a five-yearexperiment to implement control the in sites restoration tidal several on trials lower Columbia River estuary. The first trial on the Kandoll Farm resto 2016 in initiated was Washington. County, Wahkiakum in site ration Estuary. One significant challenge is the diffi - the is challenge significant One Estuary. (Phalaris canarygrass reed culty in controlling a habitats, tidal freshwater ) in arundinacea mid- over and takes often invades that species tidal marsh communities. and higher-elevation scientific available of review a conducting After The Land Trust has been working in part in working The Land been has Trust nership with the PacificNorthwest National to advance Laboratory Washington in Sequim, through estuary of a the science restoration facing challenges specific of review structured River Columbia the in practitioners restoration Columbia (OR) & Wahkiakum (WA) Counties (WA) Wahkiakum & (OR) Columbia River Grays Estuary, River Columbia COAs: Kerry Island & Kandoll & Kandoll Island Kerry Canarygrass Reed Farm: Treatments Trial 22 Coast Range & Estuaries Island, ColumbiaCounty, OR Pacific treefrog observedat Kerry onization by invasive restoration. species after are toprevent also ongoing in anattempt col planting success thusfar. Weed control efforts on based composition species the refine and stalled early intheyear toaccount for mortality 2018. Over 14,000 trees andshrubswill be in- additional planting andweed control in effort toration Trust project, is taking onan theLand Twocompleting years res ahydrologic after - COA: Columbia River Estuary Columbia County, OR Weed Control Kerry Island: Planting and -
invasive species tocolonize attempt thesite. control, particularly for gorse, is ongoing as supplement initial planting from 2017. Weed withproperty over 6,000 trees andshrubsto Trustproject, will plant the Land the Wallacut In thesecond year following amajorrestoration COA: Columbia River Estuary Pacific County, WA Planting andWeed Control Wallacut River Confluence: Coast Range & Estuaries 23 Abernathty Creek, Creek, Abernathty Cowlitz County, WA Cowlitz County, - the Land will begin the with Trust working infested formerly areas to reforest landowners will control Weed blackberry. Armenian with in 2018. also continue a corridor of riparian forest along the creek, the creek, along forest riparian of a corridor hab and function watershed helping improve For the last three and steelhead. coho for itat Columbia Land with has partnered years, Trust to control Board Weed County the Cowlitz 2018, In in this riparian corridor. weeds invasive Cowlitz County, WA County, Cowlitz Columbia Land conservation holds seven Trust properties along lower on private easements protect easements These Creek. Abernathy Abernathy Creek: Riparian Riparian Creek: Abernathy Enhancement Forest 24 Willamette Valley & Puget Trough Lacamas Lake, Clark County, WA areas. PROVIDE for opportunities people toconnect cities tonature andnatural meaningful throughout habitat, movement, andmigration. BUILD strong partnerships between agriculture and conservation communities to benefit wildlife allow pollinators, resident andmigrating birds, andotherwildlife tomove across thelandscape. MAKE urban areas more conducive thousands of nature-scaped towildlife through properties that PROTECT, maintain, andrestore oakandprairie habitats. with ourrivers. RESTORE Willamette VaLleyWillamette the health and function of the floodplains, riverside forests, and wetlands associated wetlands and forests, riverside floodplains, the of function and health the & Puget& Trough Ecoregional Objectives Ecoregional Willamette Valley & Puget Trough 25 ivy vines at Keller Woodlands. ivy vines at Keller Contractors free trees from English English from trees free Contractors part the bonding approval. of the purchase of parks, open space, forests, forests, space, open parks, of the purchase and farmland. to protect be leveraged These bond funds will across lands conservation in million $12 over municipalities, all The county, County. Clark submit to invited Land the and were Trust in the funding consideration for projects Land and two Landpackage. Three Trust-led as approved were projects Trust-supported Lowlands, Washougal River Washougal Lowlands, Conservation Successes: 2017 Successes: Columbia Land Trust worked closely with the with closely Columbia Land worked Trust Lands Legacy and the County Clark Program approval to secure Treasurer County Clark million $7 for Council County Clark the from for bonds to be used Futures Conservation in Conservation Funding Futures WA County, Clark Lewis River, East Fork COAs: River Columbia 26 Willamette Valley & Puget Trough Board memberJanet Gifford speaksata tour ofbackyard habitatsinPortland, OR program with AudubonSociety the of Portland. this co-manages Trust Land The Northwest. andcaring forin conserving thenature of the toengagemore people efforts our region-wide Backyard Habitat Certification Program fits into for details on how the Land Trust’s innovative See pagetenof theOurAgenda atWork section Multnomah, Clackamas Counties, OR Certification Program Backyard Habitat Lewisville Parkwill allow and for expansion of to adjacent is acquisition planned This River. the lower 13milesof theEastFork of theLewis County to build aconnected greenway along Trust iscontinuingThe Land towork with Clark ACRES 90 Projects: 2018Projects:
Upcoming COA: EastFork LewisRiver Clark County, WA Expansion River: Greenway East Fork Lewis Willamette Valley & Puget Trough 27 - Stewardship Successes: 2017 Successes: Keller Woodlands: Urban Urban Woodlands: Keller Restoration Forest OR County, Multnomah Park Forest COA: this natural ivy, invasive with infested Heavily major began to see Portland in southwest area to contractors with worked We changes in 2017. invasive and cut down trees, ivy from remove couver Lake Lowlands. Approximately 125 acres Lake Approximately couver Lowlands. peas, of 90 acres alfalfa, of 32 acres corn, of ryegrass, annual and perennial of 84 acres in June sorghum planted of and 8 acres were prior from on the lessons learned 2017 based farming efforts We surveys. and monitoring on the plan based our 2017 planting adapted 2016- in collected data monitoring extensive land utilization), and avian soils, (crops, 2017 with and consultations manager observations, and regionallocal experts. Through crane these amdendments, we will increase efficiencies and production, and configure the fieldsto food the available of utilization crane maximize to be spectac continue The results resources. to in addition cranes, of hundreds ular with species other waterfowl thousands of tens of basis. Additionally, on a daily utilizing the site ten acres of land surrounding the fields were native of species twenty over with reforested and shrubs in April 2017. trees ily used property for migratory waterfowl and migratory waterfowl property for used ily Throughother wildlife. the bank, the mitigation riverine to increase propertybe restored will wetlands and tidally-influenced freshwater Act-listed Species Endangered for areas rearing species. native salmon and other juvenile Landing: Sandhill Cranes’ Habitat Foraging Crane WA County, Clark Lowlands River Columbia COA: implemented The Land has successfully Trust to production crop forage of year second its benefit wintering sandhill cranes in theVan- - - - - Clark County, WA County, Clark Lowlands River Columbia COA: Wapato Valley Valley Wapato Bank Mitigation Easement Lacamas Lake Lacamas Lake Shore North WA County, Clark Lacamas Prairie COA: Clark County, WA County, Clark (Lower) River Lewis Fork East COA: Lewis River Ranch Ranch River Lewis Greenway
30 876 ACRES 160 ACRES ACRES part of a conservation and wetland mitigation mitigation and wetland part a conservation of a long-time family by bank under development Ridge the adjacent is property The landowner. fieldNational WildlifeRefuge and across the Columbia River from Oregon’s Sauvie Island an important and heav making it Area, Wildlife The Land Trust is in the process of acquiring a acquiring of LandThe process the in is Trust conflu the at easement conservation 876-acre River. Columbia the and River Lewis the of ence as donated be will easement conservation The around Lamacas around backdrop Lake and a forested the north of shore. the viewshed protecting - the historic Pit protect also will The project House. tock-Leadbetter Lacamas Lake North Shore is a collaborative with underway project and park conservation Camas, The Conservation partners of the City at Fund, and Columbia Land This project Trust. roughly to supportwill acquire 30 acres the trail loop multi-use a of vision Camas’s of City way acquisition. The long-term vision for this for The long-term vision acquisition. way neighboring county’s the expand to is property in park used the most heavily Park, Lewisville ownership. the county’s The Land Trust is providing transactional transactional The Land is providing Trust and due diligence support for Clark County’s Ranch River Lewis 160-acre the of acquisition will build on the 90- This project Greenway. to the Green property adjacent shoreline acre wildlife habitat. habitat. wildlife hiking trails while also protecting important important protecting also while trails hiking 28 Willamette Valley & Puget Trough County, WA photobyAl Bernstein Sandhill cranes atCranes’ LandinginClark for planting site the inwinter 2018-2019. control willcontinue in2018preparation all contributedweed to control Weed efforts. school volunteers, andlocal contractors have Trust thelandowners, high staff, Oregon. Land headwatersthe of asmallcreek inMilwaukie, with aprivate landowner tocontrol weeds at In 2017, Trust continued theLand topartner Clackamas County, OR Urban Restoration Headwaters Easement: Boardman Creek and shrubswillbeplanted inits place in2018. was controlled ontenacres, andnative trees thrive across the40-acre site. Denseground ivy holly andlaurel trees, allowing native trees to
and planting. restoration of the natural regime hydrologic woodland, andriparian forest habitats through will include restoring diverse wet prairie, oak planning. Future larger-scale work at thissite in 2017 included management andrestoration the forest. Additional work at Atfalati Prairie 2018, along with oak release of in aportion other weeds. Weed control willcontinue in were heavily infested with blackberry, among remnant riparianforest. Portions of theforest Work in2017included weed control inthe COA: Tualatin River Washington County, OR Initial Stabilization Atfalati Prairie:
Willamette Valley & Puget Trough 29 - - We thinned We implemented included ongoing weed control, control, ongoing weed included implemented - and mainte maintenance, and plant planting infrastructure. the road of nance planting efforts, another round is scheduled for scheduled efforts, is round planting another of installation the property including 2018 in high-priority of and control trees 1,250 native to continue will The work species. invasive adja- a hillslope directly and enhance restore listed for habitat to migratory and rearing cent salmon. coho Ranch: Stock Columbia Forestry Restoration OR County, Columbia Lowlands River Columbia COA: a second the Land implemented Trust 2017, In thinning in partner restoration forest phase of Forestry. Mountain Trout ship with in the remaining growth to release 16 acres a more planting for space and to allow trees understory This work diverse trees. cohort of this of function the long-term habitat increases supports that revenue and has generated forest work Other property. the of stewardship the Green Cathedral: Urban Urban Cathedral: Green Restoration Greenspace WA County, Clark previous of maintenance and control Weed occurred greenspace this urban at plantings shiny of ongoing control along with in 2017, will contin work control This weed geranium. to plantings additional with ue in 2018, along and seeding diversity, species native increase as a test to compete species grass native of geranium. shiny with Creek: Schoolhouse Restoration Habitat WA County, Clark River Washougal COA: and control weed of years several Following
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blackberry throughout the restoration area. blackberry area. throughout the restoration efforts control weed our continue will We in 2018. Our goals include the volunteers with banks, along stream ivy of strategic removal erosion, to prevent and shrubs ferns planting Staff have path. the new as expanding as well techniques removal with experimenting been species. hard-to-control for in 2017, with the support of dedicated vol the support dedicated with of in 2017, a to access path a new created We unteers. a portion of overlooks that platform viewing chum a as serves that shoreline River Columbia English removed we addition, In area. spawning and Himalayan English English laurel, holly, ivy, Woods Landing: Habitat Landing: Habitat Woods Restoration WA County, Clark Landing Woods at control weed continued We English ivy and weedy trees were all treated all treated were trees English ivy and weedy up weed will follow 2018, we In 2017. in late efforts begin and control native to plan for and stabilization. recolonization plant Multnomah County, WA WA County, Multnomah Park Forest COA: ef to neighbors control Outreach and weed 2017. in Woods Nicolai at focus the were forts infestation, Blackberry mustard stands, a garlic ning, fencing repair and gate installation to to installation and gate repair fencing ning, planning. and restoration trespass, prevent Habitat Woods: Nicolai Restoration the cultivation by a lessee farmer. The farmer’s farmer’s The farmer. lessee a by cultivation the control, which includes tilling, weed work, preparation site important is planting, and farmer The restoration. habitat future for 2016. Additional in the site began cultivating plan management included 2017 in work Washington County, OR County, Washington River Tualatin COA: included this site primary the at work 2017, In Rainbow Farm: Farm: Rainbow Initial Stabilization Initial 30 Willamette Valley & Puget Trough A volunteeratWoods Landing discovers arubberboa. McGahan in 2018. property controlrevegetationand willcontinueat the weed watershed. thispartnership, Through invasive plants throughout the Clackamas River land managersworking totrack andmanage agroupPartnership, of publicandprivate SpeciesInvasive Basin River Clackamas the trails andwildlife. In 2017, Trust joined theLand is treasured for its walking by theneighbors River,Clackamas the from23-acre this forest the McGahan site. Located afew hundred feet etation to transform since 2012are beginning to control Efforts weedsrestoreand native veg COA: Clackamas River andTributaries Clackamas County, OR Habitat Enhancement McGahan Property: - species including the federally threatened floodplain habitat for a myriad of other wildlife meantime,restore there to isopportunity the ofnumber yearsadequatelyto resolve. In the complicated thatto beavery will take effort a proven has lowlands Ranch Stock Columbia the of connectivity hydrologic the Restoring COA: Columbia River Lowlands Columbia County, OR Deer Habitat Restoration Columbian White-tailed Columbia Stock Ranch: Projects: 2018Projects: Stewardship Stewardship Willamette Valley & Puget Trough 31
- - River in Clark County, WA County, River in Clark hundred feet from the Columbia the from feet hundred Corn for cranes grows just a few just a few grows cranes Corn for side Forest Enhancement side Forest WA County, Clark River Lewis East Fork COA: 1,675 will include planting 2018, our work In cur are that acres three nearly across plants blackberry by and pasture dominated rently and maintain the weeds will control We grasses. through plantings the summer. tree areas (walking path and roadways). These These and roadways). path (walking areas in order essential are visible barriers (berms) while secure to feel the sandhill cranes for berms These foraging the property. within and trees native with planted be then will shrubs to create elevated, native hedgerows. River Property: Storedahl The next phase of sandhill crane habitat work work habitat sandhill crane phase of The next will begin in 2018, including efforts to reforest eightan additional an assortment with acres and to construct and shrubs, trees native of two berms and a half miles of approximately to create visible barriers along high traffic Cranes’ Landing: Berm Landing: Cranes’ Construction & Planting WA County, Clark Lowlands River Columbia COA: the floodplain habitat from pasture to a mix and scrub-shrub communities woodland of neotropical as many as well deer by preferred migratory birds. Columbian white-tailed deer. Beginning in deer. Columbian white-tailed 2018, the Landbeginlate will Trust to restore 32 West Cascades Wind River, SkamaniaCounty, Wa their economic andrecreational value. CULTIVATE for working conserving publicsupport forest local andregional landsby demonstrating improving river conditions, andrestoring floodplains. PROTECT importantrivers forsteelhead salmonand habitat by removingmigration,to barriers old-growth forest habitat. HALT thenet lossof olderforests andincrease thenumberof forested acres managed toward connecting habitat for species. migratory ENSURE large swaths of bothpublicandprivately owned forestlands are intact andfunctional, Regional Objectives Regional Cascades WEST West Cascades 33 Helens in Skamania County, WA in Skamania County, Helens COA: East Fork Lewis River (Upper) Lewis River East Fork COA: Rock Creek Creek Rock Easement Forest WA County, Clark Pine Creek East Property, Mount St. Mount East Property, Pine Creek Upcoming Upcoming
Projects: 2018 ACRES 362 The Land Trust is working to negotiate the the to negotiate The Land is working Trust a roughly conservation of 360-acre acquisition - conflu the at located forestland on easement ence of Rock Creek and the East Fork Lewis River. One of the most important steelhead through cuts Creek Rock state, the in streams protect would the property and the project
- - Conservation Successes: 2017 Successes: servation in the West Cascades in 2018. Cascades in the West servation in 2017. We were ranked number one for our number one for ranked were We in 2017. Rock Creek Forest project in the inaugural round of Washington Wildlifeand Recreation and grants Preservation Forestland Program highly and na ranked in the state were we 6 Endangered Section of tional evaluations Species grants for our Wind River: Double will These sources III project. Bend Phase significant for million $1.35 con provide Columbia Land Trust secured two important Columbia Land secured Trust Cascades in the West conservation for grants 34 West Cascades Rock Creek, Clark County, WA Resources owl habitat lands. The Land Trust’s Natural of Department WAby sides two on owlspotted nestcircle andis surrounded liespropertyThe entirelywithin northern a habitat for wild steelhead along the Wind River. also protects over amileof west bankriparian includes 35acres of old-growth habitat. It This 100-acre, mature mixed forest property remains forested inperpetuity. 40 legally permissiblelotsandensure property easement willprevent thedevelopment of over riparian areas onbothsides.Theconservation ACRES 100
COA: Wind River Skamania County, WA Bend Phase III Wind River, Double spotted owlspotted habitat conservation project. priority northern considersService thisahigh area to236 acres. TheU.S. FishandWildlife thisphasewouldand expand entire the project Double Bendproject area lies just to thenorth West Cascades 35 Stewardship Projects: 2018 an important salmon and steelhead stream. salmon and steelhead an important East: Forest Pine Creek Enhancement Stand WA County, Skamania weeds controlling The Land will continue Trust as as well infrastructure, and maintaining stands and enhancing thinning overstocked throughstand diversity and creating planting snags. such as resources wood large effort planting on the property Our largest of areas 2018 to replant in late be initiated will conifer of mix diverse a with ‘plantations’ failed upland riparian corridors addition, In species. will be waterways riverine with associated and conifers hardwoods with interplanted in-stream critical as a strategy to improve bull trout. for conditions Wind River: River: Wind Riparian Enhancement WA County, Skamania River Wind COA: along property forested Trust’s Land Columbia the Wind River includes half a mile of river includes diverse The riparian zone frontage. thick Scotch as a band of as well species native 2018, In invaders. and other non-native broom the - ri reduce to systematically will work we species native to allow populations parian weed improving zone, this critical to recolonize shading future and increasing habitat wildlife River, Wind the for recruitment wood large and - - - - Stewardship Successes: 2017 Successes: to the East Fork Lewis River and provides steelhead. winter for habitat important at at the Rock Creek property. This restoration decommis involved and 2016 in began project of sioning failing logging reforestation roads, enhancement and forest corridors, the road water and protect habitat forest to improve tributary a is Creek Rock Creek. Rock in quality Clark County, WA County, Clark Lewis River East Fork COA: as planted were shrubs and trees 1,500 2017, In restoration part riparian and upland forest of ests and healthy riparian corridors supporting riparian corridors ests and healthy wildlife. priority Creek: Rock Enhancement Forest for wildlife such as woodpeckers and other and other such as woodpeckers wildlife for on continued also Work species. nesting cavity and maintenance, infrastructure control, weed or understocked thinned previously of planting goals furthers overarching the This work areas. for property: older growth this 2,500-acre for est restoration thinning in partnership in 2017 est restoration with Integrated Resource Management. We stands, remov overstocked of 59 acres thinned of a third and the trees half of approximately ing snags were Additionally, the standing volume. stand structure the forest to enhance created Skamania County, WA County, Skamania for phase of a third The Land completed Trust Mount St. Helens, Helens, St. Mount East: Forest Pine Creek Conservation 36 EAST Cascades Mount Hood from theFour Sisters property, Wasco County, OR SUPPORT community leaders in championing conservation strategies and leading implementation. woodlands, sustainableforestry, river conservation, processes. andecological oak of benefits awarenessthe public about increase and stakeholders local with COLLABORATE and low elevations, andwet climates. anddry high habitats, upland and riverside between zones transition unique of integrity the MAINTAIN PRESERVE oak woodland habitat systems and opportunities for wildlife migration and movement. PROTECT andrestore majoreastside rivers andkey tributaries. Regional Objectives Regional Cascades EAST EAST Cascades 37 - COA: Trout Lake Valley Lake Trout COA: Trout Lake Valley Valley Lake Trout II Easement Phase WA County, Klickitat
One of our land stewards monitoring in our One of our land stewards 130 Rowena stewardship area, Wasco County, OR OR County, Wasco area, stewardship Rowena ACRES In September 2017, the Land Trust purchased the Land purchased Trust September 2017, In the of on 130 acres easement a conservation ensuring that farm, effectively Justesen family future for agriculture in the propertystay will provides site Justesen The iconic generations. part are the that firstof Or cows for pasture dairy Washington. of in the state ganic Valley budget in January 2018, restoring access to to access in January 2018, restoring budget as well funds (as million dollars in critical four funds) matching in million four additional an 2018. for slated now projects for - Conservation Successes: 2017 Successes: the release of funds. These delays were tied tied were funds. These delays of the release the not issues with trends, political to national partners, and our project Land projects, Trust agreed funders, including sellers and matching released. was funding until closings delay to capital its passed Washington of The state In 2017 the Land Trust was successful in com successful 2017 the Land was In Trust and national largest the of some for peting East for regional sources funding conservation to close our ability However, projects. Cascades - unprec by frustrated was on these projects surrounding and uncertainty delays edented Funding Update Funding 38 EAST Cascades East Cascades. enedcorridor ofwoodland oak habitat in the public awareness around thevital andthreat - collaborative toadvance effort science and section tolearn aboutourgroundbreaking, Reference page nine of the COA: AllCOAs inEastCascadesEcoregion Oak Partnership East Cascades 423 acres of agricultural landinthearea. aside more farmland. To date, we’ve protected are already working with a fifth and sixth to set easements intheTrout Valley, Lake andwe Trustto work inestablishing with theLand The Justesensare landowners thefourth An irrigationpivotspraying below Mount Adams in Trout Lake Valley
OurAgenda Work at 700 acres. completed valley, in the to total the bringing Trustagricultural easements has the Land Valley. fifth and Lake fourth the be will These ments onanadditional 280acres intheTrout This project will acquire conservation ease 280 ACRES Projects: 2018Projects: Conservation Conservation
COA: Trout Lake Valley Klickitat County, WA Easements and Gladstone Mt. Laurel Jerseys - EAST Cascades 39 - - © Brian Chambers Photography © Brian Chambers Penstemon above the Klickitat River above the Klickitat River Penstemon and canyon habitats, 1.1 miles of the main the of miles 1.1 habitats, canyon and and 1.5 miles tributaryof River, stem Klickitat complete corridors riparian These streams. wild observed of 40 percent over of protection the Klickitat in ground spawning steelhead ac is a fee this project Because watershed. Land Columbia quisition, be able to will Trust characteristics, forest old-growth manage for fireresilience, andimproved wildlife habitat closing on this anticipate We on this property. 2018. July by purchase Klickitat Canyon Canyon Klickitat II Phase WA County, Klickitat River Klickitat COA: ACRES 3,200 Building on the success of Klickitat Canyon Canyon Klickitat of on the success Building 3,200 conserve phase will I, the second Phase talus pine forest, ponderosa adjacent of acres generations, and it ensures that the scenic the scenic that ensures and it generations, Lake will Trout of to the community gateway The project character. iconic its retain forever in Washington. projects 24 out of third ranked We expect to finalize botheasements by the 2018. end of The Mt. Laurel Jerseys easement conserves a conserves easement LaurelThe Mt. Jerseys future and fifth the for farm fourth-generation 40 EAST Cascades primary channelof theKlickitat River.primary isolated floodplain, and bedrock featuresto the removedor regraded, reconnecting tributaries, was fill road of miles Three construction. of in October 2017 with the sixth and final phase the Klickitat River. The project was completed of floodplain active the from road paved lane we’ve effectively removed an eight-mile, two- tenyearsAfter andsix phasesof construction, COA: Klickitat River Klickitat County, WA Floodplain Restoration Haul Road Removal: The LowerHood River, Hood River County, OR Successes: 2017 Stewardship Stewardship River includes an off-channel wetland complex. The Powerdale Corridor onthelower Hood COA: Hood River Hood River County, OR Wetland Restoration Powerdale Corridor: “on theroad” torecovery. roadless is now wilderness aneight-mile-deep nativeand plantswere installed. corridorThe in the floodplain to improve habitat complexity, ed with native grasses, large wood was placed coho salmon.Theentire project area was seed steelhead andculturally important Chinookand Endangered supports Species Actthreatened plexity and formation in the Klickitat River that These features are drivers the of habitat com
- - EAST Cascades 41 -
Stewardship Projects: 2018 Mill Creek Ridge: Ridge: Creek Mill Control Weed OR County, Wasco Oaks Wasco COA: the skeletonweed will continue 2018 we In has been that work and control monitoring We years. several on the property for our focus methods monitoring the expand and refine will better seek in 2017 as we developed we that weed ecological our future to inform data decisions. management Corridor: Powerdale Restoration Wetland OR County, River Hood River Hood COA: begin will 2018 we our new In implementing wet the off-channel at habitat planto restore on the Corridor Powerdale the in land complex plant invasive begin will We River. Hood lower replanting by in 2018, to be followed removal also will We years. in future species native of carry monitoring and wildlife surveys out bird uses habitat to document cameras using trail and values. - -
infestations and native plant cover across across cover plant and native infestations improving are we 400 acres, approximately plant native for sites prairie of management the per treated we addition, In protection. rush skeletonweed and aggressive sistent Ridge. Mill Creek on two at sites infestation COA: Wasco Oaks Wasco COA: - vege of rounds several conducted 2017 we In as part a analysis of sampling and data tation closely By project. monitoring vegetation new weed noxious of and trends status tracking Mill Creek Ridge: Ridge: Creek Mill Control Weed OR County, Wasco this popular recreation destination and to build destination this popular recreation strategies management support recreation for while better public access for allow would that These presen resources. natural protecting further plans for also spurred have tations in 2018. collaboration community Access Plan at a public meeting in June 2017. 2017. June in meeting a public at Plan Access to the Hood presentations follow-up gave We Board District Recreation and Parks Valley River Club. These presentations Lions and the local the public about the to educate helped have at development on recreational constraints Hood River County, OR County, River Hood River Hood COA: Lands Advisory Committee, The Powerdale Columbia Land by and facilitated coordinated and Recreation Powerdale the presented Trust, Powerdale Corridor: Powerdale & Recreation Public Access Management by non-native plants along their shorelines shorelines their along plants non-native by 2017, In themselves. the wetlands and within advisory an with LandColumbia worked Trust thisplans for restoration to develop committee site that will benefitresident and migratory wildlife. and other fish, amphibians, birds, Two ponds in this area have been overtaken overtaken been have area in this ponds Two 42 COlumbia Plateau © BrianChambers Photographty John Day River helpful inlocal conservation efforts. INVEST RAISE RESTORE degradation. PROTECT intact andfunctional prairiehabitat andshrub-steppe from landuseconversion and awareness of thebenefits of conservation inprairie andshrub-steppelandscapes. timein the area tolearn more and buildrelationships to determine how we can bemost native plant species, habitat processes functions, onaffected andecological lands.
Regional Objectives Regional COlumbia Plateau Columbia Plateau 43 - Stewardship Projects: 2018 Four Sisters Natural Area: Area: Natural Sisters Four Management Plant Invasive OR County, Wasco Oaks Wasco COA: sur vegetation spring conduct will we 2018 In plots and use control grass invasive our in veys this finalyear of data to decide next steps in also work will We management. grass invasive on this grassland control on rush skeletonweed rush skeletonweed from on research based site the in property Ridge Creek Mill our at control East Cascades. - -
Conservation Conservation Projects: 2018 Successes: 2017 Successes: Successes: 2017 Successes: Recent StewardshipRecent from the three-year trial period to inform period to trial inform the three-year from the site. at decisions management weed future Wasco County, OR County, Wasco Oaks Wasco COA: in data vegetation collected spring 2017 we In the third for plots control grass our invasive data and reviewed analyzed We in a row. year Area: Natural Sisters Four Control Grass Invasive Trials In 2018, the Land Trust will continue learn Land 2018, the will continue In Trust partners our areas indentify to from and ing be most and expertise our skills would where conservation active any do not have We helpful. this time. at in the Columbia Plateau projects
conservation partners including the Yakama partners Yakama the including conservation Nation, Klickitat Conservation Districts, and Earth Foundation. Sacred portant relationships with landowners, support landowners, with relationships portant partners throughorganizational information new and explore sharing, and knowledge opportunities Plateau the Columbia in project engaged, ecoregion. actively While remain we a supporting for role played have we to date im to develop the Land 2017 continued In Trust Photo by Gabriel Olson, Owl-N-Tree Photography
The Dawn of a New Day
Together, in 2017 we conserved or successfully raised funds to conserve 10,100 acres of critical lands from the desert to the ocean. We have leveraged your annual gifts into about $16.3 million for conservation. The Backyard Habitat Certification program grew to involve more than 4,500 households. On the land, we completed removal of the eight-mile-long Klickitat River Haul Road and many other important restoration projects in forests, rivers, meadows, and wetlands.
Most important, in 2017 we prepared, adopted, and began to implement a 25-year conservation agenda for the region. This agenda assures that our work is focused on important places where we can have the greatest, lasting impact.
The region we serve is vast and varied, and so are the ways in which nature can enrich our lives. Regardless of our reasons, we’re united in a desire to see nature thrive. Be bold and generous in supporting these lands. They do so much to support us. Volunteers board a vessel en route to Pierce Island on the Columbia River for a trash clean-up day. There’s only one Pacific Northwest. Count Yourself Among the Fearless. Join us in ensuring that all life thrives here today and for generations to come.
columbialandtrust.org
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