Natural Resource Assessment and Strategic Action Plan for Restoration and Stewardship of OPRD-Managed Properties in the Willamette Basin August 31, 2017 OPRD Natural Resource Assessment and Strategic Action Plan – Willamette Basin Page i Acknowledgements Project Manager: Andrea Berkley (OPRD Natural Resource Specialist, Valleys Region) Planning Consultant: Jeff Krueger (JK Environments) Project Ecologist: Bruce Newhouse (Salix Associates) Technical Advisory Pool: OPRD Project Advisory Team: • Jeff Baker (Greenbelt Land Trust) • Noel Bacheller, Botanist • Dan Bell (Bonneville Environmental Foundation) • Tammy Baumann, Visitor Experience Coordinator, Valleys Region • Jim Cathcart (W. Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation Dist.) • Alice Beals, Property Specialist • Holly Crosson (Benton Soil and Water Conservation District) • Vanessa Blackstone, Wildlife Biologist • Rebecca Currin (Institute for Applied Ecology) • Kammie Bunes, Property Specialist • Daniel Dietz (McKenzie River Trust) • Matthew Davey, Park Manager, Silver Falls Management Unit • Jason Dumont (Mosaic Ecology) • Steve DeGoey, Park Ranger, Southern Willamette MU • Andrew Dutterer (Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board) • Jennifer Godfrey, Interpretive Ranger, Detroit Lake MU • Sarah Dyrdahl (Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council) • Ross Kihs, South Central District Manager • John Goetz (Clean Water Services) • Steve Kruger, Park Ranger, Stub Stewart Management Unit • Nancy Gramlich (Oregon Department of Environmental Quality) • Celeste Lebo, Natural Resource Specialist, North Coast • Peter Guillozet (Metro) • Craig Leech, Forester • Vern Holm (Western Invasives Network) • Dennis Lucas, Willamette District Manager • Wendy Hudson (Retired, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board) • Nick Morris, Forester • Bessie Joyce (Calapooia Watershed Council) • John Mullen, Park Manager, Champoeg Management Unit • Jimmy Kagan (OSU-PSU Institute for Natural Resources) • Scott Nebebe, Park Development Administrator • Tom Kaye (Institute for Applied Ecology) • Nancy Nelson, Region Archeologist, Valleys Region • Marci Krass (Willamette Riverkeeper) • Justin Parker, Park Manager, Fort Stevens Management Unit • Kristen Larson (Luckiamute Watershed Council) • Kevin Price, Community Engagement Coordinator • Matt Mellenthin (Integrated Resource Management) • Dan Quigley, Park Manager, Stub Stewart Management Unit • Wes Messinger (US Army Corps of Engineers) • Robert Rea, Park Manager, Detroit Lake Management Unit • Shelly Miller (City of Eugene Parks) • Trevor Rigmaiden, Park Manager, Southern Willamette MU • Andy Neill (Institute for Applied Ecology) • Guy Rodrigue, Park Manager, Tryon Creek and Milo McIver MUs • Chris Orsinger (Friends of Buford Park) • Mark Shaw, Park Ranger, Milo McIver Management Unit • Michael Pope (Greenbelt Land Trust) • Bonny Shepard, Park Ranger, Willamette Mission MU • Liz Redon (Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board) • Ryan Sparks, Operations Support Manager, Valleys Region • Melissa Rowe Soll (Ash Creek Forest Management) • Mark Stevenson, Portland District Manager • Ian Sinks (Columbia Land Trust) • Sean Stewart, Park Ranger, Southern Willamette MU • Kendra Smith (former Bonneville Environmental Foundation) • David Stipe, Planning and Design Section Manager • Jonathan Soll (Metro) • Kevin Strandberg, Park Manager, Willamette Mission MU • Laura Tesler (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife) • Trevor Taylor, Stewardship Section Manager • Pat Welle (Scappoose Bay Watershed Council) • Jean Thompson, Brand Manager, Communication and Research Div. • Travis Williams (Willamette Riverkeeper) • Eric Timmons, Central Operations Support Manager • Owen Wozniak (The Trust for Public Land) • Jason Wagoner, Park Ranger, Silver Falls MU • Julie Whalen, Park Manager (retired), Southern Willamette MU • Jeannine White, Park Ranger, Detroit Lake Management Unit • Dennis Wiley, Project Manager • Bob Woodruff, Park Ranger, Champoeg Management Unit • Scott Youngblood, Park Ranger, Southern Willamette MU Cover photo: Willamette Mission State Park (J. Krueger) Section divider photos: Molalla River State Park (A. Berkley), Hoacum Island Landing WRG (B. Newhouse), Ring-necked Duck (Cary Kerst), Luckiamute State Natural Area (J. Krueger), and Darrow Bar Access WRG (J. Krueger) Special Thanks This effort would not have been possible without funding assistance provided by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and the Meyer Memorial Trust Willamette River Initiative. OPRD Natural Resource Assessment and Strategic Action Plan – Willamette Basin Page ii Table of Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................................................vii Section 1: Purpose and Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Plan Purpose and Need ............................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Lack of a Prioritized Plan to Direct Resources ...................................................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Information Gaps on Property Needs and Opportunities .................................................................................... 2 1.1.3 Insufficient Stewardship Resources and Approaches ........................................................................................... 3 1.2 Planning Process and Structure .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.2.1 Project Advisory Team ......................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2.2 Technical Advisory Pool ....................................................................................................................................... 6 1.2.3 Plan Development ................................................................................................................................................ 6 1.3 OPRD Mission and Policy on Natural Resources ......................................................................................................... 7 Section 2: Ecological Setting and Natural Resource Management ..................................................................................... 11 2.1 Ecological Setting of Willamette Basin Planning Area ............................................................................................... 11 2.2 Size and Distribution of OPRD-Managed Properties in the Willamette Basin ........................................................... 14 2.3 OPRD Willamette Basin Management Units ............................................................................................................. 15 2.4 Current Natural Resource Management Approaches ............................................................................................... 19 Section 3: Inventory and Assessment ................................................................................................................................. 21 3.1 Assessment Purpose and Approach .......................................................................................................................... 21 3.2 Natural Resources Assessment Methodology ........................................................................................................... 22 3.2.1 Assessment Development and Application ........................................................................................................ 22 3.2.2 Rapid Field Assessments .................................................................................................................................... 22 3.3 Function & Value Assessment Categories ................................................................................................................. 23 I. Habitat Values .......................................................................................................................................................... 23 II. Water Quality and Floodplain Function .................................................................................................................. 24 III. Public Use and Enjoyment ..................................................................................................................................... 25 3.4 Documentation of Scoring and Site Conditions ........................................................................................................ 26 3.5 Results Summary of Key Assessment Findings .......................................................................................................... 29 Section 4: Vision, Goals, Objectives, and Strategies ........................................................................................................... 33 4.1 Development of Vision, Goals, Objectives and Strategies......................................................................................... 33 4.1.1 Agency Mission and Vision ................................................................................................................................. 34 4.1.2 Agency Rules, Policies, Initiatives, and Plans ..................................................................................................... 34 4.1.3 Project Advisory Team ......................................................................................................................................