Stewardship in the Siuslaw National Forest Whole watershed restoration for ecological and economic benefit The end result of stewardship and restoration in the Siuslaw National Forest is healthy forests and restored fish and wildlife habitat. History of Stewardship on the Siuslaw What is Stewardship Contracting? Home to Oregon’s fastest growing trees and threatened Stewardship contracting began in the Siuslaw in 2001 as a salmon, spotted owls and marbled murrelets, the Siuslaw “pilot project” for new federal authorities. In 2003, Congress National Forest on the Oregon coast saw some of the most authorized stewardship contracting for 10 more years. bitter battles over old-growth logging in the Pacific North- west twenty years ago. Stewardship contracting is a suite of authorities and con- tracting tools that are intended Action needed After the Northwest Forest Plan went into effect in 1994, to help the Forest Service and forest planners were required to preserve more old-growth Bureau of Land Management The success of 10 years of and riparian habitat for wildlife. Managers at the Siuslaw meet both land management stewardship contracting in National Forest saw an opportunity to advance forest stew- objectives and rural community the Siuslaw highlights the ardship and meet restoration, conservation and economic needs. The blending of these importance of gaining per- goals through new “Stewardship Authorities.” This provided objectives makes stewardship manent authorization from an opening to pursue a new type of management and to work contracting unique. Congress before the existing in cooperation with diverse partners, including local interests. law expires in 2013. Stewardship regulations en- Today, the Siuslaw is a model for the entire region, working courage strong collaboration between the federal agencies with local collaborative groups designing successful restora- and a diverse mix of local and regional interests to achieve tion projects, generating funds to accomplish restoration improved forest health, water quality, fish and wildlife habi- work, and focusing on projects and work that translate into tat, and to meet hazardous fuels reduction goals. local jobs and economic benefits. Stewardship allows for money generated through steward- Award-winning partnership ship timber sales, called “retained receipts,” to be reinvested in forest and watershed restoration projects within the local Efforts in the Siuslaw were awarded the 2010 Two Chiefs’ area - on both public and private* land, taking a whole wa- Partnership Award, presented by the Chiefs of the U.S. tershed approach to restoration and forest management. Forest Service and the USDA Natural Resources Conser- vation Service to recognize exemplary partnership efforts in * Through the Wyden authority, federal funds may be allocated to non-federal conservation and forest stewardship. projects if those projects benefit National Forest resources. Stewardship: A win-win for forests and communities Under stewardship authorities, timber harvest contracts can This work includes 48 restoration projects on non-federal be bundled with other forest and stream restoration activities land adjacent to the Siuslaw National Forest, where Stew- - such as placing large wood in streams or replacing culverts ardship Fund dollars have been matched by more than $1.2 to benefit fish - allowing for efficiencies and assurance that million of non-federal dollars or services to achieve these this important works gets done. These authorities also allow ends, highlighting the strong public-private partnerships and contracts to be awarded based partially on their local job and support that has been developed for such work. economic benefits. Benefit to local economy On the Siuslaw National Forest, multi-party monitoring is Stewardship contracting, and the forest and watershed resto- also conducted to evaluate the biophysical accomplishments ration work it generates, contributes significantly to the local and economic impacts of stewardship projects. This ensures economy. Provisions in the law allow priority to be given accountability for stewardship goals, provides measurements to local contractors, keeping most dollars and jobs closer to for long-term learning, and involves the public in ensuring home. desired benefits are being accomplished. Jobs in stewardship range from traditional timber thinning Restoring forests, watersheds, and harvests and road improvements to prevent erosion, to tree wildlife habitat planting and stream restoration - all contributing to the From 2001 to 2011, stewardship contracts on the Siuslaw restoration goals of the Siuslaw National Forest. have resulted in more than 2,000 acres of commercial thin- ning in plantations, yielding 25 million board feet to local For example, in Fiscal Years 2008-2010, an average of 6.942 mills. “Retained receipts” from these stewardship timber MMBF (million board feet) was harvested each year under sales* are placed in a dedicated Coast Range Stewardship stewardship contracts*. The table below shows the economic Fund. Over the past 10 years, more than $3 million of these impacts of this harvest and associated restoration work. retained receipts have been invested in projects that restore Stewardship Contracting Economic Impacts: FY 2008-2010 threatened fish and wildlife habitat, improve water quality, and build working relationships between rural landowners Forest Forest Non- Total Service Service federal and the managers of neighboring public land. steward- retained retained Funded projects include non-commercial young stand ship timber receipts receipts contracts projects projects thinning, noxious weed control, road repair for water qual- ity, meadow restoration, underplanting for diversity, culvert Jobs 79.9 2.48 2.75 85.13 replacement and repair, snag and large woody debris creation, (FTE) wood placement in streams, native tree planting in riparian State taxes $347,416 $8,611 $8,928 $364,955 areas, and removing trash to improve water quality. paid * Only a portion of National Forest timber sales are stewardship contracts. g g g 9 Restoration at work ning, road and culvert improvements, In the 20th century, most of the old-growth forests in the native plantings, and other restoration Siuslaw were logged, putting fish and wildlife at risk and activities add diversity and natural diminishing other public resources. Dense replanting of structure back into the forest and gives clearcuts with a single species led to monocrop tree planta- wildlife habitat a boost. tions devoid of ecological diversity. These restored forests provide clean Now, restoration crews thin the dense forest using steward- water, carbon storage, vital wildlife ship contracts - providing jobs and timber and accomplishing habitat, and improved recreational op- associated watershed restoration tasks. Variable density thin- portunities. Stewardship Groups: Collaboration for effective restoration Founded in 2001, the Siuslaw Stewardship Group has led Projects championed the nation in using stewardship contracting authorities that by stewardship groups promote forest and watershed restoration and local economic include: benefits. • Neighborhood This group of stake- outreach in the Marys holders has developed Peak Stewardship area, a common vision for led by Marys River restoration within the Watershed Council, Siuslaw watershed resulting in restora- that improves fish and tion of fish habitat and wildlife habitat and riparian vegetation the rural economy, and across multiple owner- avoids the controversies ships in the Greasy of the recent past. Creek subbasin; This model of man- • Stream channel agement offers a reconstruction, noxious weed control, sustainable future for and native vegetation reestablishment our public lands, and to benefit salmon habitat on private demonstrates what land along Roache Creek, through can be accomplished when dedicated agency personnel and a partnership of the Siuslaw Soil & community members come together to identify problems and Water Conservation District and the Siuslaw Watershed Council within the Siuslaw Stewardship area; create solutions. • Stream stabilization and fish habitat restoration on Canal The success of the Siuslaw Stewardship Group has encour- Creek in conjuction with the Alsea Watershed Council, aged similar efforts across the region, and led to the forma- rural landowners, and the Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wild- tion of three more groups on the Siuslaw National Forest life in the Alsea Stewardship area; and since 2005 - in the Alsea and Marys Peak watersheds, and in the Hebo Ranger District. • Improving stream and riparian habitat conditions on Bear Creek with the guidance of the Salmon-Drift Each Stewardship Group brings together diverse organi- Creek Watershed Council in the Hebo Stewardship area. zations and individuals to collaborate with Forest Service staff on the development, prioritization, and Diverse groups Through these cooperative efforts, strong community partnerships and increased trust monitoring of stewardship and restoration working together projects. The groups also recommend use have been built between the Forest Service, community groups, and private landowners; of the Coast Range Stewardship Fund for Participants in stewardship opportunities for watershed restoration are specific projects either on National Forest groups include: better understood; and many projects have lands or on non-federal land (as long as they • federal and state agencies been successfully implemented. benefit National