Zach Stickett, Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School
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By Brian Peck, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Through the Chehalis Fisheries Restoration Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) funds salmon restoration projects throughout the Grays Harbor and Chehalis River Basins. Each year, a request for project proposals is sent out to potential project sponsors.
Typical projects include: culvert replacements, riparian tree planting, riparian fencing, large wood placement in streams, habitat and fish passage barrier assessments, and education efforts in local schools. Eight projects have been funded in 2006, for a total of $230,000 Service dollars.
Project sponsors are contributing a total of $293,911 in cost share.
The Quinault Indian Nation will collect information on coho and fall Chinook salmon within the Chehalis Basin that is sufficient to estimate the annual spawning escapement of both species. These data, in conjunction with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife data, will be used to estimate the adult spawning escapement of coho and fall Chinook salmon in the Chehalis Basin. This data is critical for the management and monitoring of Chehalis Basin salmon stocks.
The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation will remove invasive blackberry and scotch broom and plant 5,600 native trees over 10 acres within the riparian zones of the Chehalis and Black Rivers and Willamette Creek. Over time, these restored riparian areas will benefit coho, spring Chinook, fall Chinook and chum salmon; steelhead, and coastal cutthroat trout.
Building upon past efforts and in partnership with the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, the Lewis County Conservation District will complete the culvert assessment for the entire Chehalis and Grays Harbor Basin. Subbasins to be surveyed include the Black River, Cedar Creek, Gibson Creek, Porter Creek, Rock Creek, and Delezene Creek. The assessment will identify potential fish passage projects benefitting coho, spring Chinook, fall Chinook and chum salmon; steelhead, coastal cutthroat and Coastal Puget Sound bull trout.
The Educational Service District 113 supports a partnership that fosters stewardship of the Chehalis Basin through environmental education by linking Washington's learning standards to community and environmental issues that are part of the watershed. Five counties, 14 school districts, and over 800 schoolchildren participate in this effort that focuses on water quality monitoring, riparian planting, and pollution prevention issues. In addition students and teachers, along with several partners, will install 12,500 ft of riparian fencing to exclude livestock and plant riparian trees and shrubs along 16,000 ft of stream. All species and aquatic habitats found within the Chehalis Basin will benefit through increased environmental awareness of students and members of their communities. Some of these species include coho, spring Chinook, fall Chinook and chum salmon; steelhead, coastal cutthroat and Coastal Puget Sound bull trout.
This newspaper insert is a bi-monthly newsletter compiled by the Chehalis River Council and distributed to 45,000 households in the Chehalis Basin. Articles are about current environmental issues (water quality, salmon, aquatic habitat, watershed planning) throughout the Basin.
The Mason Conservation District in partnership with the Green Diamond Resource Company and the Mary M. Knight School will replace an undersized fish blocking culvert with a fish passable culvert and remove a fish blocking culvert and associated railroad crossing fill. The project is on an unnamed tributary to the East Fork Satsop River and will re-open 1.6 miles stream and 71 acres wetland for coho salmon and coastal cutthroat trout use.
Thurston County Noxious Weed Control, in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, will use diver suction dredging to remove 10 acres of Brazilian elodea. Brazilian elodea is a popular aquarium plant but it is also a non-native invasive aquatic plant that has proliferated in sections of the mainstem Chehalis River. The plant degrades habitat and water quality for native fish and wildlife species. Plant material will be transported away from the river and disposed of in an approved upland location. Native vegetation will be allowed to re-establish, which will benefit spring Chinook, fall Chinook and coho salmon; steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout, and the Olympic mudminnow.
The Mason Conservation District in partnership with the Green Diamond Resource Company and the Mary M. Knight School will replace two undersized fish blocking culverts with fish passable bridges. The culverts are on Schafer Creek, which is a tributary to the West Fork Satsop River, and will re-open 1.4 miles stream and 7.5 acres wetland for coho salmon and coastal cutthroat trout use.
Brian Peck is the coordinator of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Chehalis Fisheries Restoration Program, 360-753-9560 or brian_peck@fws.gov . If you are interested in obtaining more information about a potential project on your property or in your area, please go to http://www.fws.gov/westwafwo/ear/RFP.html or contact me at the phone number or email address above.
| Save This Date:
September 23, 2006 10 AM to 5 PM Chehalis River Watershed Festival Riverside Park, Centralia Celebrate our Chehalis Watershed Sponsored by the City of Centralia, the Chehalis Basin Partnership, other groups and agencies |
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By Kathy Jacobson and Janet Strong
Picture yourself standing beside the Chehalis River with the wind swaying the trees on both sides of the wide channel. Above you a bald eagle, white head glistening in the sun, flies over. At your feet a curving garter snake wiggles through the grass. Nearby flowers are abuzz with bees and invisible birds sing in every bush. You begin to notice all the life around you -- a yellow spider, a shiny green beetle, spittle bugs on every stem, scaly patches on a leaf. And much more! Nothing escapes your senses as you delve deeper into the magic of nature.
During the months of May and June, more than 300 students from Rochester Middle School, Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School in Tumwater and Washington Elementary School in Centralia participated in nature studies along the City Of Centralia's Chehalis River Discovery Trail. The funding was provided in part through EPA Grant C9-00044903-0 to the Department of Ecology from the Unites States Environmental Protection Agency.
Zach Stickett, Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School |
Volunteer naturalists from the Chehalis River Basin Land Trust, including Janet Strong, Jan Robinson, Bill Schulte and Linda McMillin, joined with the Chehalis Basin Education Consortium in leading the studies. Bill, retired from the Coast Guard, volunteers because, "I like kids and the chance to look close at nature." Jan Robinson, a retired DOT engineer, noted that "I would rather be out in nature with kids than be indoors." Jan Strong after hearing a student exclaim "Geez, this place is full of nature," said "I have so much fun being with enthusiastic kids in nature."
Teachers compiled the written entries from their students' field guides, and here are a few of their responses.
In answer to "If I were a salmon, this is what I would like about this section of the Chehalis River..."
In answer to the statement: I strongly believe...
Why is it important to know that you live within the Chehalis watershed?
"What was the best part of the trip?" Students commented:
A key goal of the field studies is to spark the children's enthusiasm and curiosity of their natural environment - and to encourage the students to discover and learn more on their own. Students were asked to list at least two questions that they would find the answers to once they are back at school. Here are some student questions:
If you are a 4th - 12th grade teacher interested in becoming involved with the CBEC, please contact: Kathy Jacobson, CBEC Coordinator at (360) 464-672 or kjacobson@esd113.k12.wa.us
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GOBY ALERT! Have you seen this fish?
A nonnative freshwater goby, tentatively identified as the Amur goby (Rhinogobius brunneus), has been found in spawning condition in the lower East Fork Lewis River in the state of Washington. Effective evaluation of control options requires rapid determination of this species' geographic extent. Please watch for this species in other Pacific Northwest waters, particularly if you are conducting fish surveys.
Note that it has been misidentified as a native sculpin. Distinguishing features:
Fused pelvic fins, which form a suction-cup structure on the chest of the fish. The pelvic fins of sculpin are separate.
Red or dark line running from the anterior margin of eye to the tip of its snout on both sides of its head. Native sculpins do not (one species has a spot of pigment at the tip of snout, but not a line connected to the eye). Breeding males are very distinctive -- fleshy mouths, colorful fins (white margins on anal, dorsal fin) and bodies (red and blue). Otherwise, this species has mottled, cryptic coloration similar to patterns seen on sculpin.
Juveniles look very similar to darters. Body length up to 10 cm. Large mouths. Perches on bottom substrate. Some populations are amphidromous, spending several months in brackish/marine water before returning to freshwater to live as adults.
More information at: http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=2612
If you find this fish: Document where/when/etc. Take photos if possible. Collect/preserve specimen. Report to 1-877-STOP ANS For more info, contact Paul Heimowitz, USFWS, 503-872-2763 paul_heimowitz@fws.gov
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Image: Ik Soo Kim from Illustrated Encyclopedia of fauna and flora of Korea, Vol. 37: Freshwater fishes.
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By Kirk Hanson, Development Director, Northwest Natural Resource Group
Can managing forests for ecological diversity translate to diverse economic opportunities for landowners? This was the question posed at a recent workshop near Oakville hosted by the Northwest Natural Resource Group, an organization developing market-based incentives for supporting stewardship forestry. On April 22 over 40 people, including landowners, state agency staff, and members of conservation groups gathered at the Wild Thyme Farm in the Garrard Creek valley to learn about strategies for enhancing biodiversity on small woodlots.
The workshop focused on four primary themes: managing forests for plant, animal, bird and economic diversity. Presenters included Joe Arnett, rare plant botanist for the Department of Natural Resources Natural Heritage Program; Jim Bottorff, wildlife specialist for the Department of Natural Resources Forest Stewardship Program; Janet Strong, bird habitat specialist with the Grays Harbor Audubon Society; and Kirk Hanson, Development Director with the Northwest Natural Resource Group.
 Workshop participants at Wild Thyme Farm overlooking agriculture riparian zone |
Key strategies for conserving or enhancing biodiversity introduced during the workshop included:
1. Conduct a plant and animal survey to know what species exist on a parcel of forestland,
2. If rare plant communities exist, minimize or exclude timber harvesting from that area except for enhancement purposes,
3. Retain or create snags for cavity nesting birds and downed logs for small mammals and amphibians,
4. If snags are not present in the forest and cannot be created in the short term, hang nesting boxes,
5. Increase the diversity of mast (fruit and nut) producing plants,
6. Manage forests to create multi-layered canopies by diversifying the age and species of trees,
7. Increase "edge" by crenellating timber harvest boundaries,
8. Where appropriate, create surface water features that provide drinking water for mammals and habitat for birds,
9. Remove noxious and invasive weeds and replant with native trees or shrubs.
For the entrepreneurial small woodlot owner, many of these same strategies also can translate to increased economic opportunities. For example, as evidenced at the Wild Thyme Farm, a diverse forest can provide an abundance of value-added products. The farm and its surrounding community of landowners currently produce such items as: high-value figured maple for craftsmen and artisans, spalted alder lumber for interior trim and flooring, rustic furniture from cedar branches and small diameter maple and cherry poles, edible and medicinal mushrooms from stumps, medicinals from understory plants, jams and jellies from native and cultivated berries, as well as rough sawn lumber from a broad array of tree species including grand fir, Douglas-fir, cedar, cherry, alder and maple.
The Wild Thyme Farm practices a combination of individual tree selection and small patch harvesting to maintain and enhance the diversity of its forest. The current species composition of the forest tends toward a 70/30 hardwood to conifer stocking. Over time, John Henrikson, the owner of the farm, intends to manage the forest to achieve a more even balance between hardwoods and conifers. During that process, many of the hardwoods that are harvested will be milled and processed on-site. By carefully selecting trees for their unique qualities, then enhancing those qualities through value-added processing and forest certification, John is able to capture far greater value from his forest than if he were simply selling his timber to large mills for production into commodity lumber.
The concept of turning forest diversity into economic opportunities is a theme the Northwest Natural Resource Group (NNRG) is promoting throughout Western Washington. For more than 10 years, NNRG has explored arenas such as managing and harvesting non-timber forest products, value-added forest products marketing and forest certification as a means for developing market-based incentives to support small forest landowners throughout the region.
In more recent years NNRG has created Northwest Certified Forestry, a program that helps landowners achieve Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and provides a broad suite of forest management services. FSC is an international third-party accreditation program that certifies landowners who balance economic and ecological objectives on their forestlands. Along with other certification programs such as organic foods and fair-trade coffee, FSC provides market differentiation for landowners who practice stewardship forestry. Northwest Certified Forestry connects landowners to high-value niche markets for their forest products and helps them to identify a broad range of income opportunities that can be obtained from their forestlands.
Managing forests for wildlife habitat and economic opportunities are no longer competing values. For landowners who are interested in taking a hands-on and entrepreneurial approach to managing their forests, plenty of opportunities exist to enhance the over-all value of their land.
For more information on NNRG, visit www.nnrg.org or contact Kirk Hanson, Development Director, Northwest Natural Resource Group, P.O. Box 1067, Port Townsend, WA 98568 or email kirk@nnrg.org.
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By Rick Johnson, Thurston County Noxious Weed Coordinator
Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) a noxious weed, was added to the Washington State noxious weed list in 2005. Butterfly bush, (Buddleja davidii) is native to China, and has become a very popular garden ornamental in North America. However, it has escaped cultivation, invading roadsides, riparian areas, pastures, river gravel bars and other disturbed areas.
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Butterfly bush produces large quantities of wind and water dispersed seed, up to 40,000 seeds per flower. Research has shown up to a 92 percent germination rate of Buddleja davidii seeds. Butterfly bush can reach maturity in less than one year, which allows it to spread quickly, forming dense thickets and excluding native vegetation. Butterfly bush is very adaptable, growing in most soil types and climates. This plant has become invasive in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Only Buddleja davidii varieties of Butterfly bush are included on the noxious weed list. Some common names of this species are: Border Beauty, African Queen, Orchid Beauty, Purple Prince, Black Knight, Potter's Purple, etc. There are cultivars of butterfly bush that are not invasive and are not listed as a noxious weed. Refer to the scientific names; only cultivars of Buddleja davidii are known to be invasive.
A new brochure is available that describes the plant and the problems associated with its continued use as a favorite garden ornamental. The brochure may be obtained by calling the weed office and requesting #EB2007E.
Contact: Rick Johnson, Weed Coordinator 786-5576
Thurston County Noxious Weed Control 9605 Tilley Rd S, Olympia, WA 98512.
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By Lee Napier, Chehalis Basin Partnership Coordinator
The Chehalis Basin Partnership (CBP) reviewed a first working draft of its 2006-2007 Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) for the Watershed Management Plan at their June meeting. The purpose of the 2006-2007 DIP is to create a blueprint for completing the first five of 18 Strategies that achieve the five goals within the Watershed Management Plan: Planning, Public Involvement, Water Quantity, Water Quality, and Habitat.
The organization of the DIP follows the requirements of state law (Chapter 90.82 RCW). Implementing each Strategy is a series of specific projects called Interim Milestones. Each Interim Milestone has a work plan to get the work started and completed by listing all necessary tasks, responsibilities, work schedules, and necessary resources. Once the Partnership adopts the DIP, its committees will immediately begin work on the five Strategies.
The five Strategies with their Interim Milestones currently under review by the Partnership are:
1. The Partnership recommends that the state make it clear to water rights applicants that there are flexible strategies for meeting their water rights needs, given that hydraulic continuity is an issue.
Create a partnership with the Department of Ecology in issuing and transferring water rights
Measuring to manage water quantity
2. Recommend adequate funding levels for water resources management.
Develop a finance strategy work plan
Develop an education and outreach work plan for soliciting funding
Develop a work plan for partnerships
Develop a watershed management work plan that will develop prioritized project lists that tie specific water quality, quantity, and habitat projects to funding opportunities
3. Identify tools available to meet the Water Quantity Goals.
Clarifying water rights and uses
Changing the Chehalis Basin Partnership Organization
Resolving issues related to exempt wells
Developing tools for meeting water quantity needs
4. Develop approaches to keep forestry and agriculture on the land
Inventory and analysis
Promoting local agriculture and forestry - Education and Outreach
Promoting local agriculture and forestry - Sustain, Promote, and Develop
Provide a Sustainable Business Climate
Innovative Approaches to Water Rights
5. The Partnership recommends exploring a range of approaches to improve communication, coordination, and consolidation of all habitat efforts in the Chehalis Basin
Foster communication and coordination among groups for habitat restoration and protection
Develop a habitat restoration and protection outreach effort
Develop a finance work plan for habitat restoration and protection
Assessment, implementation, and monitoring of habitat restoration and protection activities and plan.
A complete draft of the plan is available on the Partnership's DIP website at:
http://www.co.grays-harbor.wa.us/info/pub_svcs/ChehalisBasin/PhaseIV/index.htm
During the course of the summer, Partnership members will be reviewing the DIP working draft to ensure its conformance with the Watershed Management Plan. The Partnership Committees will also be doing some "fine-tuning" of the plan to ensure there is no duplication of efforts between the Strategies. The Partnership expects to see a final draft at their August meeting, with anticipated adoption in September.
The Partnership encourages the public to review the document on-line, or by calling the Partnership Coordinator, Lee Napier at (800) 230-1638, to locate a copy near you.
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By Gabrielle Byrne, The Nature Conservancy
There are three well known prairie conservation areas in Thurston County. Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve is owned by Department of Natural Resources, Glacial Heritage Preserve is owned by Thurston County, and Scatter Creek Wildlife Area, owned by WDFW. All the prairie lands between and surrounding these preserves are privately owned.
 A field of camas flowers |
The Nature Conservancy has been working to inform and assist landowners that live in the "Mima Corridor," or lands adjacent to or between Mima Mounds and Glacial Heritage or along Gate/Mima Road in caring for and restoring their prairie habitat. Outreach and education has been a major part of that effort. In March a heritage meeting was held in Littlerock to bring the community together to learn about what makes the prairie such a special place.
Thurston County prairies are one of the rarest landscapes in western Washington with only 3% of the large stretches of historic prairie remaining. The prairies and oak woodlands of this area support all kinds of rare and special creatures from the endangered golden paintbrush plant to the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly to the western gray squirrel and the western bluebird.
It is not only the unique ecology of these places that make them special. The prairies have a rich cultural heritage as well. From the earliest days of the prairie when Native peoples maintained the landscape with fire, to the lives of Washington pioneers, straight on through time to today's landowners, people seem to gravitate towards these open rolling plains. We can determine some of the history of people's use of the prairies, but what about the people living there today? What makes the prairie special to them?
That was the question the Nature Conservancy posed to some of the landowners in the corridor. A booklet of their stories, Voices of the Prairie, has just been published and is available by contacting gbyrne@tnc.org. The range of answers and experiences makes great reading.
For some, the beauty of the prairie outweighs all other considerations. For others, the fresh air and frequent breezes are more amenable to a healthy life. Then there are landowners who have lived on these prairies for generations and have stories to tell that can bring new depth to the experiences of the entire community.
Reaching out to the landowners and community of the Mima Corridor prairies is only one aspect of the work The Nature Conservancy is doing. On the ground restoration work is ongoing on both public and private lands, and new volunteers are always welcome. In addition to regular volunteer days every Tuesday and on the second Saturday of every month, new opportunities are being developed that are project based. Interested folks could be trained for a variety of species monitoring, for example. In addition, two Americorps positions being recruited for the fall. For more information about these opportunities, contact gbyrne@tnc.org and say you saw it in Drops of Water!
Visit our website for more information about the program at www.southsoundprairies.org.