ODFW's mission is to protect and enhance Oregon's fish and wildlife and their habitats for use and enjoyment by present and future generations.

ODFW's mission is to protect and enhance Oregon's fish and wildlife

and their habitats for use and enjoyment by present and future

generations.

Rinearson Coalition January 2011

Oregon Department of Fish and

Wildlife

Introducing the Oregon

Conservation trategy

the Oregon Conservation Strategy -healthy habitats for wildlife and people

What is the Oregon Conservation Strategy?

• A voluntary, proactive, prioritized approach to conservation

• Healthy habitats for fish, wildlife and people

• Linked to an unprecedented national effort

• Promotes strong economies and communities through local projects, large scale planning conservation education

Conservation Strategy Goals

• Maintain healthy fish and wildlife populations by:– Maintaining and restoring functioning habitats– Preventing declines of at-risk species– Reversing any declines where possible

• Engage citizens in conservation– Everyone has a role– Increase awareness of issues

• Collaborative development and implementation

Habitat focus builds strong partnerships

• All fish and wildlife benefit from habitat projects

• Habitat is common ground- Invasives, water quality, land-use, barriers

- Hunting, fishing & environmental groups, landowners, forest and farm industries, agencies, businesses, researchers are all partners

Oregon Conservation Strategy:What it is Not

• Not a substitute for existing planning or conservation efforts

• Not regulatory

• Not an ODFW management plan

A Tour of the Strategy

Section A – summary of entire document • 33 pgs; sets the tone, big-picture view

Section B – main section – biological, social, technical

• 337 pages; 4 scales – statewide, ecoregional, habitat & species

• 6 Key Conservation Issues• Voluntary conservation tools• Outreach, education and recreation• Monitoring and data gaps

Section C - Appendices

Ecoregions

For each Ecoregion (8):

• Characteristics (ecology & economy)

• Strategy Species and Habitats

• Key Conservation Issues

• Recommended Conservation Actions

• Conservation success stories

• Conservation Opportunity Areas maps and profiles

• Wetlands and wet prairies• Grasslands• Oak woodlands• Riparian

Willamette Valley EcoregionPriority Habitats

• California myotis (bat)• Western gray squirrel• Northern red-legged frog• Native turtles• Chinook salmon• Winter steelhead• Acorn woodpecker• Little willow flycatcher• Western bluebird• Yellow breasted chat

Willamette Valley EcoregionPriority Species (59)

Habitats and SpeciesSix Key Conservation Issues

• Land use changes• Invasive species• Changes in fire, flood regimes• Water quality and quantity (declines in)

• Barriers to fish and wildlife movement

• Institutional barriers to voluntary conservation

• Definition - Habitats adjacent to rivers and streams that are shaped by seasonal flooding, scour and soil deposition

• Includes bottomland hardwood forests and floodplains– often with associated wetlands and off channel habitats

• Common plant associates:– black cottonwood, Oregon ash, bigleaf maple, red alder,

willow, western red cedar, variety of native shrubs, slough sedge

Using the Strategy: A Habitat Approach

Riparian Habitat

• Loss of habitat, floodplain function, habitat complexity and hydrological regimes– Urban development & agriculture– Construction of roads, dikes & dams– Riprapping banks & channelizing

• Habitat degradation• Loss of connectivity (dams)• Water availability (diversions)• Invasive species

Riparian Habitat: Issues & Threats

• Key Functions– Mediation of solar energy– Provision of nutrients– Filtering of sediments & pollutants– Provision of large wood– Vital for healthy fish and wildlife

• Key life functions• Movement corridors

Riparian Habitat: Why Care?

Functional floodplains serve as a sponge, soaking up “flood waters” and releasing water slowly.

Constrained Floodplains Exacerbate the Effects of Floods and Droughts

• Retain remnant high-quality riparian areas• Restore degraded riparian areas

– Control invasive plants– Planting of native species

• Improve connectivity– Remove barriers (dams, dikes)

• Provide snags and downed wood

Riparian HabitatConservation Actions

• Special Needs:– Ponds and wetlands with still water– Emergent plants– Access to moist forested habitats

• Limiting Factors:– Loss of quality egg-laying habitat– Loss and fragmentation of upland habitat– Invasive fish and bullfrogs– Chemical contaminants and disease– Dramatic water fluctuations

Using the Strategy: A Species

ApproachRed-legged Frog

Red-legged Frog Conservation Actions

• Maintain and protect wetland habitats (buffers)• Provide egg mass attachment sites• Protect and improve water quality• Provide moist microclimate features in adjacent forest• Control invasive species• Eliminate or minimize chemical contaminants

Invasive Species“Nonnative organisms that cause economic or

environmental harm and are capable of spreading to new areas of the state. Invasive species does not include humans, domestic livestock or nonharmful exotic organisms.”

Invasive Species – What’s the Big Deal?

• Changes to ecosystem functions• Loss of biodiversity• Reduction in habitat values• Direct competition• Direct mortality (e.g., predation)• Introduction of disease

• As a technical reference • For local conservation priorities and project planning

– Conservation issues / limiting factors– Priority habitats and species– Recommended actions– COAs

• For data sharing– Toolbox

• To build partnerships & leverage $• To measure success

How to Use the Strategy

• Nutrient cycling• Pollination• Germination• Seed dispersal• Soil generation• Habitat creation• Pest control• Excrete natural fertilizer• Wildfire reduction risk• Soil stabilization• Water quality & quantity

Benefits of Healthy Fish & Wildlife and Habitats

For more information:www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy

Local ODFW Contact:Susan Barnes

Northwest Region Conservation BiologistEmail: [email protected]

Tel: 971-673-6010