DRAFT
ALSEA STEWARDSHIP GROUP
MEETING NOTES
July 21, 2014 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Alsea Community Library
Attendees
Name
Kirk Shimeall
Donni Vogel
Affiliation
Facilitator, CPRCD
SNF – CCRD
Name
Mike Kennedy
Paul Engelmeyer
Elmer Ostling
Connie Barnes
Van Decker
AWC
Notetaker, CPRCD
B & G Logging
Marc Barnes
Fran Recht
Chandra LeGue
Affiliation
Siletz Tribe (CTSI)
Wetlands Conservancy /
Audubon
IRM
PSMFC
Oregon Wild
Welcome/Introductions
Kirk started the meeting with group introductions.
Review Notes & Agenda
 Notes accepted as corrected
 No changes were made to the agenda – Mike added follow ups to put in the announcements.
Discussion
 Van asked about the Lord Creek project. Elmer mentioned Wayne Hoffman could provide more
information. There were three culverts replaced (2 FS, 1 private land). He is working with Chuck
Fisher to get match funding for Five Rivers & Buck Creek; and to get a culvert replaced at timber sale
B&G Logging.
 Marc asked if the road additions worked okay for them. Van noted that B&G bought the High Tide
sale and decommissioned the roads on SNF land. Mike thought that would be a good field trip tour,
including Mill Creek tributary. B&G said they also did a road decommission on a bridge timber sale,
and installed two 24” pipes. Mike asked if they were using Lidar to record aerial data. Van said they
were not, the SNF just tells them if there is a pipe, and gives him the diameter. Mike asked about
the slump that occurred off Marys Peak, would Lidar flag that?
Updates and Announcements
Forest Service, Donni Vogel
 Jerry bumped up the funding level FLT 15. He was very supportive and would show a deficit if
need be to keep the program going. They are looking for additional funding. Marc suggested we
say thank you to Jerry and the FLT and the group agreed on a handwritten card which Kirk will
put together.
 Non Wyden projects (on-forest) are due to Casey Hawes by the end of July. No drafts at this
time.
 There is a need to revamp the process and to start earlier next year.
 Marc Barnes asked if the USFS has a list of potential priority projects? If so, could the staff
discuss at with the Stewardship Groups?
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Donni said they have a data base called FACTS where they enter data, which is very useful in
commercial thinnings and will throw up a red flag (when ?) Kirk asked if that was for projects
underway and those that are a priority? Yes, Donni reported that there are many priority
projects, but it takes a team of staff to determine which will be implemented. Mike asked about
a brochure that he had seen about five years ago which indicated on a large scale basis “here is
what we need to do and here is the budget”. Donni will look for this document.
A new Regional Forester is being appointed named Jim Pena. He is from the Washington office,
and was on the Giffort Pinchot in Region 6. This region is seen nationwide as being very
successful.
There will be a bit of personnel shifts in the coming months, as people fill in on details for
others: Jerry Ingersoll will fill in as Natural Resources Director at the Regional office, George
Buckingham to fill in for Jerry as Supervisor at the Corvallis office, Ron Hudson is filling in for
George at the Hebo Ranger district. Jerry will leave in 2 weeks (mid August).
Fran added about futures talks, prioritization about projects and if we knew in advance which
areas are having work done, it might be easier to key up Wyden restoration projects. If we
could look at their prioritization we could see if there are any ecological projects that match up.
Chandra mentioned we seemed to have started that effort about 8 years ago. Fran thought it
would be good to foster. Kirk thought it would be a good topic at RT.
CPRCD, Kirk
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SSG Field Trip to the dunes and to discuss the snowy plover will occur on August 28. Presentations
will be given on what has been going on. The agenda will be confirmed next week.
There has been some discussion of another stewardship group forming below the SSG to focus on
dunes, lakes, etc.
2014 Stewardship Fund Applications are available on the website, including the new pre-application
steps and new timelines.
Work continues on the stewardship display mock-up.
Wetlands Conservancy / Audubon, Paul Engelmeyer
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Paul discussed the presentation at Cape Perpetua. 70 folks were trained on Marble Murrelets and
how to record sightings. Participants went to stations that were set up. There were over 100
detections from 70 plots. A surrogate program with Justin is being set up. He will come talk about
it. The large number of people attending furthered inland sightings with some as far as 5 miles,
most however were 1-2 miles. Many sites at Gwenn Creek.
Elmer discussed the Preacher Creek large woody debris project. The landowner wanted stream
protection so the Alsea WC put in 6500 sacks of sand and put Willow starts between the sacks. Don
Davis was leading the effort. They used sacks to tie in the logs with the long part of log root wads.
They cleared down to the bedrock, using mesh on bottom layers with ties on the back between
rows, and grippers held them down. Van wanted to know if sediment being sent down the creek?
Paul asked whose property it was? Elmer said there was a private park, just past the bridge, turn
left. Fran asked who designed the project? Elmer responded it was an engineer from Corvallis. They
also hauled sand from Waldport and mixed it with native material. Kirk asked if the willow was
planted for stability and will eventually hide the sacks? Elmer thought this may be a substitute for
when you cannot use riprap.
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Oregon Wild, Chandra Le Gue
 Chandra updated the group on the McKenzie SG efforts and indicated that the WNF is taking a
little different tact in stewardship contracting and is looking to spend more on contracting and
less on retained receipts. Their thinking is that one contract makes it easier. But she thought
that is was not supportive of building partnerships which is too bad since there is a lot of private
land on McKenzie and surrounding the WNF. There is a lot of pushback from industry about
Stewardship contracting and they want to keep things in a contract. Earlier sales show bidders
did not bid due to market conditions. Kirk pointed out that USFS could not leverage match
funds, if all projects are only on Federal land. Kirk shared the last 10 years of Wyden data, which
$3.8million has put up as match. The Group is interested in collaboration, and the USFS will not
get that if they only support on-forest projects. They would not get the OWEB match and the
WNF will have more projects per sale since they will be billing projects into timber sales. Fran
thought there should be more high valued projects coming out of the Wyden funds. It is difficult
to cobble together sources.
Chandra thought that there may be a way to prioritize and include local areas, within one
watershed. It might be best to make one area healthy before projects are scattered in too many
areas. Elmer commented that the availability of funds and the distribution requirements limit
the proposals.
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Paul shared that he Oregon Coast Economic Summit is coming up on the 20th and 21st in
Florence. It will be hosted by the Coastal Caucus. Cass Moseley will sit on a panel discussion, and
can hopefully represent the importance of the restoration economy. The summit will focus on
economics and how can we increase the natural resource economics. A high priority will be
marine energy projects. Paul will send out agenda. It will be in Florence, at a Casino.
IRM Announcement, Marc Barnes
 Marc reported that the Multi Party Monitoring is moving ahead. Casey was able to send him almost
all the snag information from last 10 years. The oldest snag locations recorded were created 3 years
ago. However we know there were stands 5 years back, but their specific locations are unknown.
When we get the final data set we will meet with Deanna to determine which stands/snags we will
go to and measure.
 An issue came up on a timber sale in Hebo. Marked/painted trees were found and the SNF was
concerned. IRM will and has in the past communicated where they would mark the trees to the
SNF. A greater emphasis on mapping will ensure tree locations. Van indicated that B&G maps their
snags.
 Elmer asked Donni if some points will be written in to contracts, and perhaps a modification to IDIQ
is needed. Stewardship sales have to record snags. Non stewardship sales do not require recording
snags, unless the contract requires it. The latest IDIQ did not include data required in digital format.
Marc would like to see what B&G has to do to the reference points. Elmer thought these
suggestions should be voiced to the SNF. Some contractors do not map the snags at the time they
climb and create the snags. However it is more efficient to do both at same time. It was noted that
Barry Schrieber has studied snags. He had comprehensive data on the benefits. Marc suggested the
group invite Joan Hagar to give a presentation on snags on the Andrews Experimental Forest. Kirk
wondered if she might be a good speaker for the Annual Joint meeting.
B&G Logging, Van Decker
 Van provided an update on the Meadow Thin.
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They will rebuild the bridge from the slide that occurred into the river ? where it widened and goes
into hillside…
90’ to top of cut. …Trees …
They provided an armored ditch with 6” rock so cattle will not tromp it out. Pasture ground through
private land, cattle crossing.
Steel matting, end of bridge adding asphalt.
Potential Wyden Projects for 2014 Coast Range Stewardship Fund (continued from last month)
 Paul Engelmeyer gave an update on his potential project. Seth Meade (Siuslaw SWCD) thinks it has
merit but was concerned because he already has a project to propose that he does not want this to
interefere with. Paul is working on submitting a proposal for a project on Tenmile tributary. Jack
Sleeper, SNF Fish Biologist, is working with him on the project. It may lead to a larger forest area on
public land. THE SNF may want to do these small projects, including the Millwright Beaver one. Paul
wants to fix the culvert and allow access for steelhead to the main tributary. Seth wants to do
bigger projects in the Siuslaw SG. Justin Fenton, Hydrologist has moved on and is not available. Paul
was not sure he would be able to it pull off. It would however, give credibility to Tenmile. The ball
park cost would be $15,000.
 Kirk reported that ASG usually has 5-6 projects in motion by now. He was unsure why fewer
projects were being presented. There should be enough money in the fund to support Paul’s
project. Hebo SG has two large double culvert replacement projects, at about $50,000 each. The
group thought if Paul needed a sponsor, it could possibly be MidCoast Watershed. Paul indicated
that these are small tributaries that need gravel improvement for spawning grounds. Kirk thought
he should talk to Chris Hirsch. Fran said she could review Paul’s application.
Future Agenda Items and meeting dates
 Kirk reported that the August meeting has traditionally been spent making suggestions to
applicants about their project proposals. Kirk asked the group what they want to do in August.
There is a potential for a Field Trip in September. October is when we prioritize projects for RT.
Kirk presented FT ideas:
-Dunes (currently scheduled for August 28th as a Siuslaw SG field trip);
-Presentation/tour with Kim Nelson to look at Marbled Murrelets;
-Rethinning (2nd entry) any areas on Siuslaw;
-Visit Monitoring Sites.
Kirk asked Donni what her preference was. Marc supported the Murrelet FT and a business
meeting. Kirk supported that as well.
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Van mentioned Noble Thin sale on Marys Peak. Bids due end August. Thin campground.
Future agenda items and meeting dates
 Next meeting is tbd.
 Wyden Projects Pre-application reviews
Meeting adjourned at 7:50 pm
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