Approved March 24, 2015
WALLOWA COUNTY NATURAL RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING
FEBRUARY 4, 2015
9 AM –OSU Meeting Room
NRAC Standing Committee Members Present
Bruce Dunn, Chairman
John Williams, OSU Extension
Jeff Fields, TNC
Nils Christoffersen, Wallowa Resources
Kris Stein, USFS
Rod Childers, Rancher
NRAC Members
Matt Howard, ODF
Mike Hayward, WCC
Others
Katy Nesbitt, Observer
Eileen Williams
Pat Wortman, Rancher
Steve Tool, Wallowa Co Chieftain
Kathleen Ackley, Wallowa Land Trust
The meeting was called to order at 9:03 am by Chairman Bruce Dunn.
Introductions were made.
The minutes were approved with corrections.
OLD BUSINESS
Wallowa-Whitman Forests Collaborative
Bruce will leave at 8:00 am tomorrow morning from Extension Office to go to Collaborative
meeting if you need a ride. Katy, Cynthia and Nils will also attend.
East Side Restoration
-Originally there were 3 EIS’s for Lower Joseph; 1)Lower Joseph Creek 2)defensible
space fuel along roads, 3) dry forest. Have now combined the last two due to time.
-Have not seen much on this yet, have done most of work on Lower Joseph Project.
Lower Joseph Project
-Consensus position - hand out from the sub-committee that Nile’s provided. There is
pretty much agreement on most of it.
-Disagreement on Inventoried Roadless Areas (quite broad) and Treatments on Riparian
Habitat, amount of acres is the difference. Originally approximately 10% of area,
WC NRAC Standing Committee
February 24, 2015
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Approved March 24, 2015
approx. 500 acres in road less area.
-Also discussion on roads in general
-Wallowa county is abstaining from the consensus because of the possibility of County
commissioners objecting to the process.
Mike - The Tribe is not part of Consensus group, but, have submitted comments.
A lot of people are neutral and have not spoken up, need to get them weighing in.
Hoping to get them to voice their opinion.
John – Do we need more conversation here?
Nils - Not trying to get consensus tomorrow, this will most likely go through April.
Continued conversations are important.
Tribe has indicated that there is potential of movement on their stand.
John - Personally there are 3 small pieces that have to change before I can sign off on it.
1) Stand on science, if the assessment show that something needs done, I am going to
stand strong on doing it.
2) and if fits with Forest Service regulations then need to do it.
3) Recognized Special Areas that was put in and never discussed needs to be removed
completely.
Nils - Difficult stating our position is based on science then we turn to roads which is led by
social and political issues. This is challenging to facilitate.
Biggest challenge is the other un-roaded areas (not included in the two related bills.)
Kris - This issue has been presented on many other projects.
From agency standpoint ecstatic about how well collaborative is working.
Mike - Some areas we will never come to consensus, at some point have talked about
minority report. How long do you want us to argue?
Kris - That is up to the collaborative. It is the Collabertive’s job is to work thru the big
picture, then up to Tom to work out the details.
Nils - Good for the Collaborative to keep trying and figure out how to work through, still
have East Face to do with different challenges.
Mike – The difference is there is no history on dealing with moist forest and the RHCA’s.
The issue of fire coming thru and taking everything vs. damage of mechanical removal
of some trees
Nils - We are making steps forward.
Jeff - Stated that county is not going to sign off on a consciences so can object.
Mike - We are the only one with cooperating agency.
Some say we are the same as the tribe which is not true they are a sovereign nation,
which is not true. Recommendation does not match our county plan, especially on the
roads piece. We have a roads plan and if we start deviating then we need to go back to
our plan and modify it.
Mike - Nez Perce Tribe, their major concern is fisheries and their biggest part of the concern
is roads. We need to site specifically deal with problem roads. Think that is their single
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February 24, 2015
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Approved March 24, 2015
biggest concern. There is an irony in the Steelhead numbers are up.
Bruce - Fish and Elk both, numbers up.
Lower Joseph Creek DEIS
-County submitted comments on DEIS, about 24 pages, we will see where they go.
-Pretty sure there will be some changes on the Alternative 3 Road numbers.
Blue Mountain Forest Plan Revision
-Jan 8th there was a meeting in Baker, Bruce, Katy and Susan attended by polycom.
-Didn’t seem to go anywhere. Will be interesting to see how the minutes come out.
-Do not know where we are going.
-There will be another meeting.
-Need to start with the separate issues and integrate them together.
Big Sheep Divide Rangeland Analysis 2014
-Letter was drafted, addresses Elk numbers.
-Forest Service does not address Elk management but vegetation.
-Presented draft letter.
-Bruce looked at it and said he would sign it.
-Group consensus to clean up and send on.
5-Mile Salvage
-Comments have been sent to FS.
-The letter was sent out to the group a couple weeks ago.
Standing Committee 2014 Summary
-Presented updated summary to group.
-If no comments received will present to County Commissioners on Monday.
-Still a couple typos to clean up.
Umatilla Forest Service
-Will come to our April meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
Title II
-This year’s money that needs to be obligated this year.
-Still waiting to hear if it has passed and how much will be available.
-We are trying to be prepared, if and when it comes thru. Then will adjust amounts
-Presented Technical Committees Summary
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February 24, 2015
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Approved March 24, 2015
Wallowa County Title II Funds
Wallowa
Co.
2015 Project Proposals
Lower Joseph Creek
Implementation
1
HCNRA Wildlife &
Recreational Stock Water
Developments
2
Big Sheep-Creek
FS/Private Fence
3
WC NRAC Standing Committee
The project will support and facilitate timely
implementation of projects in the Lower Joseph
Creek watershed as identified in the assessment
and final EIS. Lay-out, design and development of
projects that are NEPA ready will begin
immediately. Project contracting will begin on a
case-by-case basis pending funding. This project
will also support work to secure project funding.
The water developments located on Teepee
Springs, Windy and Jakey Ridges, and at the
junction of the Lord Flat Road and trail #1759 will
be repaired/reconstructed during the summer of
2015 (see attached map). During the summer of
2015 we will field verify these four sites. At the
junction of the Lord Flat Road and trail #1759 site
the water trough is rusted and the spring box is
not functioning. The trough is approximately 20-25
feet from the spring box. Teepee Springs, Windy
and Jakey Ridge the troughs will be replaced but
the spring boxes will only be replaced if they are
none functional. All four aluminum troughs will
have escape ramps installed once they are
installed. This area receives heavy use from
hunters with pack animals. Pipe will need to be
replaced at all sites. Logs may be placed to
protect the spring areas and signs will be posted
at each site (see attached example). Aluminum
troughs and spring boxes will be used to increase
the longevity of the spring developments. Old
fencing will be removed.
The proposed fence is located along Big Sheep
Creek, upstream of Carrol Creek, on USFS and
private lands. The fence will consist of
reconstruction of sections along the FS/Private
land boundary and new fence on private land. The
Forest Service sections are located on the Carrol
Creek Allotment. Private land sections are owned
by Mike and Annette Lathrop who is also the
Carrol Creek Allotment permittee. The fence will
protect about 1.1 miles of Chinook salmon
spawning habitat which is currently accessible to
livestock.
The fence will parallel Big Sheep along the east
bank from the FS /private land boundary along
Sections 20 & 29 north to the northeast corner of
Section 19. The fence will be a 3-strand barb wire
fence. Approximate fence distance is 1.6 miles.
The fence will be maintained by the Carrol Creek
permittee/private landowner.
February 24, 2015
Umatilla
Tech
Committee
Rating
$ 44,520
1
$ 10,358
2
$ 18,762
3
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Approved March 24, 2015
WWNF - Coordinated
Weed Control Joseph
Creek and Imnaha
Canyonlands
4
Eagle Cap Wilderness
Collaborative Weed
Control
5
Muddy Sled Fuels
Reduction Units 44
6
UNF - Coordinated Weed
Control Grande Ronde
This grant will be used to coordinate and
implement the treatment of the weeds in 45
riparian acres and 110 upland acres in the Imnaha
and Joseph Creek watersheds. Title II money will
fund WR for the coordination, implementation, and
administration of the program, with the majority of
funds going to contract spraying and survey.
Some funds will go to supplies (i.e. herbicides and
grass seed) with the remaining put towards
monitoring.
$ 28,090
This project will involve the treatment, monitoring
and inventory of invasive plants within the ECW.
Since implementation of the Weed Free Feed
Program, there has been little to no enforcement
on Forest, so compliance checks will be a
component of this project. The other component
of this project will be posting of new weed signs at
all trailheads accessing the ECW. This will
educate the public on how to stop the introduction
and spread of invasive plants. 25 trailheads
access the ECW that all serve as a potential
vector for weed spread into the Wilderness will
also be monitored and treated for any and all
invasive plants. Treatments will utilize biological,
mechanical, and chemical methods as an
integrated approach to protecting further invasion
and spread of invasive plants. There are 44 sites
identified for treatment in the ECW totaling 197
acres. 50 of these acres are proposed for
chemical or mechanical treatment, while 147 are
identified for bio-releases. With this project
underway, partners are working the perimeter of
the entire ECW with their proposed funding.
30 acres - This is a hand thinning and piling
project that will follow treatment prescriptions
designated USFS. Specific fuels treatment for
this unit include whipfelling trees under 6” dbh to
aprox. 20’ spacing, buck and pile all material
under 10 inches. Piles will then be burned by the
Forest Service as weather conditions allow.
This grant will be used to coordinate and
implement the treatment of the listed weeds in 38
riparian acres and in at least 105 upland acres in
the Grande Ronde Canyonlands located in the
portions of the county managed by the Umatilla
NF. Title II money will fund WR staff for the
coordination, implementation, and administration
of the project, with the majority of funds going to
contract spraying and survey. Some funds will go
to supplies like herbicides and grass seed with the
remaining dollars put towards monitoring
$ 31,800
Wallowa/Whitman Forest
Total
WC NRAC Standing Committee
4
5
$ 22,896
6
$
22,005
$156,426
February 24, 2015
$
22,005
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Approved March 24, 2015
???
Amount available
Group went through the projects.
1. Lower Joseph Creek - We have spent massive amounts of money and time on this and
this is money to try to help move forward.
2. HCNRA Recreational and Wildlife Spring development
3. Big sheep Creek FS/Private Fence
Fences off east side of Creek, will help control keeping cattle and salmon separate
4. WWNF Coordinated Weed Control Joseph creek and Imnaha Canyonlands
Continuation of work that has been done for years.
5. Eagle Cap Wilderness Collaborative weed Control
EIS has to be okayed. Possibility that money would be reduced if so money would go to
canyon land weeds
6. Muddy Sled Unit 44 Fuels Reduction thinning and slash pile
Could not do last year
7. Umatilla portion Coordinated Weed Control Grande Ronde
10% of funds- amount shown is from last year since don’t know how much will get
-Funding totals were based on last year’s funds.
Jeff - Are any of these in Forest Service process.
Kris – Yes.
Jeff - If the project has existing commitment then should push those projects first.
Nils - If there is NEPA decision then often there is need for funds to complete projects.
Matt - Look at greater good. 3 might be stronger than 2
Cynthia - Tech committee struggled with 2 & 3 they could be switched Looked at readiness
Jeff - Would like to see Muddy Spring pushed up to 2 and move 2 to 6.
-After group discussion switched #2 and #6
-Suggested that possibly there might be funds from fish and wildlife groups for the #6 project
-If extra money where do we go
Nils - In Muddy Sled there is more pilling that could be done, Lower Joseph Creek can always
use more funds. Wallowa Lands can always use more funds
-Group decided that if there is more moneys available, first place to add is to water troughs #6,
then Lower Joseph Creek , then down the line.
-Cynthia and Rod will present to the Co Commissioners.
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February 24, 2015
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Approved March 24, 2015
Board of County Commissioners meeting
- March 2nd. Will present:
Standing Committee Summary
Tech Committee Summary
Title II
Membership list
UPDATES
Oregon Parks and Recreation - update Nils
-Have been working above the lake for several years on the channel.
-With restoration on Dam the situation will increase
-Asked for WR to look at kokanee population in lake
-Will pursue funding for some cannel hardening on portions of river above lake.
Travel Management Plan
-Got FS layer
-Took 3 people to decipher, but, were able to evaluate.
-Have developed a list of roads with differences.
-Probably not more than 100 miles of road.
-We might be a lot closer due to not understanding the various closures in the FS Key.
-Would like to get together with someone who understands the key.
-Kris indicated that she would find someone to sit down with us.
Salmon Plan/SP Implementation
Nothing
Old/New Photos
Nothing
Wolves
-Everywhere
-We are in phase II of plan
-Agency will go to commission on 24 of April and start process, will be summer before final
Meeting was adjourned at 11:03 am.
Respectfully Submitted
Eileen Williams
NRAC Standing Committee, Secretary
WC NRAC Standing Committee
February 24, 2015
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