WOODLANDS WORKSHOP, 10/22/2014, The Dalles, Ore.

Oak Woodlands Workshop at the Gorge Discovery Center, The Dalles

Wasco County Soil and Water Conservation District

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

Free Continental Breakfast provided, “BYO” Lunch.

Topics will include plant and wildlife communities unique to Oregon white oak woodlands, fire ecology, vegetation management for specific goals, grazing management in oak woodlands, and conservation programs.

Please RSVP by 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, to karen.lamson@or.nacdnet.net or call her at 541-296-6178 ext 121

Salem, Ore: Neighbors object to “clear cutting” historic trees

From Willamette Live, September 17, 2014


Salem Hospital plans to cut more than forty trees on the 8.42-acre parcel it purchased in 2010 from the School for the Blind along Mission Street.  Among the trees are nine several-hundred year old Oregon White Oaks which were once part of the ancient woodland that covered the area.  The trees were growing before the first European settlers arrived in the 1800’s.
Thus far, the City of Salem has approved the hospital’s plan to remove the trees and install in their place a 264-space parking lot, a rehab center and an enlarged a maintenance shed, by allowing a variance to city laws that protects the trees.

A neighborhood association wants the trees to live.

The law in question comes from Chapter 68 of The City of Salem’s code, the tree preservation ordinance.   It says that no one can cut down a “significant” tree, an Oregon White Oak greater than 24-inches at breast height, except under certain limited circumstances, which the hospital does not meet.

This spring, as part of their process to develop the land, Salem Hospital asked the city for a variance to the law and for approval to cut the trees.  On June 25th, their request was granted by the City’s Planning Administrator.

SCAN, the South Central Association of Neighbors, appealed the decision, but on August 28th, Hearings Officer Scott A. Fewel sided with the Hospital.

On September 10, SCAN voted to appeal.  Its appeal to the State of Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals will be filed as Salem Weekly goes to press.

“We think we were right and the Hearings Officer was wrong,” says a SCAN member.  “We are convinced that the opinion will not hold up.  You look at the parking the hospital put on the old Bush Elementary School land between Capitol and University Street, and you’ll see the clear-cut that will happen if the hospital prevails.”

Salem Hospital’s plans show that about 5 trees would remain in the main part of the 8.42-acre parcel.  Nearly all the trees in the center of the property would be cut to allow for earthmovers to scrape and re-grade the site for parking.  Among the variety slated to be cut are seven, 100-foot tall historic Douglas Fir trees.  Observers who visit the site can note the trees with a dash of red on their metal tags; the red denotes a tree the hospital intends to cut.

SCAN says that all the hospital’s objectives could be achieved with far less destruction of trees if its planners placed a value on doing so.

"Noble Oaks" Restoration Project by the Nature Conservancy, in Polk County Oregon

From The Polk County Itemizer Observer:

June 9, 2014

POLK COUNTY — The Oregon Wildlife Center off Steel Bridge Road in northern Polk County near Willamina will soon belong to The Nature Conservancy.

The Bonneville Power Administration is funding the $1.5 million purchase of the 472 acres as part of its efforts to protect, restore and enhance habitat for wildlife, according to BPA project manager Dorie Welch in a letter to affected landowners.

Although the sale is not complete, members of the conservancy have been out on the property surveying what already lives and grows there.

“So far they have found six or seven somewhat rare (plant) species that they were surprised to find already living there,” said Mitch Maxson, director of marketing for The Nature Conservancy. “It added to what we already thought would be a great ecological location.”

The sale should be final in late July, and will belong to The Nature Conservancy, which will manage the property.

The first project phase will be active restoration work done by contractors, Maxson said.

“The intent is to open it to the public for some sort of use at some point in the future,” said Dan Bell, Willamette Basin director for The Nature Conservancy.

Public access would be through guided tours or with specific permission for the foreseeable future, according to the grant documents filled out by The Nature Conservancy.

The project will provide an opportunity to engage volunteers, communities and organized groups in onsite work parties, the documents state.

“That specific location is still in the midst of coming into our possession,” Maxson said. “Next spring, we would like to have some people out there to help with all sorts of things, helping to create trails for more access, all sorts of things like that.”

The land most recently was used for the care of rare African wildlife, Welch said.

“That use is in the process of winding down, and the focus going forward will be on native Willamette Valley wildlife habitats,” Welch said.

The land is in the Willamette River Basin, which covers more than 11,500 square miles and stretches from its headwaters in the Cascade Mountains to its confluence with the Columbia River, Welch said.

The property — comprised of about half well-maintained pasture and half oak woodland, with some remnant upland prairie — has not been open to the public under its current ownership. 

The Nature Conservancy will conserve and restore regionally imperiled prairie and Oregon white oak savanna and open oak woodland systems, according to the grant documents. The prairie habitat is dominated by non-native pasture grasses.

The area is in an ideal location to help a nearby population of Fender’s blue butterfly, an endangered species. The butterfly is known to live about three miles from the property.

The area also will help grassland bird populations, such as the western meadowlark and streaked horned lark

.

The Noble Oaks property is the ancestral home of the Yam Hill (Yamhill) band of Kalapuyas, an antecedent band of Grand Ronde, said Michael Yarnosh, ceded lands program manager for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, in a letter of support for the project.

The land is part of a larger area ceded by the tribe to the United States through the 1855 Willamette Valley Treaty, he said.

The 472-acre property will form a connection between two adjacent conservation easements, creating a larger block of about 700 acres of conserved land in the area, Yarnosh said.

Salish Seed Project

Seed-by-seed; habitat recovery in the works

From the Journal of the San Juan Islands, April 25, 2014

The San Juan County Land Bank and San Juan Preservation Trust recently announced a new cooperative venture: the Salish Seed Project.

Currently underway in Friday Harbor, the Salish Seed Project will produce plants and seeds of native island wildflowers and grasses for local restoration projects.

“Many of our local wildflowers are in decline," Land Bank steward Eliza Habegger
said. "Learning how to raise them from seed to flowering makes us hopeful and proud. Most of the plant species selected for the project are impossible to find commercially.”

The Salish Seed Project will further both organizations’ efforts to care for and recover vanishing Garry oak savannah and prairie habitats for future generations.

“Both the Land Bank and the Preservation Trust share similar visions for restoration," Preservation Trust stewardship manager Kathleen Foley said. "By sharing facilities and resources, we can maximize the effectiveness our efforts to restore our beautiful Garry oak and prairie habitats.”

Initially, plants and seeds produced through the project will be used at restoration sites on Land Bank and Preservation Trust preserves, but the partners hope the project will make plants or seeds available for other conservation areas and to private landowners eventually.

Established in September 2013 at the Land Bank’s office in Friday Harbor, a wildflower nursery is now producing small plants, or plugs, of native perennials, bulbs, Garry oaks, and an assortment of other local plants.

This June, the San Juan Preservation Trust’s Red Mill Farm in San Juan Valley will become home to a new, larger nursery facility.

With support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Salish Seed Project’s nursery at Red Mill Farm will focus initially on producing seeds of the golden paintbrush, considered a threatened species by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and plants that grow in association with paintbrush.

“Community involvement is central to the Salish Seed Project,” Habegger said. “We are seeking volunteers to collect seed from the wild, tend the nursery, and eventually plant in restoration zones on preserves.”

More info is available by contacting Habegger at 378-4402, or eliza@rockisland.com, or Foley, at 378-2461 or kathleenf@sjpt.org.

 

 

A City Council refuses to help expand White Oak Savanna

West Linn City Council nixes grant to help expand White Oak Savanna 
From The Oregonian,  OregonLive:

Neighbors for a Livable West Linn would like to purchase the remaining six acres of the White Oak Savanna Park.

The West Linn City Council on Monday shot down a grant application aimed at expanding the White Oak Savanna, riling a chamber packed with the park's supporters.

The council voted 3 to 2 against a resolution to submit the grant, which would help pay for the purchase of the expanded park. Cost to the city, a short deadline and unusual process caused reservation among some councilors.

Just after the vote, a parade of supporters expressed disappointment with the decision.
“We’ve worked on this for five years and you’ve effectively killed it,” said Roberta Schwarz, a West Linn resident who has led the effort to preserve the area. “I’m so ashamed of you.”

For years, Schwarz and others protested plans for development of the area near 2445 Tannler Dr. -- 20 acres of one of the largest intact oak savannas in the northern Willamette Valley. In 2009, West Linn, Metro and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department purchased 14 acres of the savanna from the property owner for $1 million.

Now, supporters want to acquire the other six acres from a developer for $1.72 million.

A developer is offering to sell the six-acre property for $1.72 million.

 

Schwarz, through her group Neighbors for a Livable West Linn, recently received a $500,000 grant to help purchase the remaining land. The group has until mid-2015 to find $1,000,000 to match the grant.

Last month, Schwarz requested the city complete a grant application for $250,000 from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

“We’re not asking for any money,” Schwarz said at a March 17 council meeting. “We’re just asking for permission for the grant to be written.”

On Tuesday, city councilors analyzed various resolutions to approve the grant application. Though several resolutions stated that the city is not committing additional financial support for the project, councilors learned the city would be on the hook for some costs in the future.

The area requires an estimated $2 million in intersection and street improvements and $100,000 to construct a parking lot and play area, according to city code. Rezoning the park is likely to cost $10,000, said assistant city manager Kirsten Wyatt.

Some of these costs are already required with the purchase of original 14 acres, noted councilor Mike Jones.

Currently, the area brings in $40,500 in tax revenue to the city, with potential to bring in much more if developed, Wyatt said. If designated a park, the land would generate no revenue.
Council President Jody Carson said she’d like to see the park expanded, but wasn’t comfortable committing the city to park’s financial obligations at this time. Councilor Thomas Frank agreed, adding that the process has lacked transparency.

“A few councilors were courted off to the side,” Frank said. “We haven’t had a public hearing on this.”

Councilors Jones and Jenni Tan voted for the resolution, but the rest voted no.

“I think this would be a good park, but this is not the right time and the right way to go about this,” Carson said.

-- Michael Bamesberger

April 01, 2014

Oak Harbor leadership cuts down 330-year-old tree in secret plan

inSh By JESSIE STENSLAND,  Whidbey News-Times Assistant editor 
Mar 25, 2014 at 3:04PM

Many in the community expressed outrage this week that the landmark Garry oak tree at the Oak Harbor, WA, Post Office was sawed down Sunday morning without prior public notification.

The tree was determined to be 330 years old, based on the number of rings counted.

Some people, including a former council member and a state expert on open government, question the secret way in which the city administrator chose to axe the beloved tree, and whether the issue was properly discussed with City Council behind closed doors.

“I’m in shock,” said Sheilah Crider, former councilwoman and current  Island County auditor.

“They did it in the stealth of the night. It is very regrettable.”

Crider, who emphasized that she was speaking as a private citizen, was involved as a councilwoman in saving the giant oak tree in 2004 after city officials planned to cut it down over safety concerns because of a fungal infection; an expert in Garry oak trees was brought in who advised that the tree could be saved.

Melissa Duffy, a naturalist educator, said she is “deeply saddened.” 

Duffy helped lead the effort to save the tree a decade ago; she contacted experts in Garry oaks who said the tree had at least a 100 years left of life. 

Duffy planted the gardens surrounding the tree and used to coordinate the volunteers who care for it; she said none of the people who loved and cared for the tree knew ahead of time that it would be cut.

“I understand that there are safety issues, but I don’t agree with doing it without a second or third opinion.”

John Cline, a North Whidbey woodworker, said he is also very upset and is planning a ceremony at the tree and march on City Hall 11 a.m. Saturday. He claims he looked at the cut sections of the tree and saw only superficial rot.

“I’m not one of your hippie tree huggers, but there are things that matter,” he said. “It’s really disappointing.”

Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley said the decision to fell the tree was made after an arborist from Tree Solutions assessed the risk of failure as “high” in 2012, and then two giant limbs from the oak fell in May and June of 2013.

“It’s obviously something we didn’t want to do,” he said. “In an ideal world, the tree would have lived forever.”

Dudley said an arborist will give a presentation about the tree at the City Council meeting 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 1.

Dudley said he made the decision not to tell the public about the plans ahead of time in order to lessen the city’s exposure to a potential lawsuit if the tree would have caused injury or damage.

“I tend to listen to our attorney,” he said, adding both the city attorney and city’s insurance provider advised the city to cut the tree. 

City officials looked at other options, such as cabling or eliminating access under the tree, but nothing panned out.

Part of the problem is that the limbs extended over  Post Office property as well as two roads and sidewalks, the city reported in a press release sent out after the tree cutting started.

Acting City Attorney Grant Weed, however, said he didn’t advise the city to keep the plans a secret. 

When to cut the tree and when to tell the community was a policy decision made by the city administration, Weed said.

“It’s not my role to make policy decisions,” he said.

Likewise, City Admin-istrator Larry Cort said the city administration — which is ultimately the mayor — made the decision not to inform the public ahead of time in order to lessen potential liability in case of an event.

Speaking in public about the arborist’s report and the city’s plans to cut the tree down could have led unscrupulous folks to bring litigation they may not have otherwise, Cort said.

“There could be some folks out there who would see a potential chance for a claim,” he said.

Crider points out that the liability is there whether or not the issue was publicly discussed. Cort agreed that the arborist report is a public document. 

Cort said he didn’t have an answer as to why the public wasn’t warned about the dangers outlined in the arborist’s report two years ago instead of keeping the issue secret. Obviously, people walk under the tree just about every day.

Michele Earl-Hubbard, an attorney with Allied Law Group and an expert in open government, said in an email she sees potential reason for concern with the way the tree went down.

“Seems like if there was really harm, they needed to rope it off and warn people — not hide in closed meetings with a lawyer to discuss how if it fell on someone that they could be sued,” she said. 

“As my child would say, ‘No duh.’”

Councilman Rick Almberg isn’t pleased about the secrecy surrounding the felling, but said the issue was only discussed during executive session and he felt he couldn’t talk about it publicly.

“We’ve had more executive session under this mayor than we had under Slowik’s entire term,” he said, referring to former Mayor Jim Slowik. 

Almberg pointed out that Dudley promised greater transparency during his administration.

Earl-Hubbard said facts that exist beyond an attorney’s legal analysis — such as the arborist report and facts about tree limbs falling — are not necessarily privileged. 

“Officials are not supposed to hide behind the coat tails of lawyers because some facts the city possesses and discusses could lead to legal liability,” she said. 

“Yes, I see red flags. Anytime agencies use reasons like this to avoid disclosing information to the public, and make decisions in secret, I see a huge red flag. And the public probably should too.”

Earl-Hubbard also questions whether it was proper to hold an executive session about the issue at all, as opposed to discussing it publicly. 

Under state law, closed-door sessions are allowed to discuss “potential litigation,” but Earl-Hubbard doesn’t think it would cover this type of discussion; she opined that the city would lose if challenged in court on the issue.

The grand old oak tree, however, will not be gone completely. 

Parks Manager Hank Nydam said the trunk was cut in two giant sections in order to preserve as much as possible of the wood for artwork or other projects. He said a lot of different things could be done with the wood; he said one idea is to have a contest to see what ideas artists and woodworkers can come up with.

Good news: removal of Oregon White Oak avoided

According to a letter from Catholic Community Services (Salem, Oregon), they have decided to avoid cutting down the 25-inch in diameter Oregon White Oak in their apartment development in West Salem (see previous post in this blog). The letter stated that they redesigned the plan for the driveway in order to preserve the tree.

Developer wants to remove OWO in Salem

From today's Statesman Journal:

A developer is seeking the city’s permission to remove a 25-inch diameter Oregon white oak in West Salem.

The oak, located in the right-of-way adjacent to 2579 Wallace Road NW, stands where the driveway for a new, 13-unit apartment complex is planned.


Aaron Panko, a case manager with the city’s planning division, said Oregon white oaks are provided special protection. City rules require that a developer receive a tree regulation variance before healthy white oaks, greater than 24-inches in diameter, can legally be removed, he said.


The applicant seeking the city’s approval to remove the tree on Wallace Road NE is Catholic Community Services. The nonprofit didn’t a return a phone call Thursday.


The city is taking written comments on the land use request. Written comments must be delivered no later than 5 p.m, Jan. 2.


Comments may be submitted by email to APanko@cityofsalem.net.


Comments also may be mailed to Case Manager, Planning Division, 555 Liberty Street SE, Room 305, Salem OR, 97301

Oregon oak wine barrels

From the Oregon Wine Press:

Barrel By...

“I have noticed people in tasting rooms talking about American versus French oak barrels in regard to winemaking. What is the difference? Is one better than the other?” - Randy, Portland

There are actually several differences, but if you ask me, quality isn’t one of them; it’s more about preference.

The wood for French oak barrels comes from several different forests; Allier, Limousin, Nevers, Tronçais and Vosges are considered the best. Each has its own micro-climate and soils, affecting the wood, and in turn, the wine.  

French oak is split along its natural grains to create staves. After the wood is split, the staves are dried in open air for about 24 months. Because of the quality of the forests, the reputation of the cooperage and the time-intensive production, French oak barrels often cost between $500 and $1000. 

The way the French barrels express themselves in wine is considered to be more delicate and less “oaky” than their American counterparts, imparting notes of vanilla bean, cedar and clove — among others. Its subtle flavor profile is desirable for wines such as Pinot Noir, which is more sensitive to the wood’s influence. French oak’s tighter grains are also believed to have slightly higher tannins levels, helping the wine to age.

American oak barrels come from several different forests, mostly in Midwestern states like Missouri, but also from Oregon and Virginia. Unlike French oak, its origin is of minor significance, placing the value with the reputation of the cooperage. 

Traditionally, American oak barrels were made by sawing the wood into staves — rather than splitting them — and drying them in a kiln — as opposed to open air. These barrels impart stronger oak flavors with slightly sweeter notes like vanilla extract, coconut, sawdust and dill. With that says, many American coopers have recently incorporated more French techniques to soften the character of their barrels. Reduced production time and shipping costs are two reasons American oak barrels are generally less expensive — new barrels cost between $200 and $500. 

There is no firm rule dictating who uses what type of barrel; and certainly, though the prices might lead you to believe differently, there is no quality difference between the two. It really comes down to how a winemaker wants to make a particular wine. For example, because of its strong effect on flavor, American oak is typically used on heartier wines like Syrah, Cabernet, Zinfandel and Malbec. In fact, in some Old World regions, such as Rioja in Spain, American oak is preferred to add more muscle and complexity. 

Cooperage competition has increased over the years. France and the U.S. are joined by Hungary, Slovenia and even Russia in the barrel market. Different types of wood have also made the industry more interesting. Barrels made of chestnut, pine, redwood and acacia simply add to the winemaker’s toolbox, ultimately allowing consumers greater choices and more to discuss.

Cheers, Jennifer Cossey

Oak is Ashland's Tree of the Year

FROM THE MAIL TRIBUNE

 

Property owner Don Greene says the tree has a sentinel spirit

 

Karolina Lavagnino stands next to an Oregon white oak tree that’s outside the home she rents on Iowa Street in Ashland. The tree was selected as Ashland’s 2012 Tree of the Year.  (Julia Moore)