Plants to help your property resist wildfire

FROM:  http://portlandtribune.com/sl/270320-145442-plants-to-help-your-property-resist-wildfire-

As population grows in urban centers like Portland and Eugene, more homes are being built in the "wildland urban interface" areas of our state — areas near or among lands prone to wildland fires. Oregon’s last two fire seasons have been severe, and this year's fire season is following suit. With the continuing drought and hot weather it’s a good time to take stock of your property and put a plan together for fall landscaping ideas.

If you’re an avid gardener residing in the urban interface, there are many fire-resistant plants available to help your home become more fire-resistant, as well as help native birds and other wildlife with shelter and food. Since most of these plants require less frequent watering and are low-maintenance, even non-urban-interface residents might like to consider adding some of them to yards and gardens.

“Fire-resistant" does not mean "fireproof." It does mean that these plants have little dead wood and don’t tend to accumulate dry materials that are flammable. The leaves of these plants are usually moist and supple, with water-like sap.

What to avoid: plants that contain dry needles, twigs and leaves, or have gummy, resinous sap or loose or papery bark. One highly flammable shrub to avoid in your home landscape, for example, is spreading or upright juniper. It accumulates dead needles and has volatile oils in its foliage.

What are some good choices?

One species you might like to consider is manzanita (Arctostaphylos), including a native that's also fire-resistant, "kinnikinnick." Kinnikinnick is a charming ground cover that features small white or pink flowers in the spring, followed by red berries. Once established, it will spread and create year-round interest in the landscape while requiring little maintenance.

Oregon boxwood (Paxistime myrsinites) is another good choice. This attractive evergreen shrub features an alluring, tiny red flower display and can survive our hot summers with little or no water. Be sure to give Oregon boxwood enough water during the first one to two years to establish it.

Look for oceanspray, with its graceful growth habit and pendulous, creamy white flowers. Flowers have a faint, sweet sugary scent and the plant requires little watering.

Red flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) and Nootka rose are other good selections. Red flowering currant is an attractive drought-tolerant woody perennial and an early springtime draw for hummingbirds.

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) is an upright, arching shrub featuring small pink flowers in the summer followed by white, rounded fruits that persist through the winter and attract birds. Snowberry does well in full sun or part shade. Like red flowering currant, it grows quickly and is low-maintenance.

No stranger to landscapers, Pacific rhododendron is ever-popular for its dark-green leaves and lovely pink and white flower clusters. Prefers acidic soils and part shade, and is deer-resistant.

Plants such as purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), giant or Eastern columbine, yarrow and lupine are not only fire-resistant but will attract butterflies and pollinators to your yard or landscape as well.

 Tree choices

Looking for some good fire-resistant tree choices? If your yard or garden has ample room for a new tree to grow to maturity — both above, and below ground — try red alder or sweetgum. Consider a dogwood for small, partly-shaded sites.

Willamette Valley Ponderosa Pine, an attractive tree with long needles and lovely cones, develops thick bark when mature, which protects it from surface fire and makes it more resistant than other tree species, like Douglas fir. It’s moderately fire-resistant, is drought-resistant and grows in full sun. It can reach more than 150 feet in height so plant where it has ample room to grow.

Oregon White Oak: Besides the welcome shade they provide during hot summer months, Oregon white oaks provide favorable habitat for important wildlife types including nuthatches, pileated woodpeckers and western grey squirrel. They should only be planted in wide open areas where overhead wires or conflicts with homes or structures are unlikely. Provide full sun, good drainage and plenty of room for these eventual "giants" of the landscape.

A reminder: for the first three years following planting, all newly planted trees require regular watering.

  

Lawns and bark mulch

In Oregon, bark mulch is popular in urban landscapes. Unfortunately, embers from a wildfire or cigarettes can ignite dry bark mulch, so try to use mulch in your yard or garden well away from your home.

If your property already has a grassy area, remember that a well-maintained lawn can be included in a fire-resistant landscape. If drought and Oregon’s dry summers regularly turn your lawn to brown, it might be time to consider removing some or all of your lawn area and replacing it with fire-resistant trees and plants.

Be sure to inquire at your local reputable neighborhood nursery or look online to read more about good fire-resistant plant choices.

For more information:www.firefree.org/images/uploads/FIR_FireResPlants_07.pdf

Cynthia Orlando has a degree in forest management and is a certified arborist with the Oregon Department of Forestry

Gifford Pinchot National Forest is seeking comments by Dec. 20, 2014 on restoration

By The Columbian
Published: December 12, 2014, 6:02 AM

 TROUT LAKE (Ore.)— The Gifford Pinchot National Forest (map) is seeking comments by Dec. 20 on a proposed restoration project in the Bear Creek watershed north of Carson in Skamania County.

The project’s goals include developing old-growth characteristics in dense Douglas fir plantations, maintaining the quality of the domestic water supply for Carson, restoring Oregon white oak habitat and improving big game winter range.

Specifically, actions would include commercial thinning on 657 acres, harvesting small trees on 28 acres to improve oak habitat, decommissioning or closing roads causing damage and improving culverts, water bars and road shoulders at 21 locations on Pinchot roads Nos. 68, 6808, 6830 and 6835.

Comments may be mailed, faxed or delivered to Mose Jones-Yellin, Mount Adams District Ranger, 2455 Highway 141, Trout Lake, 98650. Electronic comments may be submitted to comments-pacificnorthwest-gifforpinchot-mtadams@fs.fed.us.

Electronic comments should be within the email message or as an attachment in .pdf. .doc or .rtf formats and specify Bear Creek Restoration in the subject line.

More information is available from Erin Black at 509-395-3411 or ekblack@fs.fed.us.

Noble Oaks: New Nature Conservancy Site near Willamina, Oregon

Sneak Peak: Noble Oaks Preserve

Near Willamina, Oregon's newest preserve covers 470 acres and connects two conservation easements. Together, these sites will establish a habitat “anchor” in Oregon's wine country.

Save the Ancient Oaks in Salem

NOTE:  The Oregon White Oak is a slow-growing tree and supports many native species of animals --- activism around the trees should be focused on saving the Oaks.

California Oak Symposium slated for Visalia

From the Porterville Recorder,

Saturday, October 25, 2014 

THE RECORDER recorder@portervillerecorder.com


The foremost oak researchers in California and the Pacific Northwest, plus researchers from Spain and South Korea, converge in Visalia (California) for the seventh California Oak Symposium Nov. 3-6. This is the symposium’s first appearance in the San Joaquin Valley since its inception 35 years ago.

“The drought will be a major focus of the symposium,” said Rick Standiford, UC Cooperative Extension forest management specialist based at UC Berkeley, and symposium coordinator. “We will also have cutting-edge research and policy presentations on sudden oak death, gold-spotted oak borer and conifer encroachment in black and Garry oak woodlands, among much more.”

California’s oak woodlands cover 10 percent of the state, and oaks are a key ecological component of conifer forests. There are more than 20 species of native California oaks; several are found nowhere except within the state’s borders and some others range only as far as Canada and Mexico. Oak woodlands are the most biologically diverse habitat in the state, making conservation a policy and management priority.

The symposium begins with tours of regional oaks on Nov. 3. One group will tour the Visalia urban oak forest; a second group visits the Kaweah Oaks Preserve and Dry Creek Preserve. Over three days, scientists will present 58 research papers on oak management, wildlife, ecosystem services, ranching and utilization, gold-spotted oak borer, oak restoration, and sudden oak death. Ten of the projects focus on oak conservation, touching on such topics as economic incentives for oak conservation, the oak conservation program at Tejon Ranch, and the establishment of Oregon white oak and California black oak in northwestern California.

The wildlife series of presentations provides new information about native and introduced species that make their homes among the oaks, including European starlings, Pacific fishers, bats and wild pigs. Some of the ranching topics to be discussed include the public and private incomes from forests in Andalusia, Spain; economic incentives related to recreational use of private oak woodland; and acorn production and utilization in South Korea.

Since 1979, the California Oak Symposium has been held every five to seven years; the last one was in Rohnert Park in 2006. Visalia was selected for the symposium because of its geographic convenience for both northern and southern California oak scientists, and the city’s commitment to the preservation and protection of native oak trees.

Threatened species found at Salem Hospital site

Text from Willamette Live, October 15, 2014
Photos from copyright free sources

Western Grey Squirrel

A Willamette University student and several local educators are concerned that the “clear cutting” development of the Salem Hospital property where the School for the Blind was may predict the end of two species of native wildlife in Salem’s city core.

Maya Kaup, a sophomore Biology student is studying the Western Grey Squirrel population in the Salem area.  The Western Grey Squirrel, which evolved to reside here millions of years ago, is rapidly losing ground to the Eastern Grey Squirrel, a competitive species introduced by humans in 1919, as well as by human-caused loss of habitat.

Eastern Grey Squirrel *

In 2006, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) identified the Western Grey Squirrels as a “species of concern in need of conservation”.  The animals receive legal protection in the State of Washington.  In the Willamette Valley, the Western Grey is classified as a State Sensitive Species – Vulnerable,” according to ODFW.  According to the Portland Audubon Society Western Grays have “almost completely disappeared” from the Portland area.

In her research, Kaup found that Western Grey Squirrels had no foothold within Salem city limits – in any park or neighborhood – with the exception of two individuals she discovered on the land east of South Church Street between Pringle Creek and Mission Street S.E. – the hospital property.  Kaup noticed the two in January, a sight traditionally seen every five years or more, but for only a few weeks.  However, Kaup continued to see the two and later, two additional, smaller others, which suggests that the first are a breeding pair who have settled on the property.  The group can still be seen, living off the large trees that are currently slated for cutting.

This “mature oak-conifer habitat,” Kaup says, “is crucial for the survival of Western Gray Squirrels… Westerns are closely associated with oak woodlands, and due to the loss of these in the Willamette Valley they are losing their habitat, in addition to being driven away by invasive squirrels and the roar of human development.”

Kaup’s advisor, Dr. David Craig, is chair of the Department of Biology at Willamette University, is equally concerned.  If the trees on the hospital property are cut, as currently planned, he says, “only one thing will happen; the Western Grey Squirrel will be quickly gone and we’ll have local extinction.”

Dr. Jason Niedermeyer teaches Biology and Animal Behavior at South Salem High School and did several undergraduate research projects on squirrels when he was a Willamette student.  “We’ve seen occasions,” Niedermeyer says, “of the Western Grey Squirrel attempting a comeback here, but they never seem to make a toehold.”  From an aesthetic standpoint, he adds, “they’re just a beautiful squirrel.  They’re a beautiful slate grey; their vocalizations are very musical.  For 53 million years they’ve been the quintessential squirrel here, and now in Oregon’s state capital it’s kind of sad they aren’t the tree squirrel any more.  There’s something sad about our leaving the world less dense than we found it.”

The hospital property is also a successful breeding site for several pairs of the slender-billed white-breasted nuthatch, another animal identified by the ODFW as a “species of concern.”  For both the Western Grey Squirrel and the nuthatch, the Oregon Conservation Strategy specifically identifies private development and removal of Oregon white oaks as contributing problems and asks for voluntary conservation action.

On October 2, Craig wrote to Alan Costic, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Salem Hospital, identifying the two species and saying that if the hospital elected to cut the significant trees on the property, “you choose to destroy some of Oregon’s unique natural heritage, and increase the likelihood that we will end up with two more endangered species requiring expensive investments to prevent extinction.“

In his letter, Craig asked Costic and Salem Hospital to “return to the drawing board” and develop a site plan that preserves at least 30 of the 40+ trees currently targeted for removal.  He expressed particular interest in saving most, if not all, of the ancient Oregon White Oaks, Douglas Firs and trees of greater than 24” diameter.

“The Western Grey Squirrels were here first,” Kaup says.  “It seems sad that people drove them out and then, just when they’re trying to come back, we decide to cut their trees down.”
 

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NOTE:  to read more about Western Grey Squirrels, see Neighborhood Naturalist's Winter 2012-13 Newsletter.

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* Eastern Grey Squirrel photo by BirdPhotos.com (BirdPhotos.com) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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.