CONSERVATION CONNECTIONNews from the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District

Protecting Pollinators!By: Lacey Townsend, TSWCD District Manager

1080 SW BaselineSuite B-2Hillsboro, OR 97123

Phone: 503-648-3174 ext. 5E-mail: judy.marsh@or.nacdnet.net

Upcoming Events - Save these Dates! Details, more events at www.swcd.net/events

Farming with Benefical Insects for Pest Control Workshop July 13th (Workshop) 9am-4pm, Clean Water Services (2550 SW Hillsboro Hwy, Hillsboro, OR 97123). July 14th (Field Day) 8am-12pm, Tualatin River Farm (4490 SW Minter Bridge Rd, Hillsboro, OR 97123).Free event focused on rural pest management planning.For more info visit: https://www.swcd.net/events/2017-07/

Far West ShowAugust 23rd 12pm-5pm, August 24th 10am-5pm, August 25th 10am-2pmOregon Convention Center (777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97232).Event focused on Nurseries and Nursery techniques.

Did you know, 75% of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollinators to produce seeds, fruits and vegetables? This equates to one of every three bites of food people eat. Pollinators provide crucial assistance to fruit, vegetable and seed crops, but many species are seeing their numbers fall. Scientists attribute a number of factors, including habitat loss, disease, parasites and overuse of pesticides for the pollinator decline. The Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District is taking action to put conservation measures into practice on the ground, especially through our streamside restoration projects. These projects will aid in wildlife conservation, especially for pollinators.

Conservation activities like these are just some of the many offered by local agencies to help protect natural resources. Here are some ways you can help protect pollinators and their habitat.

• Provide blooming plants from early spring to fall, with at least three species of flower in bloom each season.

• Use alternatives to insecticides and herbicides when available.

• Native bees use areas such as bare ground, brush piles, old tree stumps, and snags.

• Install nesting blocks for wood-nesting bees, and nesting boxes for bumble bees.

PC: NC State University

PC: Nature-Education.org

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NEW PROGRAM AREAS

Juli promotes the District’s streamside restoration programs by coordinating private landowner enrollment and providing community outreach. She loves the fact that she meets new interesting people who are passionate about conservation. She got her start in Americorps working in riparian restoration and leading volunteer tree plantings. Originally from flat lands of Wisconsin, Juli enjoys the diversity of landscapes Oregon has to offer, particularly the mountain views from the Willamette Valley. She spends her spare time learning new outdoor sports with friends and starting several books at once.

You can contact her if you have an interest in establishing native trees along your streambank.

E-mail: Juli.Waarvik@or.nacdnet.netPhone: 503-207-7956

Since the permanent tax levy passed in November 2016, we have been busy developing a budget and new programs. Our budget for July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018 (FY18) has been approved by the budget committee and adopted by the board. In FY18, the District plans to expand services and programs. The number of people receiving services will increase. More investments will be made in on-the-ground conservation compared to prior years. The FY18 budget will increase technical assistance and financial assistance for landowners. Our core services include technical assistance, conservation planning, financial assistance, and conservation education.

Technical assistance is provided to residents and landowners through one-on-one site visits and consultation. Technical assistance involves helping residents and landowners address natural resource concerns and implement conservation practices that protect soil, water, wetlands, and wildlife habitat.

Financial assistance is funding to implement projects to address natural resource concerns as identified in the Long-Range Business Plan is distributed through direct landowner assistance and partner agreements.

A conservation plan is a customized, detailed guide to help a landowner manage his or her land while protecting natural resources. Plans address site-specific issues through practices to conserve soil, water, and related plant and animal resources. The District helps develop plans at no cost to landowners. Each landowner makes all decisions on his or her plan, implements the plan, and has complete control over the activities on their land (within local permitting guidelines).

Education is provided to landowners and the general public about natural resource concerns. Education involves:• Workshops, events, presentations, and displays. • Publications, including fact sheets, brochures, and newsletters.• Traditional news media.• Online media, including social media, website, and video production.• K-12 education and youth informal education, including teacher professional

development and natural resources conservation curricula.

Bethany Lund Bethany Lund is a new Restoration Technician and joined the district in November. She assists with project management, restoration outreach and conservation planning. Bethany brings a strong background in botany and GIS to the team and has experience with riparian restoration and invasive plant control; she also did two terms of AmeriCorps. She is excited to be working in Washington County and enjoys getting to see all of the beautiful farms, especially goats and alpacas! Bethany enjoys gardening, cooking and traveling around the northwest.

You can contact her with any restoration projects or concerns.

E-mail: bethany.lund@or.nacdnet.netPhone: 503-648-7948

By: Lacey Townsend, TSWCD District Manager

Juli Waarvik

Technical assistance

Financial assistance

A conservation plan

Education

Highlights

New EmployeeMike Conroy Chantel Huff

Mike works with landowners, contractors, and community partners to manage environmental restoration projects throughout the district. Before joining the district in 2016 he worked as a contractor for five years managing habitat restoration projects throughout the Northern Willamette Valley. Before that he worked for years in seasonal positions in natural resources in remote areas throughout the Pacific Northwest in addition to a stint in the Peace Corps. Mike lives with his wife and two young kids in Forest Grove. He enjoys interacting with landowners to exchange knowledge and exploring the bounty of the Tualatin basin and beyond for work and play.

You can contact him with any restoration projects or concerns.

E-mail: Michael.Conroy@or.nacdnet.netPhone: 503-207-7947

Chantel is the new Conservation Education Program Assistant and has been with the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District since April. She promotes the District at outreach events, and workshops around the Washington County area. Chantel also helps create outreach materials for the District and helps maintain the social media pages and the TSWCD website. Her favorite part about her job is meeting new people and teaching them about conservation practices. Chantel likes camping, traveling and enjoying the Oregon outdoors.

You can contact her with any outreach questions or upcoming events:

E-mail: tualatinswcd@gmail.comPhone: 503-207-7954

Natural Resources Program

The Natural Resources Program includes the costs associated with providing services to customers and partners. Urban conservation, rural conservation, stream enhancement, and forestry activities are included in this program.

Invasive Species

The Invasive Species Program includes the costs associated with providing services to customers and partners related to invasive species. Treatment and survey of invasive species and public education related to invasive species are activities included in this program.

Conservation Education

The Conservation Education Program includes the costs associated with providing education services to customers and partners. Events targeting both adults and children, development of education materials, and delivery of education are activities included in this program.

Staffing levels will increase from 7.75 full-time equivalents to an estimated 14.75 full- time equivalents. The increase in staffing is due to the creation of the Natural Resources Program (urban and rural conservation, streamside enhancement, and forestry), the Invasive Species Program, and the Conservation Education Program.

Wingham Farms At Wingham Farms, nestled snugly in an agricultural valley near Manning, some 60,000 trees and shrubs were recently planted on 31 acres adjacent to West Fork Dairy Creek and Whitcher Creek. Part of a 10-year partnership with TSWCD, this streamside planting is the latest installment of an innovative and successful partnership between willing private landowners in the Tualatin Valley and the TSWCD, Clean Water Services, the Farm Service Agency, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The partnership’s aim is to establish riparian buffers along perennial streams, using native vegetation to reduce soil erosion, filter pollutants, provide shade to reduce in-stream temperatures, and restore natural habitat critical to biodiversity preservation.

In 2015 the project began by clearing weeds such as non-native blackberries. This winter crews planted 60,000 bare-root trees and shrubs from more than 25 native species, as well as three species of native grasses and five native wildflower species. The remnant vegetation along the creeks at Wingham Farms also harbors a large population of Western Wahoo, a rare native shrub, which has been rescued from invasive non-native blackberries and incorporated into the buffer project. The 31-acre parcel that Wingham Farms owners Daniel and Julie Lee are currently protecting, represents the largest streamside buffer project on privately owned land in Washington County.

This project allows for multiple ecological functions on a working landscape, as the bulk of Wingham Farms’ 100 acres is devoted to the production of pasture-raised meat, milk, and eggs. This production is done with primarily heritage breeds of chickens, ducks, beef and dairy cows, pigs, and goats - all chosen for their suitability to open-pasture grazing and foraging. With assistance from NRCS, Daniel and Julie also are working to enhance on-farm biodiversity by establishing pollinator hedgerows of native trees and shrubs amongst their pastures to serve as living fences. As they mature, these hedgerows will serve to control livestock movement, provide animal shelter, and offer year-round habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators. Currently the project is scheduled to last until 2025, with the next few years focused on maintaining the tree and shrub plantings. Biodiversity isn’t just something that happens in supposedly

pristine nature; it can exist at varying scales including in our backyards, and in this case farmland. From this project one can begin to recognize that conservation on working lands may be the next frontier in conservation globally, and Wingham Farms is helping to lead the way towards local solutions.

By: Mike Conroy, Restoration Project Manager

For more info on streamside plantings, providing habitat for beneficial insects contact Juli WaarvikE-mail: Juli.Waarvik@or.nacdnet.netPhone: 503-207-7956 For more info on Wingham Farms see their website, their link on the Hillsboro (and Orenco Station) Farmers Market site, or visit their farm by traveling the Banks-Vernonia Trail (mileposts 4-5), which bisects the property and allows clear views of the streamside buffer project.

Daniel Lee on Wingham Farms at the restoration site, showing off an Indian Plum tree.

Crews planted 60,000 bare-root trees and shrubs from more than 25 native species, as well as 3 species of native grasses and 5 native wildflower species.