Current
Activity
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We,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our partners, are
initiating a collaborative, multi-year study of land and
water conservation opportunities within Oregon's Willamette
Valley identified as the Willamette Valley Conservation
Study (WVCS).
We
held our first public meetings in October 2011 to gain
public input on the WVCS. The meetings were held in Sherwood,
Salem, and Eugene, Oregon, on October 12, 13, and 18,
2011.
There
will be numerous opportunities for public involvement
throughout the study.
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The
information we shared at the meetings follows.
WVCS:
An America's Great Outdoor Initiative
(swf 6 mb)
WVCS Information (pdf 4 mb)
A summary of the information our partners and the public
shared with us at the meetings follows.
WVCS:
Summary of the October Meetings |
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Meetings
Description
We,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our partners, are initiating
a collaborative study of land and water conservation opportunities
within Oregon's Willamette Valley, identified as the Willamette
Valley Conservation Study (WVCS). It is part of the America's
Great Outdoors Initiative to develop 21st Century conservation
and recreation solutions (see http://americasgreatoutdoors.gov/).
The initiative promotes the premise that lasting conservation
solutions should rise from the American people, and that the
appreciation and protection of our natural heritage is an
objective shared by all Americans. To advance that premise,
we are creating a Willamette Valley Conservation Study forum
where local communities, landowners, agencies, and organizations
can collaborate on potential land conservation strategies
that support local economies, conserve natural resources,
and provide increased outdoor recreation and education opportunities.
In
collaboration with our partners and stakeholders, we will
focus on the following.
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Conserving rare and declining habitats such as wet prairie,
upland prairie-oak savanna, oak woodland,
and riparian areas.
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Assisting in recovering endangered, threatened, and candidate
species.
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Supporting the sustainability of working farms and
forests with a wildlife conservation role.
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Connecting people to nature through outdoor recreation
and education opportunities.
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Assisting in achieving the Pacific Flyway's Canada goose
objectives, while reducing impacts
to agricultural producers.
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The
view east from Pigeon Butte / © Joe Staff
We
consider the long-term sustainability of working farms and
forest lands as an important component of our overall conservation
strategy. Conservation easements or cooperative management
agreements could provide economic incentives for private
landowners to fully participate in this effort, while maintaining
traditional uses of their property. The outcome of this
study could result in one or more activities, including:
- Multiple
strategies and agency actions.
- A
land conservation plan and environmental assessment that
identifies areas with high conservation or recreation
values that could be protected through a voluntary conservation
easement program and/or by expanding or creating
national wildlife refuges.
Following
Service policy, lands for potential new or expanded refuges
would only be acquired from willing sellers. We will also
identify strategies to reduce impacts to agricultural producers
while providing forage for wintering geese.
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Public
Involvement
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Welcome
Your
questions and comments are important to us! Whether you
are an interested individual or a group representative,
please do not hesitate to contact us with your perspective
on the direction and future outcome of the Willamette Valley
Conservation Study.
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Submitting
Comments
You can submit written comments or request to be added
to our mailing list using our comment
form, or by any of the following options.
E-mail
address:
FW1 WVCS@fws.gov
Fax number: 503.231.6187
Mailing Address:
Kevin O'Hara, Conservation Planner
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Region
Division of Planning, Visitor Services, and Transportation
911 NE 11th Ave.
Portland, OR 97232-4181 |
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Contact Information
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Contact
for Benton, Lane, Linn,
Marion and Polk Counties:
Jim
Houk, Deputy Project Leader
Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex
26208 Finley Refuge Road
Corvallis, OR 97333
Phone: 541.757.7236
Contact
for Clackamas, Multnomah,
Washington and Yamhill Counties:
Erin Holmes, Project Leader
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
19255 SW Pacific Highway
Sherwood, OR 97140
Phone: 503.625.5944
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Regional
Contact:
Kevin O'Hara, Conservation Planner
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Region
Division of Planning, Visitor Services, and Transportation
911 NE 11th Ave.
Portland, OR 97232-4181
Phone: 503.231.2086
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Documents
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