Mt Adams Resource Stewards

SUSTAINABLE, COMMUNITY-BASED FORESTRY AND RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING CONSERVATION OF WORKING FORESTLAND THROUGH THE MT. ADAMS COMMUNITY FOREST, WOODY BIOMASS UTILIZATION, PUBLIC LANDS RESTORATION AND COLLABORATION, AND EDUCATION.

COLLABORATIVE LAND STEWARDSHIP - COLLABORATIVE LAND STEWARDSHIP AND FIRE ADAPTED COMMUNITIES WORK OCCURS ACROSS VARIOUS PROJECTS LED BY MT. ADAMS RESOURCE STEWARDS, TO INCLUDE:*STEWARDSHIP CREW AND FIRE ADAPTED COMMUNITIES - WE CONTINUED OUR STEWARDSHIP FIELD CREW PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH AREA LAND MANAGERS AND HOME OWNERS TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS TO IMPROVE FOREST HEALTH, REDUCE WILDFIRE DANGER TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND ENHANCE HABITAT. APPROXIMATELY 15 PEOPLE WERE EMPLOYED ON 2021-22 PROJECTS INCLUDING MULTIPLE DEFENSIBLE SPACE/WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION PROJECTS, THREE PRESCRIBED BURNS, FIVE NON COMMERCIAL THINNINGS, ONE TREE PLANTING PROJECT, AND FOUR HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.*SOUTH GIFFORD PINCHOT COLLABORATIVE GROUP AND CAPACITY SUPPORT FOR FEDERAL LANDS MANAGEMENT - WE SERVE AS FISCAL SPONSORS AND ARE ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH GIFFORD PINCHOT COLLABORATIVE GROUP THAT WORKS WITH THE US FOREST SERVICE TO PLAN PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND RURAL COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. OUR STAFF ALSO WORK WITH THE USFS TO SUPPORT THEM WHEN CAPACITY GAPS EMERGE. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, MARS EMPLOYED TWO TECHNICIANS THAT SUPPORT A FOREST SERVICE PRE-SALES CREW WITH FIELD PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES.*COOPERATIVE LAND STEWARDSHIP ON WILDLIFE REFUGE AND OTHER LANDS - THE ADMINISTRATION OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AND STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE BY COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT TO MANAGE FORESTLANDS ON A NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS ANOTHER MAJOR FOCUS. ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THE 2021-22 DID NOT INCLUDE ANY ACTUAL FOREST TREATMENTS, BUT MONITORING EFFORTS OF PAST AND FUTURE EFFORTS WERE INCREASED DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. THESE EFFORTS ARE ALSO EXTENDED TO SMALL FOREST LAND OWNERS AND LAND CONSERVANCIES TO PROVIDE THEM SUPPORT TO MANAGE THEIR FORESTS FOR MULTIPLE VALUES, INCLUDING BROADER SOCIETAL BENEFITS SUCH AS IMPROVED WILDLIFE HABITAT AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES. WORK OCCURRED WITH THE YAKAMA NATION DURING THIS TIME PERIOD TO IMPLEMENT WATERSHED RESTORATION EFFORTS BY CONSTRUCTING BEAVER DAM ANALOGUES IN TWO DISTINCT WATERSHEDS.

INVASIVES CONTROL AND NATIVE SPECIES RECOVERY - OREGON SPOTTED FROG RECOVERY AND INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT EXPENSES - THIS REPORT SPANS THE SECOND AND THIRD FIELD SEASON INVOLVING THIS PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE IN RECOVERY OF THE FEDERALLY LISTED OREGON SPOTTED FROG BY HIRING PERSONNEL TO ASSIST WITH EGG MASS SURVEYS AND CONTROL OF NONNATIVE PREDATORS OF THE FROG. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING BEAVER RELOCATION PLANNING EFFORTS IN S. WASHINGTON.

MT. ADAMS COMMUNITY FOREST AND WORKING LANDS CONSERVATION - THE MT. ADAMS COMMUNITY FOREST PROJECT IS FOCUSED ON CONSERVING WORKING FORESTS IN THE REGION BY ACQUIRING PRIORITY LANDS INTO LOCALLY-BASED, NON-PROFIT OWNERSHIP. 2021-22 WAS FOCUSED ON CONTINUED EFFORTS TOWARD ADDITIONAL LAND PURCHASES THOUGH NO PROPERTIES WERE CLOSED ON DURING THIS TIME. TWO SUCCESSFUL GRANT PROPOSALS WERE DEVELOPED TO FUND A FUTURE ACQUISITION. MANAGEMENT OF EXISTING COMMUNITY FOREST PROPERTIES OCCURRED FOCUSED ON RESTORING FOREST HEALTH, REDUCING WILDFIRE RISK AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. APPROXIMATELY 60 ACRES WERE COMMERCIALLY THINNED AS PART OF THESE EFFORTS, FOLLOWED BY FUEL REDUCTION EFFORTS TO INCLUDE A 7-ACRE CONTROLLED BURN TO REDUCE FUELS AND IMPROVE WILDLIFE HABITAT.