Siuslaw Watershed Council Inc

THE SIUSLAW WATERSHED COUNCIL SUPPORTS SOUND ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL USES OF NATURAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE SIUSLAW RIVER BASIN. THE COUNCIL ENCOURAGES COOPERATION AMONG PUBLIC AND PRIVATE WATERSHED ENTITIES TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF WATERSHED FUNCTIONS BY ADOPTING AND IMPLEMENTING A TOTAL WATERSHED APPROACH TO NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTION.

IN 2023 SIUSLAW WATERSHED COUNCIL, INC. HAD HOURS OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERISM, APPROXIMATELY 120 VOLUNTEERS, AND SEVERAL ACTIVELY FUNDED PROGRAMS MEETING OUR STATED MISSION. THE ORGANIZATION ISSUED REGULAR PUBLICATIONS AND HELD REGULAR MEETINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BOTH IN PERSON AND REMOTELY, VIA ZOOM. SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED: MORE THAN 10,000 PLANTS WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH OUR NATIVE PLANT DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM. PLANTED OVER 3,200 NATIVE PLANTS ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS. CLEARED OVER 52 ACRES OF INVASIVE SPECIES HOSTED 8 COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES WITH A CUMULATIVE 123 PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING 24 YOUTH) HELD 21 FIELD TRIPS ENGAGING 926 LOCAL STUDENTS AND 72 EDUCATORS, PROVIDING WATERSHED STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION. WEEK-LONG WATERSHED CAMP WITH 50 YOUTH PARTICIPANTS AND OVERNIGHT WILDERNESS WEEKEND WITH 8 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. CONTRIBUTED TO THE SEASONAL INSTALLATION AND MONITORING OF A FISH WEIR ON KNOWLES CREEK, WHICH CREATED OUTDOOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LEARN ABOUT NATIVE FISH. LARGE WOOD PLACEMENTS WERE INSTALLED TO PROVIDE SPAWNING GROUND HABITAT FOR SALMON ACROSS THREE (3) CREEKS COVERING OVER SIX (6) STREAM MILES WITH OVER 700 TREES. INSTALLED TWO CULVERTS DESIGNED FOR AQUATIC ORGANISM PASSAGE IN INDIAN CREEK TO EXPAND AVAILABLE SPAWNING HABITAT FOR SALMON. SURVEYED 65 ACRES OF TIDAL WETLAND FOR INVASIVE SPARTINA GRASS IN THE SIUSLAW ESTUARY PARTICIPATED IN BREAKING GROUND ON THE HAICH IKT'AT'TUU SITE TO RESTORE NEARLY 200 ACRES OF ESTUARINE TIDAL FLOODPLAIN. PARTNERED WITH CTCLUSI AND MRT TO COMPLETE THE 90% FINAL DESIGN AND INITIATE PERMITTING ON THE WAITE RANCH TIDAL WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT, A 200+ ACRE TIDAL WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT IN THE SIUSLAW ESTUARY SLATED FOR RESTORATION IN 2023. SWC PROJECTS CREATED LOCAL JOBS AND WORK, INCLUDING CONTRACTS AND BUSINESS WITH LOCAL TREE FALLERS, HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS, LOG TRUCK DRIVERS, SURVEYORS, CONTRACTORS, MARINAS, NURSERIES, AND MORE.