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2 CapitalPress.com Friday, January 1, 2021 People & Places Rake removes aquatic vegetation By DIANNA TROYER For the Capital Press EMPOWERING PRODUCERS OF FOOD & FIBER Established 1928 CHESTER, Idaho — Frustrated with aquatic weeds choking irrigation canal flows, eastern Idaho rancher Bill Fuchs brainstormed and designed a chemical-free solution to the problem. Fuchs designed the Aquatic Veg- etation Rake (AVR) to attach to var- Bill Fuchs ious sizes of excavators. The AVR scoops up plants, including the roots, while they are growing. With vegetation removed, water flow is immediately restored. “The AVR is cheaper to use than herbicides and is effec- tive on all aquatic vegetation because it simply removes them all,” Fuchs said. “It’s a tool that water managers have always needed.” Fuchs developed a proto- type in 2008 and hired engi- neers to fine-tune it after see- ing several “shop-made” rakes built by canal managers that had limited effectiveness. “The AVR engineering addresses the many aspects of attaching a rake to an exca- vator,” he said. “Newer exca- vators have joysticks, lots of capabilities, precision and attachment options. With minimal training, it’s easy to learn how to use the AVR to remove aquatic vegeta- tion and floating debris from waterways.” The units are manufac- tured in Paul, Idaho, in stan- dard 8-foot, 10-foot, 12-foot and other widths. “They’re painted green because the rakes are a green solution to weed removal,” he said. The wide rake has metal teeth of various lengths and easily pulls up weeds while allowing water to drain away quickly. The removed veg- Capital Press Managers Western Innovator BILL FUCHS Education: Graduated from Idaho State Uni- versity with a bachelor of science degree in marketing, 1985. Occupation: Third-gen- eration cattle rancher outside Chester, Idaho; guest lodge operator; inventor. Family: Wife and two adult children. Courtesy of Bill Fuchs The Aquatic Vegetation Rake attaches to excavators of various sizes and cleans irri- gation canals. etation decays and becomes nutrient-rich compost. “The AVR teeth are made of heavy steel to withstand lava rock we have around here,” said Fuchs, who lives near Chester, Idaho. “If a tooth does bend or break, it can be easily straightened or replaced. Teeth can be changed depending on the root depth of the targeted plant. Lily pads, for example, have roots like small pineap- ples, so you use longer teeth for them.” Clients from Florida to Idaho, New Mexico, Montana and Arizona have bought the rake from his website, www. maximizedwatermanagment, to remove moss, flowering rush, bulrush, cattails, lily pads and other plants. Fuchs said a client at a mosquito abatement district in Florida told him the rake “revolutionized their mainte- nance program. Before using the rake, vegetation was so dense in their waterways that an insecticide’s effec- tiveness was limited because the water weeds stopped the flow. After the weeds were cleared away, they were able to keep their mosquito popu- lation under control, and the drainage canals had the flows restored.” Fuchs said the rake offers long-term weed control. “By removing the plant and roots, it takes a long time or years for them to grow back,” he said. Using the rake has carry- over effects for future water seasons, especially with con- trolling flowering rush, said Steve Howser, manager of the Aberdeen-Springfield Canal Co. in eastern Idaho. “We tried controlling it with herbicides but were unsuccessful,” Howser said. “The season follow- ing removal of flowering rush from our system’s I lat- eral with the AVR, we had less than 5% regrowth. Since then, we have almost elimi- nated flowering rush from our system.” Fuchs said another advan- tage the AVR has over her- bicides is that by remov- ing plants from waterways, it reduces the nutrient loads flowing downstream. His clients have also used the AVR in versatile ways unrelated to agriculture. Fly fisherman and author Mike Lawson of St. Anthony, Idaho, used the rake to remove stands of cattails that were encroaching on his sloughs and ponds. “After one day of using the rake, vegetation was cleared in certain areas, and water flow was restored through my entire system,” Lawson said. Fuchs said employees at a national wildlife refuge in Hawaii are planning to use an AVR to control inva- sive California bulrush and water lettuce instead of using herbicides. While developing the AVR, Fuchs said he learned Website: www.maxi- mizedwatermanage- ment.com SUTHERLIN, Ore. — Suther- lin High School FFA students were spread across the hillsides. Work- ing in pairs, they helped volunteers from the Friends of Ford’s Pond plant 200 Oregon white oak seed- lings on Dec. 5. A week later, another group of FFA students planted another 200 oaks. The planting effort by about 35 students, a few helping on both days, was the culmination of a process that started in 2018 when the school’s FFA program was approached by Friends of Ford’s Pond about helping to restore an oak savanna habitat to the west of the former log pond. Blackberry vines and hawthorn bushes had invaded the hillsides. The 95-acre pond and surround- ing 107 acres are undergoing a transformation into an open space, community park. Restoring the oak savanna was one of several projects in the park’s master plan. The FFA officer team considered the oak proposal and was quick to agree to help. “We thought it fit well as a com- munity service project for us,” said Wes Crawford, Sutherlin High’s ag science teacher and FFA adviser. “We had never dealt with trees before so there was the plant science, the greenhouse management, the ecol- ogy and the forestry to learn from the project.” Previously the FFA program had only planted and grown flowers and vegetables. Craig Reed/For the Capital Press Sutherlin High School seniors and FFA members Libby Whited, left, and Katie Price work together planting Oregon white oak seedlings on Dec. 12 on the hillside to the west of Ford’s Pond. Sutherlin FFA stu- dents are helping to restore the hillsides near the pond to oak savanna habitat. Students collected 1,000 acorns from 15 oak trees in the Ford’s Pond area, sorted them and planted 700 of them in pots in the school’s greenhouses. Students watered and weeded the pots. “Overall, we’re pleased with the result,” said Crawford. “The kids did a great job. They were enthusi- astic about helping out. “This was the type of activ- ity that can happen during these COVID times,” he added. “We were outside and spaced out across the hillside.” Katie Price, a senior and the about guidelines of state and federal agencies concern- ing how weeds are removed from public waterways. Cer- tain chemicals can be used or plants can be dug up with a shovel, or scuba divers can pull them out. “These are good meth- ods for small infestations,” Fuchs said. “But when there are estimated hundreds and thousands of acres that are infested, these methods are like trying to put out a forest fire with a squirt gun. They’re ineffective, time-consuming, and have a minimal impact on the overall expanding problem.” Fuchs said the AVR has proven its effectiveness as a green weed removal method. “It’s catching on,” he said. “When people see how easily and effectively it works with- out chemicals — they wish they would have thought of it. It’s such a simple and afford- able solution.” president of Sutherlin FFA, was an officer on the team that agreed to help with the project back in 2018. She has been involved in the proj- ect from collecting acorns to plant- ing the seedlings. “We need more of these get- ting-your-hands-dirty projects,” she said. “Students have been able to learn about and understand ecosys- tems first hand rather than just in a classroom. This definitely gave us a different opportunity, a different experience from what we usually do, which is planting flowers and vegetables in the greenhouse.” Price estimated that almost 100 FFA students helped during the three-year project. Crawford said the 2021 FFA officers will decide if they want to collect more acorns and start another crop of oaks for future planting. There is more ground on the park’s property avail- able for additional trees. Libby Whited, a Sutherlin High senior, said the restoration taught her the benefits that wildlife, birds and insects get from oak savanna habitat. “I’ve got faith that all of these young trees, or at least most of them, will grow up to be big strong oaks,” she said. “We want them to be there in 200 to 300 years. It’s definitely been a great experience. It’s been a great project to be a part of.” Price agreed. “To think in about 10 years I can come back, to see the trees that I helped plant as little acorns,” she said. “I’m definitely excited to watch them grow up and to know I had a part in this.” CALENDAR Submit upcoming ag-related events on www.capitalpress.com or by email to newsroom@capital- press.com. SUNDAY-WEDNESDAY JAN. 10-13 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention (virtual): The convention will focus on top issues including the impact of COVID-19, sustainability and the future of the supply chain. Website: https://www. fb.org THURSDAY, JAN. 14 Create a Plan for Your Land Workshop (virtual): Learn from experts about soil, water and wild- life conservation. Classes are geared toward small farms and rural prop- erties, but anyone is welcome. We will provide technical assistance to complete conservation plans and potentially find funding for conser- vation projects on your land. Plan to attend all four free sessions, which will be from 5 to 8 p.m.: Jan. 14: Conservation planning — Soil. Jan. 21: Water and vegetation. Jan. 28: Streamsides and woodlands. Feb. 4: Working lands — Put- ting it all together. Contact: Marion Soil and Water Conservation District, 503-391- 9927. Registration: http://virtualp- fyl.eventbrite.com TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY JAN. 19-20 Dairy Strong Annual Confer- ence (virtual): The annual confer- ence is organized by the Dairy Busi- ness Association. More details to come. Website: https://www.dairys- trong.org WEDNESDAY- SATURDAY JAN. 20-23 41st EcoFarm Conference (vir- tual): Save the date for the 41st Eco- Farm Conference Jan. 20-23. Building upon its farmer-to-farmer education model, EcoFarm is an essential net- working and educational hub for ecologically minded farmers, ranch- ers and all who work to support their success in growing a healthy food system and world. Mark your calen- dars for Jan. 20-23 and get ready for an EcoFarm Conference unlike any before as we will convene online for our 41st event. Phone: 831-763-2111 Email: info@eco-farm.org Website: https://eco-farm.org/conference FRIDAY JAN. 22 Family Foresters Workshop (vir- tual): The Family Foresters Workshop is designed to strengthen the skills of consulting foresters, state-employed service foresters and other natural resource professionals who work with family forest owners. It serves as a forum to provide updates on emerg- ing technology and knowledge appli- Entire contents copyright © 2021 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 2870 Broadway NE, Salem OR 97303. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. To Reach Us FFA students plant oaks they grew from acorns By CRAIG REED For the Capital Press Joe Beach ..................... Editor & Publisher Anne Long ................Advertising Manager Carl Sampson .................. Managing Editor Jessica Boone ............ Production Manager Samantha McLaren ....Circulation Manager cable to family forestry. This year’s program will be held online via Zoom. There is no registration fee this year, but those wishing to participate should register at https://bit.ly/3ll- JsB0 by Jan. 15. For questions, contact Chris Schnepf at cschnepf@uidaho. edu, (208) 446-1680; Sean Alexan- der at sean.alexander@wsu.edu, (509) 680-0358, or Andy Perleberg at andyp@wsu.edu, (509) 667-6540. MONDAY-THURSDAY JAN. 25-28 Dairy Forum 2021 (virtual): Pre- sentations will focus on leadership, technology, global trade, sustainabil- ity, product innovations and navigat- ing the political landscape. Website: https://www.idfa.org Circulation ...........................800-781-3214 Email ........... Circulation@capitalpress.com Main line .............................503-364-4431 News Staff Idaho Carol Ryan Dumas ..............208-860-3898 Boise Brad Carlson .......................208-914-8264 Western Washington Don Jenkins .........................360-722-6975 Eastern Washington Matthew Weaver ................509-688-9923 Oregon George Plaven ....................406-560-1655 Mateusz Perkowski .............800-882-6789 Sierra Dawn McClain ..........503-506-8011 Designer Randy Wrighthouse .............800-882-6789 To Place Classified Ads Telephone (toll free) ............800-882-6789 Online ...........CapitalPress.com/classifieds Subscriptions Mail rates paid in advance Easy Pay U.S. $4 /month (direct withdrawal from bank or credit card account) 1 year U.S. ...........................................$55 2 years U.S. ........................................$100 1 year Canada .....................................$275 1 year other countries ...........call for quote 1 year Internet only .........................$49.99 1 year 4-H, FFA students/teachers .......$30 9 months 4-H, FFA students/teachers ..$25 Visa and Mastercard accepted To get information published Mailing address: Capital Press P.O. 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An incorrect total was reported in a story on page 4 in the Dec. 25 edition. The Capital Press regrets the error. Correction policy Accuracy is important to Capital Press staff and to our readers. If you see a misstatement, omission or factual error in a headline, story or photo caption, please call the Capital Press news department at 503-364-4431, or send email to newsroom@capitalpress.com. We want to publish corrections to set the record straight.
