january8 2013
VERNONIA’S
reflecting the spirit of our community
free
volume7 issue1
Vernonia Grange
to Host Film and Discussion
January 19 event to feature producers of film about sustainable agriculture
On Saturday, January 19, at 6:30
PM, the Vernonia Grange will host a pot-
luck dinner followed by a viewing of the
documentary, Coming To Ground, and
a discussion led by the film’s producers
who will be in attendance.
Coming To Ground depicts how
one farm community changed its agricul-
tural future. Produced by Jean Donohue
and Fred Johnson, the film chronicles the
struggles of Kentucky farmers, govern-
ment officials and policy makers as they
move away from dependency on the
global tobacco and petroleum economies
to a more sustainable and sane agricul-
tural economy.
Kentucky’s farming and food
culture has undergone a sea of change.
Although small farms and farmers con-
tinue to disappear, Kentucky now ranks
2 nd in the U.S. for the number of small
family farms. Over the last decade there
has been an explosion of crop diversity,
environmental innovation, sustainable
and organic farms, along with sharp
growth in farmer’s markets, regional in-
fra-structure and agricultural enterprise.
Vernonia Grange members be-
lieve that elements of this transformation
may be applicable to our changing tim-
ber-based economy. There is no admis-
sion charge for this event but donations
are welcome. Bring a hot dish, salad or
dessert to participate in the potluck; bev-
erages will be provided.
The Vernonia Grange is located
at 375 North Street. Call Julie Prohaska,
Grange Master, at 503.429.7055, or Jean
Donohue, 503.206.4713, for more infor-
mation or visit the documentary website
at www.comingtoground.org.
UNWC Continues Work to Improve Watersheds
By Scott Laird
working to conserve and re-
store the health and functions
The Upper Nehalem Watershed of the watershed.
Council (UNWC) has once again been
UNWC recently com-
busy at work in our local watersheds this pleted a “Limiting Factors
past year. Maggie Peyton, who is the Analysis”
(LFA)for Rock
Executive Director of the UNWC, re- Creek which has led to the
cently sat down with Vernonia’s Voice to identification of several new
give us an update on some of the projects projects with-in that basin.
the non-profit has been working on over The Limiting Factors Analy-
the past year.
sis identifies what limits na-
The UNWC continues to work tive salmon from being able
in conjunction with local state agencies to reproduce in that water-
like the Oregon Department of Fish and shed. According to Peyton,
Wildlife, Department of Environmen- before projects can be started
tal Quality and the Oregon Watershed to improve habitat for salmon,
Enhancement Board (OWEB) as well there is a need to find out what
as private land owners and private con- is harming them. The LFA
tractors to identify watershed restoration analysis showed what was
projects and find resources to complete generally already known, yet
those projects. Their goal remains the does provide more in-depth
continued stewardship of the watershed hard data to guide the work
Siegmund Construction removes a culvert to create better fish passage on the Pebble Creek mainline.
and its resources through partnerships of the UNWC. “It’s the same
on Rock Creek, but there are still areas Creek under Apiary Road and the City of
with communities and landowners by
things we already
know, high in-stream tempera- intact in the upper watershed,” explains Vernonia to improve passage and habitat
along Bear Creek.
tures in the lower reaches, sedi- Peyton.
The UNWC would like to ex-
This year UNWC completed a
ment is still a problem and the
pand
some
areas
and
build
up
the
ca-
three
year
Rapid Bio Assessment proj-
depletion of stream side forests
pacity
for
the
area
to
capture,
store
and
ect
that
involved
snorkeling through 226
and salmon habitat,” says Pey-
release water and provide habitat for miles of the Upper Nehalem River, Rock
ton.
Historically
stream salmon. The UNWC does this through Creek, Pebble Creek and other local
senior stars, part 2
cleaning in Rock Creek was riparian restoration projects-by planting streams and counting the native salmon
done “...with a vengeance.” trees along stream banks to provide shade and trout that live there. This project has
ruth mae bell
At one time it was believed and cool the water temperatures and by also created a large body of data to sup-
that logs and logging debris placing large trees into the stream in cer- port the restoration work of the UNWC
should be removed from the tain areas to provide cover and create and aid in field reconnaissance missions
be a piece
stream to allow it to flow and pools where fish and other aquatic crea- to locate potential project reaches.
of the puzzle
The UNWC recently finished
that would allow the salmon tures can live and thrive. The UNWC
also
works
to
assure
fish
passage
into
a
major
restoration project on Pebble
to get up stream. Later biolo-
gists showed that Rock Creek historical habitat areas including replac- Creek on Weyerhaeuser property. This
new manager
was cleared too well and that ing culverts under roads with more fish has been an ongoing effort involving
salmon habitat had been ex- friendly alternatives. Peyton says they Weyerhaeuser, ODFW and US Fish and
at us bank
tensively damaged. There are have identified a major culvert replace- Wildlife Service over the last couple
still a few legacy areas where ment project in the upper Rock Creek years. The project involved the place-
living on a lake
large wood remains in the creek basin under Highway 26 and that they ment of three hundred large trees into
which helps the flood plain plan to work with ODOT and ODFW to the stream to rebuild severely depleted
spread out and increases “natu- design a passage solution and find fund- salmon habitat, the replacement of three
culverts with two larger culverts and one
ral valley storage,” a term used ing for in the future.
In
addition
to
this
public
road
bridge to assure unconditional salmon
vhs
to describe natural wetlands
act as natural flood control project UNWC is working in partnership passage and the planting of native tree
winter sports report that
areas during high water events. with the Columbia County Road Depart- species in the stream side forest to in-
“Most of the natural valley ment to replace two salmon migrations crease species diversity and future large
continued on page 8
storage capacity has been lost barriers along Oak Ranch
inside
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