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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 2016)
october6 2016 VERNONIA’S volume10 issue19 reflecting the spirit of our community www.vernoniasvoice.com UNWC Undertakes New Watershed Restoration Project By Scott Laird The Upper Nehalem Watershed Council (UNWC) has undertaken another wa- tershed restoration project, this time on Oak Ranch Creek. According to UNWC Executive Di- rector Maggie Peyton, the project includes the creation of 14 log jams in the creek, using the placement of large woody debris to create ex- panded fish habitat and natural valley water storage that helps protect against flooding. The project is rather complex, ac- cording to Peyton. Last summer the UNWC replaced a culvert crossing under Apiary Road and Columbia County also replaced a culvert at the mouth where Oak Ranch Creek meets the Nehalem River; both were passage barri- ers to juvenile fish traveling upstream. Peyton says she has been working to secure funding to replace another crossing further upstream either next summer or more likely in the sum- mer of 2018 which would give fish access to even more habitat. The section of Oak Ranch Creek where the project is taking place is on a two mile section between river mile 1.5 and 3.5 along Apiary Road on timberland owned by Weyerhaeuser and Bascom Pacific/Campbell Global. Oak Ranch Creek’s descent to the Nehalem River takes it through a series of wooded and shaded sections of this timber- inside 3 reasons to vote for the school bond 6 vernonia cares cuts holiday boxes 7 safe expands vernonia services 10 pcc columbia county update free land, traversing Camp Wilkerson, part of the Columbia County Park system, and through a section of forest managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry. “There is some really great fish habitat up there because we have intact headwater forest and some really big beaver dam complexes,” says Peyton. The project is important because Oak Ranch Creek is a coho salmon bearing stream. Culvert replacements and large woody struc- tures placed in the stream expand the areas salmon can travel to and thrive in. Peyton says that when these types of log jam projects work correctly they create flood plain connections to older side channels that still exist within the watershed “I consider Oak Ranch Creek as an im- portant refuge habitat from the main stem of the Nehalem, because the main stem gets too wild in the winter time and it gets too hot in the summer time,” explains Peyton. “The juveniles can seek refuge here, coho especially, but there are also chinook, and steelhead and cutthroat trout who will seek refuge in here during high water or dur- ing the summer.” Troy Laws, a Habitat Restoration Bi- ologist who has worked with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) for 30 years, has helped with several UNWC watershed restoration projects in the past and assisted on the Oak Ranch Creek project. “My experi- ence has been that since the Forest Practices Act and the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Wa- tersheds (Oregon Plan for short) were put in place there has been a big push to do fish pas- sage and habitat restoration projects, and with the habitat we’ve reopened and the amount of passage we’ve done, I’ve actually seen a dif- ference in the capacity of the juveniles in the spring and I know it’s making a difference,” continued on page 8 Vernonia EMT Receives Highest Honor Oregon Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has many outstanding providers, extraordinary acts and meri- torious service that are recog- nized every year. On Friday evening, September 23, at the Oregon EMS Awards Banquet, held at the Riverhouse on the De- schutes & Convention Center in Bend, Vernonia EMT Trish Smith, was recognized as the EMT Provider of the Year for the State of Oregon. Metro West Ambu- lance (MWA) crewmember, Larry Hornaday, was also Trish Smith, an EMT with the Vernonia Ambulance Association, was named Paramedic of the Year named Oregon EMT of the Year. on the same evening. Dr. Hunter Patch Ad- cal schools, to mentor high school ams once said, “You treat a dis- seniors completing their senior ease, you win, you lose. You treat projects; she works with commu- a person, I guarantee you, you’ll nity members while planning As- win, no matter what the outcome.” sociation events and fund raising; As EMS providers who always she participates as a volunteer for treat people first, Trish Smith and community activities such as pa- Larry Hornaday are an inspira- rades for St. Patrick’s Day, 4 th of tional to all those around them. July, September 11 th , and for the Trish (Patricia) Smith is annual Easter Egg Hunt; EMS a skilled, dedicated EMT who BBQ and Picnic, the Logging joined the Vernonia Volunteer Am- Jamboree, Salmon Festival, The bulance Association (VVAA) in Spirit of Christmas in Vernonia, 2008 as a driver assisting the crew, and community Chili Cook-off, becoming an EMT responding to and the Toys for Joy efforts that emergencies in 2010. Trish lives touch the lives of so many chil- in and serves the Vernonia area as dren. Trish has built relationships an emergency responder but also and helped foster a service cul- responds as needed in Washington ture in the Association based on County and the region. As a mem- caring, trust, respect, dependabil- ber of both the VVAA and MWA, ity and honesty. Her love for her this Vernonia resident has dedicat- family, friends, coworkers, com- ed herself to her community and munity and her profession shines her profession. As the Vice Presi- through in her service to all. For dent of the Volunteer Ambulance her compassion and dedication to Association including chairing the the patients and communities who VVAA Social Committee, Trish is need her, Trish Smith will receive very involved in various events. the Oregon EMT Provider of the Trish works directly with the lo- Year for 2016. Where Are They Now? Tim Brown After graduating from college, Tim Brown is building a life focused on family, work, and home. By Scott Laird Tim Brown has always been in- dustrious and motivated. His hard work in high school and college led him to a career and a life he and his family can be very proud of. The son of Dan and Heidi Brown, owners of Grey Dawn Gallery in Vernonia, Tim is a 2010 graduate of Vernonia High School. He played trumpet in the school band and played basketball and baseball. He was a class officer and participated in The Ford Family Foundation Community Lead- ership Training program. Before his high school graduation, Tim was selected as a Ford Scholar, one of only about 100 students selected from approximately 5,000 applica- tions each year, and was awarded a scholarship for 90% of his unmet college financial needs. During his summers in high school and during his early college years Tim worked for KLS Surveying in Vernonia, where he developed an interest in survey- ing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Following his high school graduation, Tim enrolled in Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) in Klamath Falls where he majored in Geomatics Surveying and GIS, graduat- ing in 2015. During one of his summers while at OIT, he had the opportunity to travel and work in Kodiak, Alaska do- Tim Brown in Kodiak, Alaska in 2013. ing surveying and also had the chance to do some fishing, one his favorite hob- bies. While at OIT he met Amy Hed- burg; they became engaged in 2013 and were married following their graduation in July of 2015. continued on page 6
