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About Applegater. (Jacksonville, OR) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2012)
Applegater Fall 2012 9 Tributes to Jan Perttu A quiet warrior passes She was indeed quiet, but sometimes she was not. Both times you had better be on your toes or the woman would run right past you—or over you if need be. She was a warrior in spirit for the Applegate, which for her was a perfect representation of everything good that Oregon had to offer. She was a passionate believer in taking action not only to protect this place in all its natural glory, but also to do things to make it better. This was Jan Perttu. I first met Jan back in the early days of the formation of the Applegate Partnership and admired her incisive logic and fiery nature during the countless hours of political wrangling it took to launch that concept and organization. Then along came Governor (first-term) Kitzhaber and a plan that was, at that time, called the Governor’s Watershed Enhancement Board (GWEB). This concept was to collect all state agencies into a review process for watershed enhancement projects. It was the birth of the Oregon Watershed Health Program and the organization of the first watershed councils. And here is where the warrior found a great purpose and voice. The Applegate River Watershed Council (ARWC) chose Jan as the coordinator and she immersed herself in the work. One of the things Jan and I shared was a love for Alpine ski racing. Both of us had an ability to launch from a starting gate completely focused on nothing else but to fly down that course undaunted by any fear or frustration. Jan took that warrior passion for success and applied it to leading the effort to protect and enhance the watersheds of the Applegate. Her spirit inspired me to do the best I could to bring watershed projects to fruition. ARWC quickly gained model status for the state. The key to that recognition for excellence was our “quiet” warrior Jan. When struggling councils needed a shining example of excellence, they looked to the Applegate. By the end of our first year, we had implemented 186 individual riparian tree-planting projects to shade and protect our Applegate streams, despite the fact it was considered an unachievable goal to plant even one project site in the first year. Just a first effort for Jan! Her work for the council and the Applegate had just begun. Today some of those trees stand nearly 40 feet high along the waterways. Jan’s mark upon the Applegate will live long after her passing. Daryl Jackson daryljackson22@gmail.com Remembering a dear friend of the Applegate On June 25, 2012, when Jan Perttu passed away, the Applegate lost a dear friend and environmental advocate. In 1992, Jan was one of eight founding Board members of the Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council. Because of Jan’s extensive geology training, she was the logical candidate to become our first paid council coordinator. Jan shepherded our first major funding program that resulted in many ecologically significant restoration projects within the Applegate watershed. Ecological assessments were made of every sub-watershed within the Applegate during Jan’s leadership. Jan was a bridge builder who shaped and guided the Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council into a model for others to follow throughout the country. Prior to the founding of the Applegate Partnership, Jan ramrodded a group called the Applegate Watershed Conservancy. Jan spent many sleepless nights writing responses to environmental assessments in an attempt to change and/or improve on federal forestland projects proposed within the Applegate Valley. Because of Jan and other active volunteers, we can say with pride that there have not been any clear-cuts on public lands in the Applegate for almost 15 years. The groundwork had been set for federal agencies to eventually progress into ecological forestry, which we are now beginning to experience with the Bureau of Land Management Pilot Joe and Pilot Thompson projects. Jan will be missed by family and friends, but the Applegate Watershed that she dearly loved will particularly miss her educated, concerned, informed and smiling leadership. Jack Shipley Secretary and founding Board member Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council 541-846-6917 rockycreekfarms@apbb.net For more tributes to Jan Perttu, see “Tall Tales from the Editor,” page 18, and “Remembering Jan Perttu’s leadership” by Jim Labbe, online at www.applegater.org. Vote November 6 “I f people let government decide which foods they eat and medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.” —Thomas Jefferson