Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Page 13
I.V. Soil & Water Conservation District hears presentation on riparian health
By LINDA
COREY-WOODWARD
For IVN
Using her education and
experience, Illinois Valley
resident Christine Perala Gar-
diner offers solutions to prop-
Christine Perala-Gardiner
speaks on erosion control
erty and habitat loss from
flooding.
During the Illinois Valley
Soil & Water Conservation
District (IVSWCD) meeting
Thursday night, March 27, in
the Josephine County Bldg. in
Cave Junction, she gave a
river health presentation. Per-
ala Gardiner, a consultant with
WaterCycle Inc., explained
how vegetation can help pro-
tect property from flood-
caused erosion of the land.
Her presentation was
aimed at how to protect and
preserve the Wild Illinois
River, including fish, plants,
soil, water, and animals living
in or near the river. Watching
the presentations were
IVSWCD members, Southern
Oregon Flyfishers, other fish-
ing groups, I.V. Watershed
Council members, land
owners, and other inter-
ested residents of the
region.
She demonstrated
how willow and rock
baffles can divert the
force of flooding river
currents from banks and
floodplains. Her slides
showed an example of
this at the Mattole River
project in 1993 near
Eureka, Calif.
Photographs showed
how she measured wa-
ter velocity in the river
at flood stage and after-
ward. There were
scenes of her standing
in an area of calm water be-
low a willow and rock baffle.
She pointed out how the river
was depositing sediment at
the baffle, instead of carrying
plants, rocks and sediment
downstream.
Perala Gardiner has de-
grees in botany and a doctor-
ate in physical geography
from Middlesex University at
London, England. She was
born in Portland and educated
at Humboldt State University
at Arcata, Calif. besides Mid-
dlesex University. She has
combined the fields of bot-
any, plant ecology, river sci-
ence, and hydraulic engineer-
ing to advise land owners,
soil and water managers, and
fishing enthusiasts on river
conservation.
Her presentation covered
natural processes and how to
work with Nature to restore
and stabilize riverbanks and
floodplains.
A striking technique calls
for rows of baffles placed in a
floodplain beside a river, us-
ing willow stems inserted and
pointed at 90-degree angles
downstream, backed with
large rocks in a trench. Dur-
ing winter flooding, the baf-
fles catch sediment and create
areas for riparian forests. By
topping the willows, the
plants grow more roots and
grow flexible stems each
year. The flexible stems can
withstand strong winter
floods, rather than being
ripped out and carried away
by a river.
Additionally, the har-
vested willow can be used for
making baskets, furniture,
paper, and other income-
producing products.
Also present during the
meeting was Dave Grosjac-
ques, of Merlin. He is a board
member of the Watershed
Council Board of the Middle
Rogue River and vice presi-
dent of Southern Oregon Fly-
fishers, of Grants Pass.
A former teacher in
Glendale, he used a 6-foot-
Dave Grosjacques demonstrates his river model. He is a director of the Watershed Coun-
cil of the Middle Rogue. His model shows the interaction of rivers and soil. (Photos by
Linda Corey-Woodward for Illinois Valley News)
long model to demonstrate
how rivers constantly change
their channels and what hap-
pens during floods. The
model contains a water
pump , sand and small rocks;
and miniature objects such as
houses, trees, bridges, PVC
pipe culverts and animals.
The audience was invited
to “play” with the model,
creating a dam, putting in
houses, trees and culverts and
watching what happened
when the dam broke. He an-
swered questions about how
sand is undercut by fast-
flowing water, causing banks
to wash out.
His portable model is co-
owned by Southern Oregon
Flyfishers, and Middle Rogue
and I.V. Watershed councils.
It is used to instruct students
and adults about the interac-
tion of rivers and soil.
Perala Gardiner offers
her expertise to Illinois Val-
ley residents to protect their
land, restore streams, and
stabilize riverbanks.
She said she loves living
in Illinois Valley, which fas-
cinates her with its diverse
geography, rivers and forests.
She recommended techniques
called soil bioengineering,
Water Wells
Pump Sales
Installation
Service
592-6777
Legion Auxiliary national leader highlights efforts
dren of deployed vet-
erans.” The amount is
double what the or-
ganization currently
gives to children of
veterans.
Although she travels
alone in the United
States, her second hus-
band, Connie Ryan,
retired from the U.S.
Marine Corps, accom-
panies her on overseas
trips, and the national
organization pays. She
has been to the Far
East, and will go to
France and Germany
before her term is up.
Jan Pulvermacher-Ryan
On Auxiliary business,
besides stops in Puerto
Rico, she also has visited, or
bilities, she was unable to be
will visit, the Philippines,
home for Easter. And she will
Korea, Okinawa, Pearl Har-
miss the high school gradua-
bor and Corregidor.
tion of her oldest granddaugh-
“They are outstanding
ter, the first in line to earn her
experiences,” she said, be-
diploma. She has six grand-
cause of the members and
children, all advancing
their dedication.
through school systems.
With her husband and
Besides working with
four other American Legion
widespread Auxiliary units in
and Auxiliary leaders, she
a variety of educational, train-
visited Hanoi late during
ing and community service
2007. She noted “a real sense
projects, including the Boys
of patriotism” and “an appre-
State and Girls State pro-
ciation of what we did there.”
grams, she is leading the or-
She notes that she first
ganization’s first comprehen-
became acquainted with the
sive strategic planning initia-
Auxiliary as a Girls State
tive and first capital campaign.
participant.
The latter is aimed at
“It changed my life,” she
raising $1.2 million to endow
the American Legion Auxil-
iary National Presidents
Scholarship program to fund
scholarships for “Children of
An Oregon State Univer-
Warriors.”
sity
program to help family
Said Pulvermacher-
forest
land owners and farm-
Ryan, “We’ve working to tie
ers
sort
through the human
the monetary amount to the
and
legal
issues of estate
1.2 million kids who are chil-
planning has been broadly
successful in Oregon.
Starting or Growing a Business in Illinois Valley?
And its developers now
are marketing the concept and
educational materials.
The goal, experts say, is
Micro Business-Loan Funding Always Available!
to
help
address a growing
*Start-up, existing, home-based or other business enterprises
national crisis – aging land
* $200 minimum to $25,000 maximum
owners who become over-
whelmed by family disputes
*Apply at the IVCDO office - 201 Caves Hwy.
and the complex issues of land
*Questions? Phone 592-4440
transitions, which leads to vast
amounts of forest and farm
As national president of
the American Legion Auxil-
iary, Jan Pulvermacher-Ryan
is not only a mover -- she’s
almost constantly on the
move.
As part of her active con-
nections with auxiliary units,
she recently was in S.W. Ore-
gon, visiting Illinois Valley’s
Unit 70 Auxiliary among her
stops. Her hosts included
Cave Junction resident Ellie
Buell, state of Oregon Dept.
president.
Pulvermacher-Ryan
leads the country’s largest
patriotic organization: nearly
900,000 members in approxi-
mately 10,000 communities
nationwide. Although her
one-year term will end in
August at the national con-
vention in Phoenix, Ariz., by
that time she will have trav-
eled to all 50 states, Puerto
Rico and Asia.
Serving as president is a
full-time position. She said
that during her 12 months as
national leader, there are only
some 30 days when she will
be able to be home in Madi-
son, Wis.
The high-energy Auxil-
iary conductor stated that she
is thoroughly enjoying the
job, but that she’ll be happy
to no longer be spending so
much time packing and un-
packing. “I spend a lot of
time in airports,” she said.
She also noted that she
makes extensive use of a cell
phone and a BlackBerry de-
vice in her travels. She re-
ceives compensation from the
national organization for her
time and travel costs.
Because of her responsi-
related. “A couple of counsel-
ors took interest in this farm
kid (her parents had a farm in
Waunakee, Wis.), and from
that point on I decided to
serve as a counselor myself
for other young women.”
Her first husband, Syl-
vester Pulvermacher, served in
Korea with the U.S. Army. It
is through the military service
of spouses that women are
eligible to join the Auxiliary.
She has been a member some
48 years, and has held several
positions of increasing respon-
sibilities leading to her current
task as national president.
During her two days in
S.W. Oregon, she was im-
pressed with the V.A.’s
Southern Oregon Rehabilita-
tion Center in White City.
“It’s unique in the na-
tion,” she said, citing the vari-
ous training programs ena-
bling vets to prepare for jobs.
The many Auxiliary ef-
forts and projects nationwide
strike her as somewhat amaz-
ing. “There is so much going
on,” she said. “The units are
making a real difference in
their communities.
“And we’re working on
increasing our multigenera-
tional outreach, so that we
can increase participation by
all ages.
“We are a Legion family,
and it is a pleasure to serve.”
used for hundreds of years in
Europe.
By using rocks and
plants to work with stream
flows, and by using large
wood and rock structures for
deflection on forest river-
banks, flood damage can be
minimized. By combining
these techniques, habitat for
fish can be improved, and
land preserved.
Phone Perala Gardiner at
592-6695, or IVSWCD at
592-3731 for more informa-
tion.
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Family land issues noted
Need money?
land lost to its traditional uses,
some ending up as subdivi-
sions or shopping malls.
“About 50 percent of
forest land owners are 65
years old, and 25 percent are
75 or older,” said Brad
Withrow-Robinson, an Ex-
tension forester with the OSU
College of Forestry.
“But only about 30 per-
cent of family forest land
owners have any kind of
management plan, let alone a
succession plan,” he said.
“These issues are simply not
being addressed with the ur-
gency they deserve.”
Parenting
Raising Children to be
Tomorrow’s Leaders
Come join
Bridges to Motherhood
Pregnancy Center
592-6058
319 Caves Hwy., Cave Junction
PregnancyCenterIV.org
FOR EMERGENCY CALL 911
434 Caves Hwy., Cave Junction
Phone: (541)592-3540
Fax: (541)592-6841
Hours: Mondays - Fridays 7-5:30
Saturdays 8-5, closed Sundays
FOR NONEMERGENCY DIAL 1-877-504-8075
Stretcher Service also available
For Paramed Information Phone
1 (800) 228-7601 Ext. 63451