COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • MARCH 27, 2019 • 7A
Time to share the beach with nesting snowy plover
Beachgoers and residents along
the Oregon coast are urged to help
recovery eff orts of the threatened
western snowy plover by respect-
ing nesting areas and beach re-
strictions during nesting season
now through Sept. 15. Beachgoers
will see signs and ropes that iden-
tify sensitive plover nesting areas
and list restrictions, including dogs
(even on a leash), vehicles, kites,
drones, camping and fi res.
“We’re making great strides in
reversing the downward slide of
this species,” said Cindy Burns,
Siuslaw National Forest wildlife
biologist. “But it takes all of us, so
we urge people to do their part to
understand nesting season rules
and to share the beach this spring
and summer.”
Th ese small birds nest on open
sand along Oregon’s beaches.
Nests, and especially chicks, are
well-camoufl aged. During nesting
season, human disturbances can
fl ush adult plovers away from their
nests as they attempt to defend
their young from the perceived
predator. Left alone too long, eggs
or chicks can die from exposure,
predators or people.
Recreation restrictions occur in
designated plover management ar-
eas, small stretches of beach along
the entire coastline where plovers
are nesting or could potentially
nest. Th ese areas comprise about
40 miles of Oregon’s 362 miles of
shoreline. Detailed maps can be
found on the Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department web-
site (http://bit.ly/wsplover) and
on the Siuslaw National Forest
website (www.fs.usda.gov/detail/
siuslaw/alerts-notices/?cid=fse-
prd518707#mgmtarea).
On these plover beaches, the dry
sand and dunes are closed to all ac-
cess — except along offi cial trails
and on the wet sand — to protect
eggs and chicks. Visitors may see
roped off areas within these plover
management areas, which serve to
protect the most sensitive habitat;
however, all dry sand on both sides
of the rope is closed. Wet sand ar-
eas on plover beaches remain open
to foot and equestrian traffi c. All
other recreation is off limits, in-
clude walking your dog (even on
a leash), driving a vehicle, riding a
bicycle, camping, fi res, and fl ying
kites or drones.
“Visitors will have access to hun-
dreds of miles of beaches without
these seasonal restrictions,” said
Laurel Hillmann, Ocean Shores
Specialist for Oregon State Parks.
“By planning your trip, you can
COURTESY OF ODFW
These small shorebirds nest on open sand along Oregon’s
beaches now through Sept. 15
enjoy the coast and help keep these
special birds safe.”
Visitors to the Oregon Dunes
National Recreation Area can re-
view www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/
siuslaw/recreation/recarea/?re-
cid=42465&actid=93 to identify
unrestricted recreation areas and
information on riding motor
vehicles on the sand.
Several land managers oversee
beach activity for plover protec-
tion, including the U. S. Forest Ser-
vice (USFS), the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) and Oregon
Parks and Recreation Department
(OPRD).
Th e U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-
vice listed western snowy plovers
as a threatened species in 1993.
Habitat loss from invasive plants
— as well as human disturbanc-
es, including litter and discarded
food scraps that attract predators
— have contributed to the birds’
decline. Th e Oregon Dunes Res-
toration Collaborative( www.sa-
veoregondunes.org/) is working
with land managers to develop and
implement a restoration strategy
as well as raise public awareness
about the need to restore the dunes
ecosystem for snowy plover, rare
plants and animals, and the unique
recreation opportunities off ered
here.
PeaceHealth CNO earns
national recognition
PeaceHealth Sacred Heart
Medical Center at RiverBend
Chief Nursing Offi cer Heather
Wall, RN, has been named a
national recipient of the Cath-
olic Health Association’s To-
morrow’s Leaders award.
Th e national award honors
dedicated, high-performing
individuals who have demon-
strated a strong commitment
to advancing the mission of
Catholic healthcare. Wall will
be presented with the award
in June at the annual CHA
Awards Banquet in Dallas,
Texas.
Wall, a lifelong Lane County
resident, has worked for Peace-
Health for 14 years. Inspired
by a desire to care for others in
their time of need, she began
her career as a neurology nurse
at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart
Medical Center, University
District. She then graduated to
a variety of leadership roles in-
cluding stepping into her cur-
rent CNO position in 2018.
“Heather is the kind of chief
nursing offi cer that leaders
and caregivers not only want
to work with, but aspire to be
like,” said Mary Kingston, Or-
egon network chief executive.
“She is an expert in her fi eld,
and a passionate leader who
is tireless in her pursuit of ex-
cellence. She is also a highly
respectful, collaborative, ap-
proachable and humble leader
who inspires those around her.”
Wall has been instrumental
in launching several successful
initiatives, including those that
ensure PeaceHealth provides
the highest level of patient
safety and quality of care, em-
power bedside caregivers and
support staff to make decisions
and drive positive change, and
support the physical, men-
tal and spiritual health of our
nurses.
Wall’s dedication extends
out into the community, as she
has also been actively involved
with nonprofi t organizations
that serve those in need, in-
cluding the United Way,
FOOD for Lane County and
Lane Blood Bank.
For more information about
the CHA, visit www.chausa.org.
Homeowners warned of fraud claiming imminent property seizure
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Lane County residents may
be targeted in a tax scam that
has made its way across the
country in recent months.
Letters claiming to be a “Notice
of Warrant and State of Oregon
Tax Lien Action” have been re-
ported by some Eugene residents.
Th e notice claims that property
seizure is imminent and provides
a non-local number for resolution.
“It’s sick, but these con artists
rely on creating enough panic that
their victims will overlook all of the
red fl ags,” said Lane County Asses-
sor Mike Cowles. “Who wouldn’t
panic at the thought of losing their
home? Th e best thing people can
do is take a breath and carefully
review the letter or email for signs
of fraud before making any kind of
payment.”
Property seizure does not occur
with a legitimate State of Oregon
income tax lien. For liens relat-
ed to unpaid property taxes, real
property seizure only occurs aft er
fi ve years and many notices to the
property owner. Claims of immi-
nent property seizure with no prior
notifi cation are typically false.
Property owners can check the
status of any legally recorded liens
by visiting Lane County Deeds and
Records at 125 E. Eighth Ave. in
Eugene.
Other indicators that this letter
is a scam:
• A full agency name is not clear-
ly provided.
• No agency address is provided
on the envelope or in the letter.
• Th e logo is a generic seal that
does not properly identify any
agency.
• Lane County does not have an
“Offi ce of Lien Filings.”
• Th ere is no “Bureau of Tax En-
forcement” located in Eugene.
Suspected scams should be
reported to your local law en-
forcement agency or the Oregon
Department of Justice by calling
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“Th ese documents are fake,”
said Ellen Klem, Director of Con-
sumer Outreach and Education for
the Oregon Department of Justice.
“Crooks impersonating the gov-
ernment cost people their time and
money. Th e Oregon Department
of Justice urges people to stay vig-
ilant against schemes and scams
and avoid becoming a victim.”
SCAM SAFETY TIPS:
• Don’t panic: Con artists will
use aggressive tactics to rush you
into making immediate payment
to avoid legal action or prosecu-
tion. When you panic, you may not
be able to spot the signs of fraud as
easily. If you have any doubt about
the legitimacy of a notice, pause
and look for signs of potential
fraud. Use terms or names in the
notice to conduct online research
to see if a similar scam has been re-
ported by others. You can also ask
a friend or someone you trust for
help researching the notice.
• Spot imposters: Con artists
oft en pose as a government entity.
If you are targeted by a con artist
through the mail, phone or email,
do not provide personal informa-
tion or money until you are sure
you are speaking to a legitimate
representative. Try contacting the
agency directly through telephone
numbers listed on the agency’s
offi cial website rather than using
phone numbers provided by the
con artists.
• Look carefully at the letter or
email: Fraudulent notices are usu-
ally vague, so they apply to as many
victims as possible. Examine the
notice for identifying information
that can be verifi ed. Look for bla-
tant factual errors and other in-
consistencies, such as a fake return
address or fake logo. If the notice is
unexpected and states ‘Th is Is Your
Final Notice,’ take a moment and
verify its legitimacy. Agencies will
send multiple letters to taxpayers if
there is a legitimate liability owed.
• Avoid strange payment sys-
tems: Legitimate government
agencies will not ask you to pay a
debt with reloadable debit cards,
gift cards or money wiring ser-
vices.
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