Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 2016)
10A • December 2, 2016 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com Circle Creek floodplain provides lessons in habitat restoration SUBMITTED PHOTO Conservationists acquired Boneyard Ridge on Tillamook Head in July. Land conservancy to hold one-day tree sale Buying a tree supports restoration goals By Lyra Fontaine Cannon Beach Gazette Dreaming of a “green” Christmas? The North Coast Land Conservancy is selling trees from Boneyard Ridge Habitat Reserve, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 4. “The trees look really beautiful,” the conservancy’s Stewardship Director Melissa Reich said. “It will be a cool opportunity for people who want to feel good about where their trees come from this hol- iday season.” The trees will be from a stand of young firs that the conservancy is thinning to create a healthy forest on Boneyard Ridge. The proper- ty, acquired by the conservan- cy in July, is a former com- mercial tree farm. “They planted to maximize timber production,” Reich said. “Our goal is to create an old-growth forest in the fu- ture. We need to thin the trees down so that they will grow faster and not compete with each other.” After the holidays, the con- servancy requests that people return their Boneyard Ridge trees to the Circle Creek Con- servation Center. The returned trees will be placed in water- ways at Boneyard Ridge or Circle Creek, where they will serve as refuge for juvenile coho salmon and contribute to the food chain for coho and other wildlife. “We’re doing large-scale restoration on Circle Creek so we can add them to the creek or some of the off-chan- nel wetlands,” Reich said. “It helps create more structure and shade, and the nutrients break down. It’s good for am- phibians and fish.” The conservancy requests a donation of $100 for each tree. These donations and the trees’ eventual use as habitat will help support the conser- vancy’s restoration work. Trees will be sold at the conservancy’s Circle Creek Conservation Center in Sea- side from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Most trees are noble firs, about 5 feet tall or higher, with sturdy branches and an airy structure. Some grand firs may be available. Trees will be freshly cut the previ- ous day, and it is encouraged to come early for the best se- lection. Circle Creek Conservation Center is at the end of Rippet Road in Seaside, on the west side of U.S. 101, one-seventh of a mile north of the junction with U.S. 26. Follow the road west and north a short dis- tance, passing a gravel quarry on your left, to where it ends at the big barn. only addressed the flooding, but also provided the res- toration and recreation op- portunities,” said Bonamici, adding that the project was an example of finding “smarter, better ways to do things.” Last week, 3 to 5 inches of water covered Highway 101 near Circle Creek, requiring drivers to slow down. How- ever, since the 2013 berm removal, “we’ve had signifi- cantly less flooding both in frequency and severity,” Or- egon Department of Trans- portation spokesperson Lou Torres said Monday. Bonamici tours floodplain restoration in Seaside By Lyra Fontaine Cannon Beach Gazette U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici got a bird’s eye view of the North Coast Land Conservancy’s flood- plain restoration project from an area on Boneyard Ridge, overlooking Circle Creek and U.S. Highway 101 and the ocean. Bonamici, D-Ore., visited the land conservancy’s Cir- cle Creek Habitat Reserve and Boneyard Ridge prop- erty on Monday, Nov. 21, to speak with staff and see how the project alleviated yearly flooding. During high tides and heavy rains, Highway 101 would flood every winter and the road would have to close, said Melissa Reich, the orga- nization’s stewardship direc- tor. When the highway was impassable, Cannon Beach residents were unable to get to the hospital by ambulance. The habitat LYRA FONTAINE/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici visited Circle Creek and Boneyard Ridge to see the floodplain restoration project Monday, Nov. 21. ‘Not a lot of properties are excited about having their property flooded, but we are.’ The plan To restore the floodplain, the land conservancy and its partners — including Clat- sop County and the Oregon Department of Transporta- tion — excavated sections of a berm that was built along the Necanicum River, leav- ing certain areas to maintain older trees. The partial berm removal in 2013 allowed water from the Necanicum River to nat- urally flood the Circle Creek floodplain, instead of the adjacent Highway 101, thus preventing unsafe driving conditions, delays and road closures. “If we had come up here Jon Wickersham, Conservancy associate director in a flood event, you would see that the whole property is underwater,” Reich said. “Everywhere that’s green is underwater.” “Not a lot of properties are excited about having their property flooded, but we are,” said Conservancy Associate Director Jon Wick- ersham. An analysis after the first year of the project showed that the floodplain resto- ration prevented the road from having to close at least three times that winter, Reich said. When the highway was closed elsewhere during last winter’s big rainstorm, it was passable by Circle Creek, she said. Since the summer 2013 project, the land conservancy has planted 10,000 trees each winter, Reich said. “It’s a win-win for the community because it not The land conservancy acquired the 364-acre Circle Creek property in 2004. The site now includes the Circle Creek Conservation Center event venue and two walking trails that are publicly acces- sible daily. Circle Creek is home to native wildlife such as coho salmon, red-legged frogs, salamanders, beaver, coy- ote, waterfowl, nesting bald eagles and an elk herd. The winter floods encourage more wildlife to come onto the land, according to the or- ganization. In July, the land conser- vancy purchased the 340- acre Boneyard Ridge proper- ty, just west of Circle Creek. The acquisition connects 3,500 acres of conserved land. Wickersham told Bonami- ci about the conservancy’s plan to acquire 3,300 acres of timberland at Onion Peak within the next five years and informed her of the organiza- tion’s 30th year anniversary. “We’ve seen our base of supporters grow tremendous- ly, even in the last five to 10 years,” Wickersham said. “We really started taking our message out to the commu- nity.” 2016 Founded 1904 Oregon’s Oldest Lumberyard 2142 COMMERCIAL ASTORIA 503-325-4511 • 1-800-248-4511 www.citylumber.com AS T ORIA 503.338.5200 GEARHART 503.738.9552 Open Mon- Fri 7:30-5:30 pm Saturday 8am-5pm; Sunday 9am-4pm w w w .rivera ndsea .net Tell us your favorite choices for the categories below. Nominees can come from anywhere in Clatsop, Pacific and north Tillamook counties. Clip and mail or bring this form to Coast Weekend, 949 Exchange St. Astoria, OR 97103 or enter online at www.coastweekend.com/readerschoice. One randomly drawn entry will win a $50 gift card. DINING Savings, Shopping, Great Food, Fun, & More! Sunday-Thursday 10AM- 6PM Friday-Saturday 10AM-8PM 1111 N. Roosevelt Dr. Seaside • 503.717.1603 www.seasideoutlets.com Available for all of your routine healthcare needs, not just emergencies Keith Klatt, MD 7 days a week 9AM - 7PM 2 1 2 0 Exchange Street, Suite 111 Visit our site to com pare our low cost pricing to ER costs! 503-325-0333 www.urgentcarenwastoria.com Best Asian Foodlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Bakeryllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Barlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Barista llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Bartenderllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Breakfast Spotllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Brewpub llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Burger llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Catering llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Chefllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Clam Chowder lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Coffee llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Dessert lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Fine Dining llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Fish & Chips lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Happy Hour lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Lunch Spot llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Mexican Food lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Pizza lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Restaurant for Kids llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Server llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Wine Shop llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll ACTIVITIES Community - it’s our middle name! “ Best Fine Dining Restauran t ” –Coast Weekend Best Birdwatching Site lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Cheap Date lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Farmers Market llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Golf Coursellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Hiking Trail llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Local Festival llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Local Sports Team llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Museum llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Music Venue lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Neighborhood Park lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Place for a Walk llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Tourist Attraction lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll (on the Seaview Beach approach) 360-642-7880 Broker Cell: 503-440-7474 Office: 503-325-5111 Toll Free: 877-949-5111 Best Antique Store llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Pacific Land Co. Best Art Gallery llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll EL CO M PADRE Best Automotive Shop llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Barber Shop/Hair Salon llllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Bookstore lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Car Dealership lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Customer Service lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Dance Studio llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll WARRENTON (503) 861-2906 Best Day Spa llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll LONG BEACH, WA. Best Florist llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll (360) 642-8280 Best Garden Center lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll MEXICAN FOOD Best Gift Shop lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Grocery Store llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Gym lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Home Improvement Storellllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Hotel lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Live Theaterllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Radio Station llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Real Estate Business lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Seafood Market llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Tech/Computer Repair lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Thrift Shop llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Best Yoga lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll NAME:llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll HOME ADDRESS: lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll PHONE: llllllllllllE-MAIL: llllllllllllllllllllllllllll www.depotrestaurantdining.com 1208 38th Place D EBRA B OWE BUSINESSES CITY, STATE, ZIP: llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Thank You For Your Support Peninsula’s Only Display Kitchen Call Hardworking Professional... Information will only be used for contacting entrants and will not be kept or shared. No photocopied entries, please. One entry per person. ✓ Vote online We Deliver! The 2016 Readers’ Choice Ballot can also be found at: coastweekend.com/readerschoice Online Ballot Open: Wednesday, November 16 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 11 See the winners in the Special Readers’ Choice Coast Weekend January 26, 2017 3693 LIEF ERIKSON DR. • ASTORIA (JUST EAST OF SAFEWAY) 503.325.4927 H ours: Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
