Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 9, 1991)
P~• 6, MS'w'CD Supp°wmfflt to tt.. 1-wppMr Gautte-Timts, January 9, 1991 New programs for ODF&W ertilization improves game habitat A commitment to improve big game habitat on the Monument Winter Range by the Heppner Ranger District brought together private, and federal individuals to develop a fertilization project. The ob1ect1ve was l o increase both forage quality and quantity and to reverse a declining trend of big game winter use on the Nat ional Forest, while at the same time, evaluating alternatives to the traditional bwning methods for enhancing forage . The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation along with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and US Forest TULTEC Engine Repair ''OUR SPECIALTY'' Ione/Lexington Hwy Rhea Creek Call us for total engine repair Days - 422-7432 Nights - 422-7114 Commercial Accounts Mark Tullis Ione. Oregon 97843 Here at Kinzua, conservation is a ''growing'' concern. Service joined forces to develop a multiyear habitat improvement program of which fert ilizat ion could become a key part. The first projet;t implemented under this program occurred in October of 1989. Approximately 600 acres on Elder Flat were aerially treated with nitrogen amonia and a sulfur additive. Vegetative response was dramatic and almost immediate following the first rai ns of the fall. ODF&W w inter elk surveys demonstrated an increase in elk use from the historical average of 60 head to 400 this year. This fall an additional project is scheduled for the Red Hill area. Permanent wire cages were place d to prevent deer, elk and cattle from grazing small plots in order to provide informatior, and monitoring of vegetative res ponse to the fertilization. Monitoring and evaluation is anticipated to last about 5 years. The H eppner D istrict of ODF&W has some of the most active coo p erative habitat programs in Eastern Oregon. These programs have prov ided funds for us 10 work with private landowners and other agencies to develop wildlife habitat in those areas considered m ut ua lly beneficial. The result has been a number of forage enhancement, weed control, tree planting, and w ater development projects that have im p rov ed wildl ife habitat for many species. At the same time these projects have increased livestock forage, reduced depradation on crops, and helped increase the value of these private lands. A new program that was initiated this year is the upland b ird stamp program. Funds derived from the new upland bird stamp (required to hunt upland game birds) will be used for improving upland game bird habitat, hunter access, and propigation. We already have several successful GAR AVIATION hunter access programs in the area (Regulated Hunt Areas) and efforts will be made to improve upland b ird habitat in conjunction with those areas. In the next year, we should see more cooperat ive habitat projects designed to improve upland bird habitat in Morrow County. Another change in the Heppner District during this year is personnel. With the retirement of Glen Ward in June, Bob Krien has assumed t he District Bio logist position and Russ Morgan the Ass istant D istrict Biologist p osition. In addition, Mark Kirsch has taken the position at the north end of the county to administe r the Boeing Boardman Regu lated Hunt Areas. In general, the future funding of cooperativ:J habitat programs looks good. This is highly beneficial as the majority of the land base in the Heppner District is private. With continued landowner cooperation, effective management and a little help from m o the r nature, the future of our valuable resource looks wildlife bright. John Boyer Professional Aviation Services Spraying, Seeding, Fertilizing Phone: 989-8422 or 989-8510 Lexington, Oregon 97839 • PORT OF MORROW MORROW COUNTY OREGON Bo ardman O R 978 1 (503) 48 1 PORT • (503) 4.81 OOt K P O Bo x 200. • Providing Economic Development/or all Morrow County District Manager gives report The past year has been a busy one for the SWCD staff. The addition of an Informat ion and Education Coordinator has increased the public awareness of the district. A Natural Resources Adm inistrative grant in the amount of $5500 and local matching funds were used to hire Cindi Do herty for the part time position. Cindi compiled a Resource Guide, developed a Self Guided Tour and Teac her's Wo rkshop and learned t o film d istrict projects and events using the video camera loaned to the d istrict by SCS State Office. Mo rrow SWCD received funds to h ire 2 Orego n Y out h Co nservat ion Corp wo rk crews consisting of 5 youths and a supervisor to construct a recreational t rail at Willow Creek Dam w ith the cooperation of Army Corp of Enginers and Willow Creek Park D istrict. In addition, trails were developed at City Park and Hager Pa rk with City of Heppner participation. The dist rict continued the Range Utilization monitoring at the Navy Bombing Range in conjunction with the Department of Navy and Jim West. The district worked w ith the Port of Morrow and SCS to develop a streambank erosi on protectio n project a nd received RC&D funding to implement the pro ject. Work has started by the Port and SCS personnel from Area 3 office in Baker City . A Governor's Watershed Enhancement Board grant in the amount of $27,700 was received to im plement the LeFevre Prairie Rock Creek enhancement p roject in cooperation w ith Kinzua Corp., Camp bell livestock Co. and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. This project is part of the Comprehensive Resource Management Plan being developed by Andy Rose, Rock Creek Planner and Morrow, Gilliam and Wheeler SWCD ' S. The district participated with SCS in implementing the Conservation Reserve Program again this past year and has certified over 75 percent of the seeded acres . The 340 contracts total 111,111 .8 acres. Approx imately 300 acres remained to be seeded . The Weed Control District has a new supervisor. Dave Pranger joined the district in January 1990. District staff has been busy and looks forward to the coming year with enthusiasm and also so me concern considering Measure 5. For Your Insurance Needs See Us • Industrial land • Container terminal • General purpose dock Good Conservation today; Means good business tomorrow. 9, 199I-Patt 3 Bennett joins scs Tom Bennett jo ined the So il Conservation Service staff in Heppner as the Soil Conserva t ionist in January. Tom was raised in western New York and graduated from Corne II University College of Agricult ure with a 8 .S . degree in agricultural technology in 1977. Before coming to Heppner T om worked in Sherman County for eight years and Hood River County for one year as a technician . Loren U nruh has been hired as the new district conservationist with the Soil Conservation Service office in Heppner. He replaces Sharon Schneider, who resigned in August . Unruh, 30, comes to Heppner from Republic, Washington, where he was also district conservationist. As d istrict conservationist Unruh will assist the Morrow S oil and Water Co nservation D istrict in planning and implementing the 1985 and 1990 farm bills. Unruh attended Washington St ate University at Pullman and graduated with a degree in range management rn February 1984. attending school he worked with the Soil Conservation Service as a coo p erative education student and as e volunteer. Following graduation Unruh was employed at Ritzville, Washington , and then at Davenport, Wash., before moving to Republic. VanArsdale Const. Co. STOCK PONDS SILT DAMS ROCKING DIVERSION DITCHES LAND LEVELING ROAD CONSTRUCTION (drainap is our specialty) With the necessary equipment to do the job for you!! FREE ESTIMATES & RECOMMENDATIO S • Rail & interstate highway Commi ioners: Larry Lindsay, President John Bri tow, Vice President Kent Goodyear, Secretary Dan Creamer, Treasurer Bill Sharkey, Commi ion~r lwppnH G~r.tt•-Twn.s, District Conservationist hired RC&D fund ing was received to help stabilize streambank erosion at the Port of Morrow. lone 422-741 O WE STRONGLY SUPPORT SOIL AND WATE CONSERVATION • Airport and air mdus111al land MSWCD Supplffl'ltnt to h General Manager: Gary Neal WHE~TL~ND INSURANCE CENTER. INC. .. For more information call GUY VANARSDALE Shop: 676-5083 Office: 989-8549
