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