Page 20
The INDEPENDENT, December 4, 2003
Robert and Gladys DuPuis are Oregon Cooperators of the Year
Robert and Gladys DuPuis,
long-time residents of Birken-
feld, were named 2003 Coop-
erators of the Year by the Ore-
gon Association of Conserva-
tion Districts at an award dinner
November 20, at the Lloyd
Center DoubleTree Hotel, in
Portland.
Directors of the Columbia
Soil and Water Conservation
District nominated the DuPuis’
for the North Coast Basin Co-
operator of the Year award be-
cause of the years of conserva-
tion leadership they have pro-
vided to their community and
the excellent manner in which
they have carried out their con-
servation plan. They were se-
lected for the North Coast re-
gion, which advanced them for
consideration at the state level.
The DuPuis’ have been ac-
tive District cooperators since
1960. Since then, they have
successfully implemented a
conservation plan on their 160
acre farm, which is bordered by
more than 10,000 feet of Ne-
halem River frontage. Their
farm is currently a beef and
sheep operation. Most of the
land use is pasture and hay-
land. The farmstead and barns,
where livestock were common-
ly wintered, is located within
200 feet of the Nehalem River.
Over the years, Robert has
been proactive about providing
wildlife habitat on the farm. Elk
and deer use the pasture for
winter grazing and the riparian
corridor along the Nehalem
River for cover and browse.
Beaver, muskrats, otter, and
other mammals are common.
Many varieties of song, game
clude livestock from the ripari-
an forest buffer. They are in the
Coho salmon and steelhead,
that use the Nehalem River by
providing shade, large woody
debris, water quality improve-
ments and stream bank protec-
tion.
In addition to efforts on their
own property, Robert DuPuis
has actively supported conser-
vation efforts in the Nehalem
River Watershed. He has en-
couraged his neighbors to con-
sider the CREP program on
their property and referred oth-
ers to the conservation district.
Robert has volunteered to
speak at CREP landowner
workshops presented by the
conservation district and water-
shed council.
Robert and Gladys DuPuis
have done a superb job with
their conservation plan, from
implementation to mainte-
nance. Robert has maintained
his conservation practices like
everything else – like the 1942
Allis Chalmers tractor he uses
and keeps in perfect operating
order, the practices such as
tree plantings, (that he hand
watered this year), and the
fence that will continue to be
maintained. As he cares for his
equipment, he takes care of his
land.
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birds, waterfowl and raptors
also use these areas for food,
nesting and cover. Over the
years, Robert has planted trees
to improve the cover. One 14-
acre piece of forestland has
been totally excluded from
grazing. Areas of the stream
bank that began eroding were
stabilized by plantings with as-
sistance from the Upper Ne-
halem River Watershed Council.
In 2001, The DuPuis’ took an
even larger step for conserva-
tion of fish and wildlife. They
entered 77 acres (nearly 1Ú2 of
their 160 acre farm) into the
Conservation Reserve En-
hancement Program. Through
CREP, they are installing ripari-
an forest buffers along 10,000
feet of the river. They have in-
stalled 6600 feet of fence to ex-
process of installing two live-
stock watering systems to keep
livestock from accessing the
river for drinking water. In 2003,
Robert planted eight acres of
trees and plans to plant the re-
mainder in the next two years.
So far, his tree survival has
been very good. With this proj-
ect, like all others Robert un-
dertakes, a lot of thought and
experience goes into his deci-
sions. He decided to stretch the
riparian plantings over a longer
period of time so he could give
the trees more care and im-
prove tree survival by lessening
the chance of a dry season wip-
ing out all of the plantings. In
addition to the wildlife benefits,
this project will ultimately have
a positive effect on threatened
and endangered fish, including
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Application time for conservation funds
Applications are now being
accepted by the USDA-Natural
Resources Conservation Ser-
vice for the Environmental
Quality Incentives Program
(EQIP). The first applicaton
deadline for 2004 funding is
December 31, 2003.
EQIP is a voluntary conser-
vation program for promoting
agricultural production and en-
vironmental quality as compati-
ble goals. Through EQIP, agri-
cultural producers may receive
financial and technical assis-
tance for installing conservation
practices that address natural
resource concerns on the land
they own or operate.
EQIP can also assist pro-
ducers in complying with state
and national regulations by ad-
dressing natural resource con-
cerns including water quality,
soil quality and wildlife habitat.
EQIP-eligible land may in-
clude cropland, pastureland
and non-industrial forestland
that is part of an agricultural op-
eration.
If an applicant is eligible and
funding is made available,
NRCS will write contracts rang-
ing from two to ten years, de-
pending on time needed to car-
ry out installation and manage-
ment. Typical conservation is-
sues that have been addressed
with EQIP in Columbia County
include providing manure stor-
age to reduce nutrient runoff;
nutrient management on crop-
land and pasture; pasture man-
agement improvements with
practices like cross-fencing,
water developments and rota-
tional grazing; stream bank
protection with practices such
as tree planting and bank stabi-
lizaton measures; wildlife habi-
tat practices and others.
To apply for EQIP, arrange a
site visit by a conservationist,
or for additional information,
contact your local Soil and Wa-
ter Conservation District and
USDA-NRCS office. In Colum-
bia County, it is located at 2514
Sykes Road, St. Helens; phone
503-397-4555.
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CALL
(503) 429-6606
WILCOX & FLEGEL
720 Rose Avenue • Vernonia