Youth Working for Wildlife – Tillamook Estuary Partnership was granted $5,000 for the Northwest Oregon Restoration Partnership which engages community members in the propagation of locally-adapted native plants used to restore riparian, wetland, and upland landscapes in Northwest Oregon. The funds will be used to employ young people in a summer work program.
Food Habits Study for the Sierra Nevada Red Fox – Oregon State University was awarded $10,000 to support the continuation of their Food Habits Study last summer. The purpose of the study is to collect and analyze scat to document food habits of the Sierra Nevada red fox, Pacific fisher, American marten, and gray wolf in Crater Lake National Park.
Jont Creek Barrier Removal and Off-Channel Improvement – Polk County Soil & Water Conservation District was granted $7,500 in funding for a project to replace existing fish-impassible culverts with a prefabricated bridge crossing and to make riparian enhancements in the immediate area following installation.
2018 Youth Outdoor Day – ODFW was awarded $2,000 in funding for the 2018 Youth Outdoor Day event. 546 young people participated in this one-day outdoor exploration event. Funding from the Foundation was used for event-related expenses.
Oregon Vesper Sparrow Study – Klamath Bird Observatory was awarded $5,000 in funding for their study of the Oregon vesper sparrow. The Oregon vesper sparrow subspecies has a population estimated at less than 3,000 individuals and has been petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Salmon Watch – The World Salmon Council was granted $3,000 in funding to purchase materials needed to facilitate the Salmon Watch program.
Coquille Valley Wildlife Area Wetland Plant Seeding – ODFW was awarded $10,000 in funding to purchase non-tree/shrub wetland plant seeds (such as Wapato), for seeding the restoration areas on the Coquille Valley Wildlife Area.
Mill and Slack Creek Riparian and Estuary Enhancement/Restoration – Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District was granted $7,735 in funding support for a project that will protect and restore streambanks and enhance riparian habitat on Mill and Slack Creeks in the Yaquina River basin. Also included in this project was the removal of a tidegate and dike to reintroduce tidal influence to 2.6 acres of land.
Bat Maternity Roost Boxes – USFS Deschutes National Forest, Sisters Ranger District, was awarded $3,000 in funding for the construction and installation of 2 Maternity Roost Boxes for long-legged myotis bats at Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery and the Suttle Lake Methodist Camp. Bats at those locations are currently using buildings that are also inhabited by people. Installation of these maternity roost boxes will give the bats an alternate roost site.
Mitigating Policeman’s Helmet Weed in the Necanicum Watershed – The Necanicum Watershed Council was granted $5,000 in funding for a project to control Policeman’s Helmet weed along the Necanicum River in Clatsop County.
Sandy River Delta Oregon White Oak Restoration – The Sandy River Watershed Council was awarded $4,500 to complete restoration of historic prairie habitat on the delta with the planting of 1,500 native Oregon white oaks.
Black-tailed Deer Monitoring – ODFW was granted $1,050 in funding to purchase trail cameras and SD cards for an ongoing project to monitor black-tailed deer migration within the Rogue Watershed District. The purpose of this monitoring study is to better understand migration timing, corridors, and to collect herd composition data. This information is then used to improve management and conservation efforts for black-tailed deer in SW Oregon.
Coastal Marten Population Distribution and Sensitivity Analysis – ODFW was awarded $5,000 in funding for a pine marten study along the SW Oregon coast. Not much is known about coastal pine marten and this project aims to examine the distribution and abundance of marten to help determine what actions are necessary to maintain a viable population.
Oregon Slender Salamander Genetic Study – Pacific University was granted $5,000 for project-specific costs related to the preparation of the genomic library and sequencing runs at the genomics facility of Oregon Health Sciences University as part of a study of Oregon slender salamander. The purpose of the study is to better understand the size and genetic diversity of suburban populations, the evolutionary affinities to each other and relative to other populations throughout their range, and to reassess the phylogeographic structure of this species.
Keeler Estate Vineyard Oak Restoration Project – Keeler Estate Vineyard was awarded $10,000 for a project to build hiking trails and install educational signage to increase public understanding of and support for oak woodland conservation and restoration.
Oregon Native Turtle Nesting Survey Project – Northwest Ecological Research Institute was granted $4,538 for a citizen science project to perform native turtle nesting surveys at 20 sites in the greater Portland area.
Columbian White-tailed Deer Fawn Mortality Study – ODFW was awarded $5,000 for a project to evaluate the causes of declining fawn numbers and overall decline of Columbian white-tailed deer on the North Bank Habitat Management Area in Douglas County.
2019 Adopt-a-Lek Program – ODFW was granted $10,000 in funding support for the 2019 Adopt-a-Lek program season. Funds will be used for a volunteer coordinator and associated expenses.
Upper Deschutes Spotted Frog Stewardship Program – The High Desert Museum was awarded $3,336 to support their participation in stewardship of spotted frogs as part of the Museum’s River Heroes initiative. The funds will be used to purchase water quality test kits, additional program supplies, and van transportation for River Heroes afterschool and family programming.
Oregon Vesper Sparrow Study – Year 2 – American Bird Conservancy was granted $5,000 to continue their investigation into the population status of Oregon vesper sparrow within the Willamette Valley.
Umpqua Oaks Partnership Development – The Partnership for Umpqua Rivers was awarded $2,500 in funding to help hire a consultant who will be responsible for developing, organizing, and coordinating a newly established working group made up of agencies, organizations, tribes, and private landowners to restore, enhance, and maintain oak habitat across the Umpqua basin.
Streaked-horned Lark Working Lands Habitat Conservation Pilot Projects – Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture was granted $8,500 in funding to implement and monitor habitat conservation pilot projects on working lands in the Willamette Valley. These projects will test a new suite of lark conservation practices developed with input from conservationists, ornithologists, farmers, and land managers.
Boneyard Ridge Forest Restoration – The North Coast Land Conservancy was awarded $5,000 in funding to thin 70 acres of spruce/hemlock forest near the Tillamook Head Conservation Opportunity Area while creating 210 habitat piles in the process.
Tillamook Estuary Partnership Backyard Planting Program – Tillamook Estuary Partnership (TEP) was granted $10,000 in funding to help address the need for riparian restoration throughout the Tillamook, Nehalem, Nestucca, Sand Lake, and Netarts Bay watersheds. Established in 2002 by TEP, the Backyard Planting Program engages landowners to help control invasive weeds and plant native trees in riparian areas throughout those five watersheds. OWF funds will be used to enhance approximately 3 acres of riparian forest habitat within TEP’s focus area during the 2019 program year.