May is American Wetlands Month, which means as Oregonians we have a lot to celebrate. Wetlands are the link between land and water and here in Oregon they are as diverse as our landscape. Our wetlands range from coastal estuaries, to frigid glacial melt water, to scalding hot springs in the middle of arid sagebrush. Many
For the last decade agencies, land trusts and volunteer groups have been working throughout Oregon to enhance our watersheds. The work has brought the return of many native species, including the American beaver. Statewide, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement board has been the lead funder, while Clean Water Services has funded the majority of projects in
What the Shell Happened to the Oysters? In the early 1900’s Oregon was lined with prolific wild oyster populations. After the gold rush, the West Coast saw a rise in hydraulic mining, paper mills and human population which created a concentration in coastal water pollutants and killing off wild reefs. The surviving oysters were not
During the past 20 years the Confederated Tribe of the Siletz Indians (CTSI) has carried out aquatic research, assessments and restoration across the Siletz and Yaquina Basins. This work has resulted in the Tribe identifying the need to achieve many aspects of cultural preservation through habitat enhancements and conservation actions. Examples of cultural preservation include
The Confederate Tribes of the Siletz Indians, The Wetlands Conservancy, and Oregon Oyster Farms have partnered up to restore Olympia oysters at Poole Slough in the Yaquina Bay. By spreading oyster shell along the bottom of the channel, substrate is provided for juvenile native oysters to settle on, grow, and hopefully reproduce, providing a source