12-23-2006, 07:10 PM
NEWPORT, Ore - Salmon will benefit next summer from trees that fell this winter with some help from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB).
A $28,720 grant from OWEB is funding the ongoing log salvage project taking place on Oregon mid coast forest lands. Working with the US Forest Service and Oregon State Parks, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists are collecting the trees for stream restoration projects next summer.
The downed trees will be placed in several streams to add roughness and complexity, provide scour pools, capture gravels and create off channel habitat for juvenile and adult salmonids. Four log truck loads of conifer logs have been collected so far and as many as 10 more loads of trees could be added that were blown over by high winds during December's storms.
"This has been a great opportunity to get material for the streams," said Fish Habitat Biologist Jason Kirchner. "We are very grateful to OWEB for providing the funding for this project. The Douglas Fir, Hemlock, and Spruce trees that we have collected will last for decades in streams and greatly benefit salmon habitat."
Kirchner has 7-10 projects scheduled for next summer that will improve 12-15 miles of streams and will use anywhere from 10 to 200 logs per project. According to Kirchner, logs that are 20 inches in diameter and at least 40-50 feet long are preferred.
A $28,720 grant from OWEB is funding the ongoing log salvage project taking place on Oregon mid coast forest lands. Working with the US Forest Service and Oregon State Parks, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists are collecting the trees for stream restoration projects next summer.
The downed trees will be placed in several streams to add roughness and complexity, provide scour pools, capture gravels and create off channel habitat for juvenile and adult salmonids. Four log truck loads of conifer logs have been collected so far and as many as 10 more loads of trees could be added that were blown over by high winds during December's storms.
"This has been a great opportunity to get material for the streams," said Fish Habitat Biologist Jason Kirchner. "We are very grateful to OWEB for providing the funding for this project. The Douglas Fir, Hemlock, and Spruce trees that we have collected will last for decades in streams and greatly benefit salmon habitat."
Kirchner has 7-10 projects scheduled for next summer that will improve 12-15 miles of streams and will use anywhere from 10 to 200 logs per project. According to Kirchner, logs that are 20 inches in diameter and at least 40-50 feet long are preferred.