North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entity

Selinda Barkhuis, Coordinator

sbarkhuis@co.clallam.wa.us

www.NOPLEgroup.org

Clallam County Courthouse

223 E. Fourth Street, # 5

Port Angeles, WA  98362

Phone direct (360) 417-2430

 

                                                                       

Salmon Recovery Newsletter

V2 E3, March 2005

Find electronic versions (with live links) of this and previous Newsletters at http://www.noplegroup.org

 

 

Events   

·   HOOD CANAL: LAST GASP?  Watershed Day VI Presented by Water/Beach Watchers. Is it too late to help save Hood Canal?  Hear what the top regional experts are describing as a crucial time for Hood Canal and the life it contains.  Fort Worden State Park, The Commons Port Townsend, WA  Saturday, March 12th 9:00am-3:00pm.  Speakers: Jan Newton-University of Washington, Senior Oceanographer; Greg Bargmann-Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marine Fisheries Manager; Dan Hannafious- Hood Canal Dissolved Oxygen Program, Salmon Enhancement Group; Dave Christensen-Hood Canal Coordinating Council, Water Quality Program Manager; Pat Pearson and Cammy Mills- Shore Stewards Program;  For more information or to register, call (360) 379-5610.  Event includes lunch.  $15 for early registration/$20 at the door.  Register early so you are included in the headcount for lunch.

·   Washington Water Outlook Seminar.  The water supply situation in Washington's Cascade and Olympic Mountains is unfolding as one of the worst in at least 50 years.  A special workshop sponsored by the University of Washington's Climate Impacts Group will describe likely flows in the next 6+ months using a variety of new state-of-the-science prediction tools, and experts will discuss the implications of the evolving drought for the region's water resource needs.  The workshop, which will be held in the Visitor's Center at the Arboretum in Seattle, is free and open to the public but attendance is limited.  March 21, 2005.  For more information, agenda, and to register, see  http://www.cses.washington.edu/cig/outreach/washwateroutlook.shtml

·   7th Puget Sound Georgia Basin Research Conference is scheduled for March 29-31, 2005 at the Washington Convention and Trade Center in Seattle. http://www.engr.washington.edu/epp/psgb/save.html

·   2005 Sustainability and Restoration Regional Conference: A Practical Partnership for the 21st Century, April 4-8, 2005 in Seattle  http://www.engr.washington.edu/epp/ser/index.html

·   2005 Northwest Sustainability Conference, April 22 - 24, 2005 in Seattle http://www.nweec.org/sust-400b_04-05_seattle.htm 

 

Federal & WA State Salmon Recovery News

·   Gov. Christine Gregoire and Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland sign landmark forest and stream application  http://www.dnr.wa.gov/htdocs/adm/comm/nr05_gov_dnr.htm    

·   Salmon related legislation currently making the rounds in Olympia at http://www.leg.wa.gov/wsladm/billinfo1/billsearch.cfm?Searchterm=salmon#

·   TVW provides unedited television coverage of state government deliberations and public policy events. Programming can be accessed on cable networks throughout Washington State. Listen and watch real-time audio and video of our television signal, archives or select webcast-only LIVE events for FREE.  http://www.tvw.org/

·   For highlights of Shared Strategy Summits (including all platform statements) go to http://sharedsalmonstrategy.org/summit/highlights.htm

·   NOAA Critical Habitat Designations:  NOAA has extended the public comment period until March 15, 2005 for the proposed critical habitat for 20 Evolutionary Significant Units (ESU's) of salmon and steelhead in the NW and California.  For Clallam County, this is Hood Canal Chum, Puget Sound Chinook and Lake Ozette Sockeye. The critical habitat designations were originally published in February of 2000, but withdrawn in April, 2002 under lawsuit.  A good map is available through http://map.streamnet.org/website/criticalhabitat/viewer.  The Chinook nearshore habitat appears to extend only to the mouth of the Elwha and does not include Freshwater Bay. 

·   USFW Critical Habitat Designations:  Also, the USFWS proposed Critical Habitat for Bull Trout last June. A final rule will be published June 15, 2005.   For Clallam County, this includes the Elwha, Little River, the Dungeness, and portions of Ennis Creek, Morse Creek, Siebert Creek and Bell Creek.  The proposed nearshore will include everything from Discovery Bay to Pillar A map is located at http://164.159.13.37/

·   For links to ESU-level recovery efforts that effect the Olympic Peninsula, go to http://noplegroup.org/NOPLE/pages/bibliography.htm#ESA

 

Olympic Peninsula Salmon Recovery News

·   Matriotti Creek is cleaner  http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2005news/2005-027.html   

·   A river reigns through the Queets  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2005/0130/cover.html  

·   Late January, 2005 Snow Levels per ONP.  Cox Valley (Hurricane Ridge) survey revealed a  8" snow depth, with a 2.3" water content equivalent! The average for this time of year is 77" snow depth with a 24.9" water content. (9% of the average since measuring began in 1968).  The Deer Park snow course is more bleak! No snow! It's average should be 44" snow depth with 14.0" water content. (Deer Park snow surveys began in 1949) No snow had been recorded once before in 1977 at Deer Park.

·   Olympic Peninsula Salmon and Habitat Information clearinghouse http://www.noplegroup.org

 

More News

·   The process of setting the 2005 Salmon Fisheries Season has started http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/northfalcon/

·   WDFW is seeking public comments by March 11, 2005 on a draft management framework to guide future acquisitions of land for fish and wildlife habitat and recreation needs http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/jan2805b.htm

 

Education and Resources

·   Peninsula College is offering a new course that will be offered this spring quarter starting in April. This course will take a multi-dimensional approach to studying Pacific salmon based on their natural life cycle. Students will study the ecology of Pacific salmon in both a sociological and biological context.  For more, see http://noplegroup.org/NOPLE/documents/misc/PCSpring05ENV230L.pdf  or contact Jack Ganzhorn, Associate Professor, Peninsula College, 360-417-6493

·   The Coastal Training Program will offer its two most popular classes this April and May. Both classes address the theme of shoreline stabilization, but they take different approaches. http://www.coastaltraining-wa.org/   

·   "Growth and Water Resources".  A new online, distance-learning training module called "Growth and Water Resources" has recently been posted on EPA’s Watershed Academy Web. This training module explains how changes in land use affect water resources, and presents national data on trends in development patterns and activities on land that have become increasingly significant challenges for achieving water quality standards. http://www.lgean.org/html/whatsnew.cfm?id=864

·   The Climate Impacts Group's (CIG) February 2, 2005 meeting presentations have been posted on-line at  http://www.cses.washington.edu/cig/outreach/workshopfiles/salmon05/index.shtml.  The CIG recently launched a new list serve for issuing meeting notices, climate updates, our new quarterly newsletter, and other information related to planning for climate variability and change which may be an effective way to reach interested members of the Pacific Northwest resource management community http://www.cses.washington.edu/cig/outreach/newsletter.shtml. 

·   National Sea Grant Library.   For more than three decades, the National Sea Grant Library (NSGL) has served as the archive and lending library for Sea Grant funded publications produced by the 30 National Sea Grant College programs.  The library includes 32,000 titles of books, journal reprints, conference proceedings, advisory and technical reports, handbooks, maps and other information not readily available through conventional resources.  Subjects include oceanography, marine education, aquaculture, fishery, limnology, coastal zone management, marine recreation, marine law--to name a few.  Publications are accessible through the web-searchable database, where you'll find many publications available as full-text PDF files.  The database also contains citations, abstracts and other bibliographic information.  The NSGL also lends documents to scientists, educators, fishers and many others both for research and general use. http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/

·   NANOOS.  Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems  http://nanoos.org/

·   Northwest Eco-building Guild—The Olympic Peninsula Chapter.  http://www.ecobuilding.org/chap/ptt/index.php

·   Low Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual for Puget Sound.  The low impact development (LID) approach in the guidance manual will help engineers, land planners, developers and others manage stormwater runoff more effectively while keeping pollution out of the Sound.   LID practices emphasize protection and use of native vegetation, in concert with special practices, to manage stormwater and protect natural resources.  LID can manage stormwater runoff in residential neighborhoods, retail centers, large lots in rural areas, strip malls, high-density urban areas and industrial parks.   LID techniques include rain gardens, which involve layering soil, vegetation and mulch; natural drainage systems that use native plants and trees; sidewalks, roads and parking lots with permeable pavements; and other practices.  These practices filter oil, grease, dirt and other contaminants from stormwater runoff and reduce high flows by infiltrating stormwater to recharge groundwater, wetlands and streams.  Numerous professionals, including engineers, academics, landscape architects and others, as well as Washington Department of Ecology staff, contributed to the development of the guidance manual.  The Department of Ecology provided funding for development of the manual.   For a copy of the technical guidance manual for low impact development visit http://www.psat.wa.gov/Programs/LID.htm  or call (800) 54-SOUND.

·   Some pretty interesting reading entitled “The Death of Environmentalism” which you can find at the equally interesting website http://www.thebreakthrough.org

·   WSU's Forest Stewardship class will be offered in Port Hadlock this spring (WSU Extension Office, Shold Business Building, Spruce Room), Thursday evenings April 7- May 26, 2005. http://ext.nrs.wsu.edu/doc/JeffersonBrochReg.pdf

·   Knotweed slideshow.  Ed Bowen of Lake Ozette has put together an excellent powerpoint entitled “Invasive Knotweed in western Clallam and west slope Jefferson Counties.”  It is now available in an easy-to-access format at  http://noplegroup.org/NOPLE/documents/misc/ClJfKntweed/album/index.htm

·   If you’re sick and tired worrying about global warming, nuclear threat, or supersized french fries, there is always the upsized tsunami threat for our area.  http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/211012_tsunamiscience07.html. 

 

 

Grants

·   For a list of links to Olympic Peninsula landowner salmon habitat recovery resources, go to http://www.noplegroup.org/NOPLE/pages/landownerresources.htm

·   TENTATIVE!!!!  The “time-compressed” 2005 SRFB 6th Round will probably start up again in early May with preproposals tentatively due in early-June!!!!  Please note that the SRFB will probably only have half the funds available this year.  That means if NOPLE were to come in again near the top as we did last round (not at all a given), we would get a TOTAL of about $850,000.    Please keep that in mind as you design your projects.   http://noplegroup.org/NOPLE/pages/applications.htm for more information

·   TENTATIVE!!!!   Community Salmon Fund.   The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation received a $1 million grant from the SRFB which they are matching with $1 million of their own to fund 13 or so community salmon fund programs among the 26 lead entities of the State of Washington.  It has not yet been decided which lead entities will be the recipients.  At this time, I merely want to give you heads up that IF the North Olympic Peninsula is selected, a request for RFPs would be forthcoming within a matter of months or perhaps later this year, with criteria that will probably be substantially similar to last year’s program.  For more information, go to http://noplegroup.org/NOPLE/pages/applications.htm

·   The CSREES - Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service—National Water Program offers a variety of grants with applications due in March 2005  http://www.usawaterquality.org/

·   The Private Stewardship Program provides grants and other assistance on a competitive basis to individuals and groups engaged in local, private, and voluntary conservation efforts that benefit federally listed, proposed, or candidate species, or other at-risk species. About $6.5 million is available FY 2005 through this grant program to support on-the-ground conservation efforts on private lands.  A ten percent (10%) match of cash or through in-kind contributions is required. The program is available to private landowners and their partners. They are accepting grant proposals for the FY 2005 funding period between January 18, 2005 and March 21, 2005.  http://endangered.fws.gov/grants/private_stewardship/index.html

·   EPA Targeted Watersheds grants.  On February 18, EPA announced the call for nominations for the third year of Targeted Watersheds grants. Formerly called the Watershed Initiative program, the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program is an integral part of the agency’s watershed approach to clean water by providing assistance to state and local community groups to protect inland and coastal watersheds. This year Congress has provided a total of $18 million for grants to support community-based approaches and activities to protect and restore local water resources – $10 million of which will go to support projects across the country and $8 million will be directed to projects within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These grants will be used to help support innovative market-based approaches to watershed projects, such as water quality trading. This most recent announcement for proposals relates to the nationwide proposals only.  In its first two years the Agency selected 34 watershed organizations to receive grants averaging $700,000. The selected organizations were those with workplans that were most ready-to-go and were likely to achieve environmental results in a relatively short time period. For 2005, the Agency is continuing its focus on approaches aimed to provide quick, measurable environmental results; partnerships, innovation, and program integration.  Friday’s announcement kicked off the third year of the competition. Governors and tribal leaders are invited to submit nominations for projects that would promote and advance the successes of existing watershed work. Nominations are due on or before May 19, 2005. Final selections of watershed grantees will be announced this summer. The Federal Register Notice with the Call for Nominations, and other information about the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program is available at http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/initiative/.

·   2005 Kodak American Greenways Grants Program.  The Conservation Fund Announces The Kodak American Greenways Awards Program, a partnership project of the Eastman Kodak Company, the Conservation Fund ( http://www.conservationfund.org/ ),and the National Geographic Society ( http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ ), provides small grants to stimulate the planning and design of greenways in communities throughout America. Grants may be used for activities such as mapping, ecological assessments, surveying, conferences, and design activities; developing brochures, interpretative displays, audio-visual productions, or public opinion surveys; hiring consultants, incorporating land trusts, building a foot bridge, planning a bike path, or other creative projects. In general, grants can be used for all appropriate expenses needed to complete a greenway project, including planning, technical assistance, legal, and other costs. Awards will primarily go to local, regional, or statewide nonprofit organizations. Although public agencies may also apply, community organizations will receive preference.  The maximum grant amount is $2,500, and most grants will range from $500 to $1,500. Applications will only be accepted online from March 1 through June 1. See the Conservation Fund Web site for complete program guidelines and application requirements.  RFP Link: http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/525/cf .  For additional RFPs in Environment, http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_environment.jhtml

·   The Family Forest Fish Passage Program provides 75%-100% of the cost of replacing, repairing or removing fish barriers such as culverts, weirs, dams, spillways and other artificial instream structures.  To qualify, you must be a small forest landowner (harvest less than 2 million board feet of timber per year) and have a fish barrier that is on forestland. Application Deadline: June 30, 2005 http://www.dnr.wa.gov/sflo/fffpp/

·   Native Plant Conservation Initiative.  The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with the Plant Conservation Alliance, is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals for the 2005 Native Plant Conservation Initiative (NPCI). Through this initiative, grants of federal dollars will be provided to non-profit organizations and agencies at all levels of government to promote the conservation of native plants. This Request for Proposals includes two separate grant cycles, with pre-proposal submission dates of Feb 15 and Aug 15, 2005.  http://www.nfwf.org/programs/npci.htm  For additional RFPs in Environment, visit: http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_environment.jhtml

·   The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program provides up to 75% cost-sharing for such wildlife habitat enhancement projects as: forage enhancement for threatened wildlife species, restablishment of threatened habitat types, wetland and riparian enhancement and others. Application Deadline: Open enrollment http://www.wa.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip/whip.html

·   Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program provides technical and financial assistance to private landowners for habitat restoration on their lands.  A variety of habitats can be restored to benefit Federal trust species (for example, migratory birds and fish and threatened and endangered species.)  Normally the cost share is 50 percent (the Service and the landowner each pay half of the project costs), but the percentage is flexible.  Services or labor can qualify for cost-sharing. Application Deadline: Open enrollment  http://partners.fws.gov/

·   Forest Land Enhancement Program.  The USDA Forest Service has agreed to release $5 million to fund the Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP), a private landowner assistance program authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill.  Agency officials have yet to specify a date when the money would be released.  Additional funding for FLEP for FY 2005 and beyond remains uncertain, given that the Senate Appropriations Committee's mark of the FY 2005 Interior Appropriations Bill, currently being wrapped into a larger omnibus bill, contains language that would cancel the remaining funding for the program. The House bill originally included similar language but was struck from the bill at the last minute due to efforts from Agriculture Committee Chairman Goodlatte (VA). Application Deadline: Open enrollment.  http://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/programs/loa/flep.shtml

·   Forestry Riparian Easement Program.  DNR's Forestry Riparian Easement Program partially compensates eligible small forest landowners in exchange for a 50-year easement on "qualifying timber". This is the timber the landowner is required to leave unharvested as a result of new forest practices rules protecting Washington's forests and fish. Landowners cannot cut or remove the qualifying timber during the easement period. The landowner still owns the property and retains full access, but has "leased" the trees and their associated riparian function to the state. Application Deadline:  Open Enrollment http://www.dnr.wa.gov/sflo/frep/

·   A good source of relevant grant opportunities will come to your email box via SFLO-mail, the bi-monthly e-mail newsletter produced by the Small Forest Landowner Office.  This newsletter provides up-to-date information relevant to small forest landowners in Washington State.  To subscribe, please send a message to mailto:sflo-mail@wadnr.gov  with the word "subscribe" in the subject box and "your name" and "your e-mail address"
in the message box.

·   For an extensive list of grant programs, go to http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/PI/Fundsrcs.htm#anchor149508

·   For a searchable database of grant programs, check out http://ssrc.boisestate.edu/