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HomeMy WebLinkAbout101522 FW_ A watershed moment ________________________________ From: NNRG Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2022 8:01:26 AM (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) To: Heidi Eisenhour Subject: A watershed moment ________________________________ ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them. ________________________________ Watershed protection starts in your forest View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/nnrg/wherebeaversandbutterfliesroam-12136775?e=b279c8a19f> <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/2f9525cc-9f28-4eb9-b266-13e8e70da2bd.png> WATERSHED, WATERSHED, EVERYWHERE NNRG NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2022 NNRG NOTE As we end the second week of October without a drop of rain in sight, our seasonal streams completely dry and many of our trees looking less than thrilled with the weather, it might seem a little bit early to talk about forest hydrology. Or maybe it’s the perfect time, before the inevitable fall rains come and we all begin to take our ample Pacific Northwest winter rainfall for granted again. While we’re fortunate here to have fewer issues with drought than much of the world, we’re expecting increasingly dry summers as our climate changes. I love sunny summer days as much as anybody else, at least until smoke season rolls around, but extended summer drought has become a real challenge for our forests. Ironically, while our summers continue to dry out, our winters are expected to get even wetter! So how can we take advantage of all of that winter (and fall, and spring…) rain to help our forests survive hotter and drier summers? We get this question a lot from landowners, and the great news is that ecological forest management can help! Forested hillsides slow runoff and release rainwater more gradually into our streams. Thinning and small gap creation at high elevations can increase spring snowpack <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af60 9be946c1056&id=ec866aa1ce&e=b279c8a19f> , shortening summer drought. Reducing tree density through thinning can help trees survive drought by reducing competition. And growing older trees can store more carbon <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=3ef852c800&e=b279c8a19f> , which will help in the long run to reduce the impacts of climate change. So keep up the good work in your forests, and hope that the fall rains arrive soon. And if you have a forest that’s overly dense, consider doing some thinning to prepare it for the hotter and drier summers to come! Jaal Mann Lead Forester Northwest Natural Resource Group jaal@nnrg.org <mailto:jaal@nnrg.org> <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/eb2efc37-692d-8846-feda-a2c0399c3b8c.jpeg> OCTOBER FIRESIDE CHAT | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19TH @ 7:30PM Strategies for improving snowpack retention in higher elevation forests: Results from NNRG's thinning & gap creation study Maintaining a reliable source of water in a changing climate is critical for the health of both people and ecosystems. Mid-elevation forests are being impacted by an upward shift in snow levels, leading to lower summer stream flows as less snowpack remains to feed creeks with snow melt. How can we use forestry techniques to increase snowpack and slow snowmelt for water availability? This question led NNRG to create an experiment in practical forestry methods at Nisqually Community Forest, near Ashford, WA. The study measured the impact to snowpack of installing snow gaps — 0.5- to 2-acre patch cuts in the forest canopy — and thinning stands to densities that leave 15 to 40 percent fewer trees than conventional forestry practice has traditionally recommended. At this fireside chat, NNRG staff will present findings from the last season of snowpack monitoring at the study sites and discuss the practical implications of the results for forest landowners. We will reserve 30 minutes for open discussion and Q&A. Fill out the form here to register for the event and get the Zoom invite. <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=cab554f10e&e=b279c8a19f> EVENTS How to Steward a Climate-Resilient Forest in the San Juans <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=e70e94ec7d&e=b279c8a19f> Oct 15 | Shaw Island, WA *NNRG Event* Fireside Chat on Watershed Hydrology <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=e99473aa16&e=b279c8a19f> Oct 19 | Online *NNRG Event* Plant CSI: Cankers, Conks, and Rots - Decay Pathogens <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=9e1aa7186c&e=b279c8a19f> Oct 19 | Online Selling Your Logs <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=1a1f485ffb&e=b279c8a19f> Oct 20 | Myrtle Point, OR Western Washington Forest Owners’ Fall Field Day <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=45e49ed95e&e=b279c8a19f> Oct 22 | Online King County Forestry Program Tour of Taylor Mountain <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=529b7b1bf4&e=b279c8a19f> Oct 26 | Issaquah, WA *NNRG Event* Forest Health Field Day - Responding to Tree Mortality <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=57a01524a3&e=b279c8a19f> Oct 29 | Ashland, OR Forest Tour: Climate Adaptation Strategies for Forest Owners <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=ec0570af6c&e=b279c8a19f> Nov 1 | Ashford, WA *NNRG Event* Snohomish County Healthy Forest Day <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=f20651516c&e=b279c8a19f> Nov 5 | Mill Creek, WA Wreath Making with Non-timber Forest Products <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=dbc4b1505e&e=b279c8a19f> Nov 6 | Eugene, OR Scaling for Non-Scalers <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=45440c95cb&e=b279c8a19f> Nov 17 | Grand Mound, WA Carbon Friendly Forestry Conference <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=a533901ae3&e=b279c8a19f> Dec 7-8 | Online Urban Forest Connections: Climate Change Resilience and Adaptation <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=c108851ec0&e=b279c8a19f> Dec 14 | Online ARTICLES <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/ba77d4bf-9615-498a-9ba3-8bd96090c20f.jpg> GO WITH THE SNOW: WINTER FOREST MONITORING RESULTS The future is looking drier, and the trees are taking notice. With climate change creating warmer and drier summers, how can we use forestry techniques to increase snowpack and slow snowmelt for water availability? This question led NNRG to create an experiment in practical forestry methods, in collaboration with several partners. Forestry techniques like thinning and gap cuts (small clearcuts around 0.5 to 1 acre in size) are sometimes recommended to increase snowpack, and thereby increase ecosystem resilience in the face of a changing climate. We wanted to provide local proof of concept that these methods work, and are likely to lead to increased snow accumulation and slower snow melt. We’ve shared some of the planning for this project (which also includes an assisted migration component) before in this newsletter. <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=17a708d889&e=b279c8a19f> Click here to view some of the initial findings from last winter’s snow monitoring. <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=c9757379f1&e=b279c8a19f> <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/442e8994-a43b-7339-5ef7-40a455d4df33.jpg> RESTORING WATERSHED ECOSYSTEMS AT TARBOO FOREST Restoring Tarboo Creek and protecting its headwaters has been a decades-long community-wide conservation effort to ensure that both forest and stream flourish for fish and wildlife. Northwest Watershed Institute <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=6386ddc382&e=b279c8a19f> (NWI), a Port Townsend-based non-profit, leads the work to allow the regrowth of old-growth forests in the uplands of Tarboo Creek and re-establish forested wetlands in the floodplain. Over the years, NWI has quilted together Tarboo Wildlife Preserve <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=3fac2a6dfe&e=b279c8a19f> , 500 acres in the Tarboo valley near Quilcene, Washington. The Tarboo preserve is part of a 4,600-acre patchwork of protected lands that include both public and private ownerships along Tarboo Creek around Dabob Bay along the north end of Hood Canal. Learn more about the watershed restoration projects that are happening at Tarboo Forest Preserve. <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=f4b6ef3ff1&e=b279c8a19f > <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/53b74b6b-e427-100d-23e0-0abfb736e385.jpg> JOIN THE FOREST TOUR OF KING COUNTY'S TAYLOR MOUNTAIN On October 26th, you can join NNRG and King County staff on a guided driving tour through Taylor Mountain Forest where you'll see a demonstration of climate adaptation techniques at work, along with other approaches King County is using to transition this former industrial plantation to ecological forest management. Since it acquired these lands from industrial timber managers in the early 2000s, King County has been thoughtfully stewarding Taylor Mountain Forest to protect natural systems, wildlife habitat, and promote carbon storage while preserving opportunities for public access, recreation, and environmental education. Through active stewardship, King County is improving forest health and long-term resilience in the face of a changing climate. During this four-hour tour you'll see a demonstration of climate adaptation techniques at work, along with other approaches King County is using to transition this former industrial plantation to ecological forest management, focusing on managing hardwood forests and establishing conifers. We'll discuss how King County's harvests are setting up the forest for long-term climate resilience, mitigating drought and heat-induced moisture stress by spreading available soil moisture among fewer trees, enhancing their odds of survival. These same climate adaptation techniques can be applied to private non-industrial forestlands elsewhere. Click here to learn more about the tour and save your spot! <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=b8ff034d13&e=b279c8a19f> NEWS <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/73c34560-0e6b-f530-08fd-c7b1f8d62ddd.png> Drax: UK Power Station Owner Cuts Down Primary Forests in Canada. <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=20f01a38ad&e=b279c8a19f> A company that has received billions of pounds in green energy subsidies from UK taxpayers is cutting down environmentally-important forests, a BBC Panorama investigation has found. <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/da085cc3-de0f-d6b0-829c-39d241c80cfc.jpg> Two Groups Want to Put Focus on Carbon Credits from Urban Forests. <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=07ca6c79b7&e=b279c8a19f> Carbon credits for urban forests by a Seattle nonprofit recently got some of the highest prices ever. The buyer hopes it's the start of a new marketplace that will fetch more from smaller projects. <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/9d6568a8-cf81-f5d6-ae96-ae7371f0a0a3.png> A Smoldering Threat to Wildland Firefighters. <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=56ba50f6c4&e=b279c8a19f> Long COVID affects more than 16 million Americans, and firefighters are at increased risk of getting it, reports High Country News. Long COVID is not only affecting firefighters’ health and livelihoods, it could also seriously hamper their response to the escalating crisis. <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/b42592ef-3330-ff63-2a63-8af9ccca222c.png> Wildfire Season Gave Washington a Break in 2022. <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=4aee9bff81&e=b279c8a19f> Despite air quality getting hazy in recent weeks, Washington's wildfire season in 2022 was fairly mild compared to the past few years. "Let me repeat, this is the best fire season our state has seen in the last 10 years," said Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz at a recent press event. <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/ca53343f-414a-181f-2088-1f32e42ac117.jpg> Book Release: Ann Stinson presents 'The Ground at My Feet: Sustaining a Family and a Forest'. <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=ff56f8fff8&e=b279c8a19f> Local author Ann Stinson grew up on her family’s tree farm in southwestern Washington state. Her new book, The Ground at My Feet, is both a moving family memoir and an important reflection on the changing role of small landowners in the increasingly corporate timber industry. <https://mcusercontent.com/f7fac24f39af609be946c1056/images/3129a31e-8000-1307-92b1-a3ef1436dc29.png> In California, Where Trees Are King, One Hardy Pine Has Survived for 4,800 Years. <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=674c8e9ff1&e=b279c8a19f> "Ten thousand feet up in the White Mountains of central California, in a harsh alpine desert where little else survives, groves of gnarled, majestic Great Basin bristlecone pines endure, some for nearly 5,000 years," reports the New York Times. FALL FOREST STEWARDSHIP TIPS PLANT YOUR SEEDLINGS * The ideal season to plant and transplant <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=c33b941b01&e=b279c8a19f> starts when soils are saturated from the first rains and last until the end of the March. If seedlings are available, it is ideal to transplant in the fall because the plants have all winter to get rooted. * When you walk your woods, you can often find natural seedling nurseries along roads or gravel,. These are great to transplant. It is ideal to transplant species from your own land because they are well-suited to thrive. * Late fall is a great time to prepare live plant stakes <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=66be84e330&e=b279c8a19f> and help them start to root in pots or the ground. Willow, cottonwood, ash and currants are all great plants to propagate. MANAGE YOUR WATER * During the first rain events of the season, get out and look at the drainage of your roads <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=1bc7a82801&e=b279c8a19f> . Make sure water is shedding off one side or the other, not running down the road surface. * Make sure roadside ditches are clear to allow water to flow smoothly. Make sure other drainage systems like water bars are still functioning and haven’t worn down. Make sure cross drains have not gotten clogged – beavers, woody debris, and mud can all plug up culverts. * If you identify any road or culvert issues, apply for EQIP funding <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=1475364d19&e=b279c8a19f> to complete the necessary repairs if they are too large to be solved with a DIY fix. * If you have a stream in your forest, monitor stream bank integrity and be on the lookout for any needed restoration like streamside planting. * Look out for possible upstream issues – channel downcutting, channel insizing, or movement of wood can indicate an upstream issue that’s increasing peak flow and water velocity. * If this is the case you may need to add wood and rocks back into the streams to restore habitat and slow flows. Agencies like WDFW can provide guidance on properly placing wood in stream. STEWARD YOUR FOREST * As trees start going into dormancy, fall is a great time to prune and conduct precommercial thinning. It’s easier to move in the forest in fall and winter. After thinning, there are many ways to manage the resulting slash: * Branches can be left, dropped as they fall, as long as there is not a significant pile around the base/bole of the tree. * Branches can also be collected and piled in a place that’s a gap, not adjacent to a tree. * Poles can be cut and dropped. Make sure to limb them and cut them into 10-15’ sections so the pole is in contact with the ground to increase habitat value. * Use poles to make habitat piles <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=eb518a277b&e=b279c8a19f> , with larger diameter wood on the bottom, stacked perpendicularly, and smaller slash on top to make a pile about 10’ in diameter and 6’ tall. * Make constructed habitat logs by piling poles parallel to one another to make a “log” about 20” in diameter and 20’ long. * Consider an alternate use of woody debris like firewood and manufacturing biochar <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=6eae840d0e&e=b279c8a19f> . * Make sure to always clear slash 25-50’ from roads to maintain fuelbreaks <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=950ffb447d&e=b279c8a19f> . <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=6a774af222&e=b279c8a19f> <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=2987518bac&e=b279c8a19f> <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=61bb103c00&e=b279c8a19f> <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=bf4edffe00&e=b279c8a19f> Copyright © 2022 Northwest Natural Resource Group, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website, via direct email, or at an NNRG event. Our mailing address is: Northwest Natural Resource Group 2701 1st Ave. Suite 240 Seattle, Wa 98121 Add us to your address book <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/vcard?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=d91eb35ad6> Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/profile?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=d91eb35ad6&e=b279c8a19f&c=6b32a903d9> or unsubscribe from this list <https://nnrg.us10.list- manage.com/unsubscribe?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=d91eb35ad6&e=b279c8a19f&c=6b32a903d9> . <https://nnrg.us10.list-manage.com/track/open.php?u=f7fac24f39af609be946c1056&id=6b32a903d9&e=b279c8a19f>