Habitat Restoration
As part of a 2003 Action Plan, the Council worked with local specialists to develop a cutthroat trout Habitat Suitability Index to rank the habitat capacity of local streams. Several stream systems emerged as priorities — Woods Creek, Beaver Creek, Rock Creek and Shotpouch Creek. Rapid Bio-Assessments were used to validate the Habitat Suitability Index and to prioritize restoration opportunities.
When Marys River Watershed Council was selected to participate in the Willamette Model Watershed Program in 2010, we enrolled these creeks in the context of their sub-basins: Beaver Creek, Woods Creek, Greasy Creek, and TumTum River. We have focused our outreach efforts and restoration funds to address priorities highlighted by RBAs in these sub-basins. Many restoration priorities have been addressed, and we are turning our attention next to streams in the middle and upper Marys River.
Stream-side activities include riparian planting to provide stream shade, long-term sources of large wood, and forage or construction material for beavers.
In-stream projects are designed to restore stream function by capturing gravels, increasing off-channel habitat, and increasing channel complexity.
Rapid Bio-Assessments (RBA) are conducted on a sub-basin scale
Restoration Projects encompass different aspects of the watershed
This program was designed to increase the scope, effectiveness and ecological outcomes of our work for water quality, fish and wildlife habitat.
Most of the barriers we address are undersized and perched road culverts, and occasionally a small irrigation dam
Our goal is to reduce butterfly habitat isolation and fragmentation by building connections across private lands to link conservation lands.
Ponds and wetlands are essential habitats for a variety of northwest plants and animals.