The mission of the North Santiam Forest Collaborative is to draw upon the knowledge base of a diverse collaborative to identify and address the issues and opportunities that will ultimately improve the ecosystem function and resilience of the headwaters of the North Santiam River Watershed while contributing to the economy and job market of the North Santiam Canyon.
In December of 2014 the North Santiam Forest Collaborative expanded its boundary to include the entire North Santiam Watershed.
North Santiam Forest Collaborative
(Formerly known as the Breitenbush Wateshed Stakeholder Collaborative)
Background
The North Santiam Watershed Council and staff at the US Forest Service Detroit Ranger District started a conversation in 2011 regarding how to improve the Breitenbush watershed taking an “All Lands Approach.” “All Lands Approach” meaning let’s take a look at the watershed system as a whole and start identifying issues and opportunities that will ultimately improve the health and resilience of the watershed.
We all rely on watershed systems for various reasons: recreation, timber and special forest products, we call it home, it provides fish and wildlife habitat, it holds transportation systems we rely on and it can be the source of our drinking water. With such diverse uses and sometimes competing interests we need to take a holistic approach to managing these lands.
The North Santiam Watershed Council with grant funding provided by the National Forest Foundation assisted with the formation of a Collaborative “Decision Making” Stakeholder Group that is assisting the US Forest Service and the watershed council with identifying and prioritizing restoration activities in the Breitenbush Watershed.
“The term “collaboration” is often used in natural resource management contexts to describe the process of people with different perspectives working together to solve a problem. Because collaboration includes multiple perspectives in the decision making process, the solutions developed through collaborative action are often more durable and more widely supported than if they had been made using less inclusive forms of decision making.”
–Stewardship Contracting & Collaboration:
Best Practices Guidebook
Published by Sustainable Northwest
North Santiam Forest Collaborative
Hwy 46 Field Trip
Thank you to all those who came out for the Hwy 46 Tour.
Wednesday – May 25, 2016
Click HERE to view Field Trip Agenda
April 2, 2015 North Santiam Forest Collaborative Meeting
The North Santiam Watershed Council in partnership with the US Forest Service Detroit Ranger District held the fourth North Santiam Forest Collaborative meeting on April 2, 2015 in Gates, Oregon. Staff from the Forest Service spent the morning providing the collaborative with an update on the progress and restoration activities that have and are occurring in the Breitenbush Watershed and around Detroit Lake. Three subcommittees were formed around prioritized natural resource concerns: Road, Fish Passage & Fish Habitat; Recreation & Trails and Vegetation Management, Fuels, Weeds, and Wildlife Habitat. Members of the collaborative and US Forest Service specialists spent the second half of the day working in the newly formed subcommittees to further discuss and prioritize restoration activities in the Breitenbush Watershed. The subcommittees plan to meet separately to further discuss project details and funding opportunities for the projects identified. Rebecca McCoun, Council Coordinator for the North Santiam Watershed Council will help facilitate the subcommittee meetings. If you are interested in being on one or more of the subcommittees please contact Rebecca McCoun at (503) 930-8202.
April 2, 2015 Meeting Materials:
North Santiam Forest Collaborative Meeting Agenda_Final
Discussion Topics for Breakout Groups – 4-2-15
US Forest Service BW Map Roads_Trails
USFS Detroit Ranger District Contact List
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May 3, 2014
Power Line Habitat Restoration Event in the Breitenbush Watershed
Click link to view accomplishments:
https://northsantiam.org/help-us-improve-the-deerelk-habitat-in-the-breitenbush-watershed/
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April 23, 2014 North Santiam Forest Collaborative Meeting
(formerly called the Breitenbush Watershed Stakeholder Collaborative)
April 23, 2014 Meeting Materials
Breitenbush Watershed Projects Map
Potential Project Discriptions
Project Interest/Commitment Sheet
April 23_2014 BWC Presentation
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February 12, 2014 Breitenbush Collaborative Stakeholder Meeting
The North Santiam Watershed Council in partnership with the US Forest Service held the second Breitenbush Watershed Collaborative Stakeholder meeting on February 12th in Gates, Oregon. Staff from the Forest Service and the Council assisted with the facilitation of stakeholder discussions focused on identifying, prioritizing and seeking funding sources for ripe restoration projects in the Breitenbush Watershed. Meeting attendees broke out into groups and worked together on answering the following questions:
- What do you or the group you represent want to get out of being part of this collaboration?
- Do you have identified goals (# of acres or miles to restore) in the Breitenbush Watershed?
- Have you identified actions & strategies that will help you meet your goals and objectives?
- Are you aware of any data gaps that need to be filled in order for you to move forward with project development?
- Do you know of any existing funding sources available that could assist the Breitenbush Collaborative in meeting its diverse restoration goals? Funding sources can be cash and/or in-kind (expertise, time, labor and/or materials)?
- Are there any other groups that your group would need to/want to work closely with to ensure success in implementing its’ restoration goals?
September 18, 2013 Forest Collaborative Stakeholder Meeting & Tour
On September 18, 2013 the North Santiam Watershed Council in partnership with the Detroit Ranger District held the first Breitenbush Watershed Collaborative Stakeholder meeting. Representatives from the local community, special interest groups, timber industry and staff from local, state, tribal and federal agencies were invited to participate. The US Forest Service Natural Resource Specialists provided the group with a tour of the Breitenbush Watershed and provided informative presentations on the natural resource issues and concerns.
As part of the Collaborative development process individuals in attendance were asked: “What Breitenbush Watershed natural resource issues were important to them?”
The following is a list of topics identified by those in attendance:
Timber Management
Fire Management
Special Forest Products
Cultural Resource Protection
Water Quality Recreation
Transportation Systems
Communities
Wildlife Habitat
Fish Habitat
Power Lines
Invasive Species Management
Ecosystem Processes
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Contact Information:
If you have any questions or would like to participate in the North Santiam Forest Collaborative you may contact Rebecca McCoun, North Santiam Watershed Council Coordinator at Council@NorthSantiam.org or (503) 930-8202.