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oregonAnnuAl RepoRt 2013

Creating a

healthier, more

sustainable

natural world

The Nature Conservancy in Oregon

on the cover The Oregon coast, near Bandon © Andrew Kumler this page Russell Hoeflich © Bruce MacGregor; Oregon sagebrush © Alan D. St. John; Wildflowers bloom at Zumwalt Prairie. © Rick McEwan

BoarD oF trUstees

Judi Johansen, ChairJohn von Schlegell, Vice ChairE. Randolph Labbe, Chair Emeritus

Robert S. BallSusan Sokol BlosserJohn Carter Scott ChambersEdgar ClarkSteve CoreyStephanie FowlerFrank Gill Robert G. GooteeDavid C. HarrisonThomas ImesonMargaret KirkpatrickChrysten LambertD. Carter MacNichol

oregon staFF

ExECutivE LEadErship tEam Russell Hoeflich, VP and State Director Doug Donahue, Director of Operations Julie Fitzgerald, Director of Philanthropy Catherine Macdonald, Director of Conservation Programs

program dirECtors Leslie Bach, Freshwater Conservation Director Dan Bell, Willamette Basin Conservation Director Steve Buttrick, Director of Science and Planning Jena Carter, Coast and Marine Conservation Director Michael Dennis, Federal Government Relations Director Molly Dougherty, Director of Volunteer Programs Garth Fuller, Oregon Desert Conservation Director Derek Johnson, Director of Protection and Zumwalt Prairie Conservation Director Amanda Rich, State Government Relations Director Mark Stern, Forest Conservation Director

Dear Friends, Another year comes to a close and I continue to be inspired by the progress we are making, with your support and encouragement, toward a healthier Oregon. In each of our key conservation initiatives—deserts, forests, freshwater, grasslands and marine—we are achieving tangible results and applying innovative solutions to nature’s greatest challenges.

At our many preserves and projects across Oregon, we steward Oregon’s most sensitive fish and wildlife species and habitats, conduct research, host visitors and provide opportunities for volunteers and interns to give back to nature (see photos on facing page). These are investments in conservation that will pay dividends well into the future.

But our work is far from complete. One element that is critical to success is the engagement of more Oregonians in our work. By highlighting the vital role that nature plays in our daily lives, we aim to inspire and unite an even broader group of supporters, as diverse as the natural world around us. Doing so will create a movement for conservation solutions that benefit people and nature.

Our successes are only possible because of committed members and volunteers like you. You are the true leaders of Oregon’s conservation movement. On page 10, you’ll find our 2013 volunteer award winners—people who, like you, are helping set an example for the next generation of conservationists.

As I look to the future, I am hopeful you will continue your support of our work to protect Oregon’s most precious lands and waters. Together, we can make our vision a reality. Thank you and best wishes for a safe and happy 2014!

Sincerely,

Russell HoeflichVice President and Oregon State Director

the mission of the Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

Greg A. Miller David W. OsgoodMerritt PaulsonChristine PellettSteve PrattWilliam D. RutherfordWilliam R. SwindellsElizabeth TilburyChristine VernierLawrence S. Viehl Eric WanCharles WilhoiteBill Wyatt

A Force for Nature

We thank the numerous volunteers

and paid interns who help advance

conservation in Oregon.

In partnership with SOLVE, we hosted four Picnics

for Earth across the state on April 20 as part of

volunteer restoration projects. Amazingly, we had

no rain! Seventy volunteers of all ages brought the

inspiration and learned more about the connection

between food and conservation.

Volunteer Mieke Vrijmoet surveys sloughs for northern red-legged frog egg masses at Willamette Confluence Preserve.

This summer, four Connecticut teens

worked along the Oregon coast as

part of the Conservancy’s Leaders in

Environmental Action for the Future

paid internship program. They searched

out an invasive plant on Cox Island and

restored grasslands that support a rare

butterfly in the Big Creek Reserve.

Two volunteers and Oregon’s coastal staff ecologist spent four hours in less-than-favorable weather locating rare plants and breeding black oyster catchers on and around the Conservancy’s Nesika Beach Preserve.

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this page CLoCkwisE startiNg at top LEft: summer LEaf interns © Tim Jewett; volunteer mieke vrijmoet with a handful of frog eggs © Melissa Olson/TNC; Long-time volunteer Ellis feinstein contributes at the Zumwalt prairie preserve. © Rick McEwan; Earth day picnickers © Tim Jewett; getting up close and personal during the Nesika Beach plant survey © Diane Bilderback

Long time Conservancy volunteer Ellis Feinstein donated time and expertise to install improved communications systems at our Sycan and Zumwalt Prairie preserves, resulting in increased safety and dependability.

This year, 700 volunteers

dedicated over 32,000 hours

to protecting Oregon’s

critical habitats.

4 orEgoN aNNuaL rEport 2013

FReSHwATeR > Floodplain FaceliftturNiNg gravEL pits iNto primE haBitat

The willamette River works hard to support our state’s population. More than 70 percent of Oregonians live within just 20 miles of its banks.

Over the years, the river has been levied, channelized and generally simplified. where there were once wide, complex channels, open floodplains and an abundance of salmon, today’s river is mostly a single channel with development along its floodplain.

Researchers estimate that 85 percent of the willamette’s floodplain—which helps control floodwaters, reduce water temperatures and provide critical fish and wildlife habitat—has been permanently lost to development.

One land use activity that has contributed to this loss is the mining of aggregate—the rock used in the production of concrete and asphalt—in the willamette River floodplain. Fortunately, The Nature Conservancy’s willamette Confluence Preserve, at the juncture of the Middle and Coast Forks, provides a significant opportunity to restore some of the lost habitat associated with a former aggregate site.

we’re taking a step-by-step approach to apply good science and advance planning to our work on the ground. we’re also partnering with agencies and local conservation organizations to leverage our experience and advance floodplain

this page Willamette River © Rick McEwan; Willamette Confluence Preserve © Rick McEwan; Conservancy staff work to restore healthy floodplain habitat. © Charlie Quinn/TNC

conserving

oregon’s

Freshwater

systems: 2013

highlights

restoration beyond the preserve boundaries. The Conservancy—with funding from the Meyer Memorial Trust—is developing methods and tools to both define the best approaches and identify the ideal places for this type of work. Lessons learned at the Confluence will help gravel operators work with conservation organizations to make future restoration efforts easier in the long run.

we envision a healthier future for the willamette, one that rejoins the river with some of its former floodplain. even more exciting is the opportunity to catalyze floodplain restoration in areas like this around the world.

> working with the Natural

resources Conservation service,

we completed a wetland

restoration plan for the

1,888-acre fourmile wetlands

and are in phase one of work to

restore migratory bird habitat.

> in the deschutes Basin, we

are working with the u.s.

geological survey to better

understand groundwater sources

critical to the region’s springs,

lakes, wetlands and rivers in the

face of climate change and

increasing water demand.

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FOReSTS > watershed winsashLaNd stEps up to protECt its forEst aNd driNkiNg watEr suppLY

when your town is at the edge of a national forest, wildfires become a real concern. That’s why Ashland, Oregon, situated at the base of the Siskiyou Mountains, is working to find solutions that balance economy, safety and nature.

Ashland’s sole source of drinking water is filtered by the forest that surrounds it. The forest also bolsters the local economy, providing natural habitat for hiking, fishing and other tourism activities, like the annual Shakespeare Festival. Recognizing this important link between forest health and economic health spurred the city to expand its forest restoration work.

For nearly a century, Smokey the Bear focused national attention on excluding fire from our

forests. In forests adapted to frequent low-intensity fire, such as those around Ashland, the unintended consequence of fire suppression is an overcrowded forest that is vulnerable to severe megafires that threaten lives, personal property and water supplies.

“The status quo for pine and mixed conifer forest management in Oregon is not working,” Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber recently told the Oregon Board of Forestry. “To get something different, we have to do something different.”

The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Lomakatsi Restoration Project and the city of Ashland have done just that. Together, we removed years of dense

this page Measuring big pines outside Ashland © Kerry Metlen/TNC; A fire worker monitors a controlled burn. © Marko Bey; The city of Ashland, Oregon, is situated at the base of the Siskiyou Mountains. © Sean Bagshaw

underbrush and younger trees using hand crews, logging equipment and helicopters. with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the first part of the project has completed half of the work necessary to restore resiliency to the forest and protect the watershed.

A recent study the Conservancy helped complete indicates that every $1 million spent on forest restoration will generate $5.7 million in economic returns to local communities in Oregon. And now, seeing clear benefits to its residents, the city of Ashland has committed to making continued investments in the health of its forests and municipal watershed.

conserving

oregon’s

Forests:

2013

highlights

> Building on the successes in

ashland, the Conservancy signed

a new stewardship agreement

with the klamath tribes, Lomakatsi

restoration project and the

usfs to restore nearly 26,000

acres of the fremont-winema

National forest.

> we worked with gov. kitzhaber

and the oregon legislature to

secure $2.88 million to support

forest resiliency projects and

establish a new partnership

between the state of oregon and

the usfs to accelerate restoration

of national forests across oregon.

6 orEgoN aNNuaL rEport 2013

MARINe > Teen AngsthELpiNg YouNg fish popuLatioNs fiNd room to grow

Remember what it was like to be a teenager? Your parents didn’t understand you, and you needed your space. You needed time to discover who you were and grow into the adult you were meant to be.

It turns out that Oregon’s fish species aren’t so different. However, for many of them, diminishing habitat leaves juvenile fish without a place to grow strong and mature into the adult fish that are necessary for a thriving population. Seen from the roadside, an estuary or tidal wetland may look like mud and water, but salmon depend on these areas for part of their life cycle, as do many marine species, such as Dungeness crab, sturgeon, flatfish, rockfish and others. estuaries provide critical habitat that allows juvenile fish to rest, find food and hide from predators.

In Oregon, only about 17 percent of our historic tidal wetland acres remains. The good news is that we’re working with partners to increase that to 25 percent over the next 10 years. we have projects underway to restore areas in Tillamook Bay and the Coquille River by allowing water back onto former wetlands.

The challenges facing juvenile fish are not limited to Oregon. In fact, The Nature Conservancy is working with a group comprised of government agencies, tribes and other non-profits to examine juvenile fish habitats all along the west Coast and determine the specific needs for various fish species.

One estuary at a time, we hope to give juvenile fish species a little room to grow.

this page Estuary © Rick McEwan; Salmon © Michael Durham; Sea stars © Julie Cornia

conserving oregon’s marine areas: 2013 highlight

For years, states have been able to collect revenues

generated from offshore energy production. In

Oregon, the Conservancy helped enact legislation

that directs future revenues from offshore renewable

energy production into a special fund dedicated to

ocean science. This fund will support a grant program

aimed at innovative and community-oriented research.

As the first state to pass legislation capturing

renewable energy revenues, Oregon can be a

model for East Coast states where shallow-water

wind technology is booming.

DeSeRTS > All for OnethiNkiNg Big to savE aN iCoNiC Bird

By now, the story is familiar. Sage-grouse numbers have plummeted dramatically as sagebrush landscapes across the west become fragmented—reduced to half their original 300-million-acre range. A century ago, the bird’s population was nearly 16 million. estimates today put that number under 500,000 and falling. In fact, the U.S. Fish

and wildlife Service has determined that the species warrants protection under the endangered Species Act, with a decision on whether or not to list the species expected in 2015.

with the clock ticking, public and private landowners are now working together to find ways to reverse the sage grouse’s decline–before it is officially listed. In addition to tackling complicated issues like habitat restoration, energy development and public land management challenges, we are using simple tactics like tagging livestock fences with reflective markers to reduce the number of bird collisions. According to Natural Resources Conservation Service researchers, tagging fences can reduce collisions by 83 percent.

The challenge is implementing this work over large areas. The Nature Conservancy recently completed a pilot project with the Burns District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on 3.36 million acres of public land crisscrossed with thousands of miles of fence. A basic analysis indicates that 900 miles of these fences could pose collision risks to sage grouse.

To help the BLM identify areas that would provide the greatest benefit to sage grouse, our scientists analyzed the fences’ proximity to breeding areas, topography and vegetation. we identified 52 miles of BLM fence that offer the best chances to reduce sage-grouse mortality from fence collisions. By sharing our conservation planning expertise, the Conservancy is able to help our partners effectively use every dollar to benefit sage grouse.

with good science and solid partnerships, we hope to reclaim a healthy sage grouse population—and, in doing so, improve an entire habitat.

personal connections: sUnlight & sage groUse

By melissa masucci

Associate Director of Philanthropy

i’m with a group driving above the vast expanse

of eastern oregon’s sagebrush steppe. it is early

spring, and we battle the predawn chill with

multiple layers and coffee. we’re racing time to

see one of life’s greatest marvels—the annual

sage grouse mating ritual.

rounding a corner, i spot a dark, chicken-sized

creature. the dance begins. the birds position

themselves handsomely in the shards of sunlight

cresting the hill. tail feathers stand upright and

spread into a spiky fan. odd noises sprout from

a pair of air sacs at the birds’ throats, telling the

world what good mates they would be.

i watch this display with wonder and a huge,

blissed-out smile. this, i think, is a stunning

example of the odd, beautiful and inspiring

diversity of life on Earth. and it’s the reason i

do what i do.

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this page One of many fences that crisscross Oregon’s sagebrush landscape. © Bill Coit; Map showing high risk fence (red) in areas of high priority sage grouse leks. © TNC; A male sage grouse displays his tail feathers. © Rick McEwan

8 orEgoN aNNuaL rEport 2013

GRASSLANDS: Zumwalt Prairie > The Value of a PreserveuNitiNg with othErs for hEaLthY grassLaNds

Mark Twain said, “Buy land, they’re not making it anymore.” In rural communities across Oregon, conservation organizations that buy land are often asked to demonstrate the value of land protection in community terms. On the Zumwalt Prairie, The Nature Conservancy’s value to the local community is top of mind as we advance conservation of this globally significant grassland.

Last year, the Conservancy completed two projects that will benefit the local community—one through ecotourism and the other through a unique approach that reduces the impacts of trespassing.

take a walk on the wild sideAs the busy 2013 field season began, our Zumwalt Prairie Preserve had four new walking trails and interpretive signs to welcome and educate hikers, birders and explorers about the prairie’s conservation values and history. The new additions were made possible by generous support from the wessinger Foundation, which donated in memory of Patti wessinger, a former Conservancy trustee with a passion for Zumwalt. More than 200 people visited the preserve this season and helped provide a boost to wallowa County’s ecotourism business. turning trespass into treasureeach spring when large herds of elk shed their antlers, the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve experiences an increase in illegal ATV use

from collectors. To minimize trespassing, which can introduce non-native species and damage fences, two Conservancy volunteers organized a group of 25 volunteers who collected 1,294 pounds of antlers over the course of 12 days! The Conservancy worked with the group to ensure that the proceeds from the sale of the antler sheds went to the County Fair Board to benefit 4H and Future Farmers of America youth programs.

The Conservancy has built a strong reputation on a foundation of owning and stewarding important lands and waters. A critical component of this work is building strong relationships with community and neighbors—collaborations that ensure the long-term health and well-being of both people and nature.

8 orEgoN aNNuaL rEport 2013 this page Elk herd grazing on Zumwalt Prairie © Craig Nichols; Zumwalt Prairie Preserve © Rick McEwan

GRASSLANDS: willamette > A River of LearningEduCatioN program strENgthENs watErshEd protECtioN Efforts

Truly preserving a place requires more than just a real estate transaction. when the natural benefits of a place are recognized and understood by the community around it, the protection of that place is strengthened immeasurably. One of The Nature Conservancy’s donors couldn’t agree more with this notion.

As part of early planning for conservation action in the Calapooia River watershed, the Conservancy’s willamette Valley staff connected this generous donor, our protection planning effort and the Calapooia watershed Council (CwC). The CwC was already educating students on the importance of watersheds but needed a stable source of

funding to continue. And so, a natural partnership was born.

“Our council’s motto is ‘working Together for watershed Health,’ so community education is a huge part of the work we’re trying to accomplish,” says Kyle Smith, communications and development director for the CwC. “Our goal is to provide students with a place-based appreciation for the outdoors and to unlock the wonder and magic present in their own backyards.” Conservancy funding is enabling the CwC to conduct watershed education in the classroom and outdoors with local fourth through sixth grade students and a high school environmental science class.

conserving

oregon’s

grasslanDs:

2013

highlights

> Land acquisition for conservation often involves large transactions

covering thousands of acres. But luckily for the endangered fender’s

blue butterfly, one small acquisition is having a big impact. the

Conservancy acquired 48 acres adjacent to our Yamhill oaks preserve

that, along with the preserve, protects 55 percent of the butterfly’s

“critical habitat” in Yamhill County, as identified by the u.s. fish and

wildlife service. this acquisition is a link in a chain of protected areas

that, when completed, will secure the species in the northern part of

its range in the willamette.

with tight budgets in schools, environmental education is often an afterthought that is inconsistently funded. “Our efforts would not have been possible without the Conservancy’s support,” says Smith. “They provided the ability to develop a strategic plan and long-term education strategy.” For the Conservancy and our anonymous donor, working with the CwC means that the benefits of a healthy Calapooia watershed will continue to flow.

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this page Outdoor education opportunities allow students to learn about watershed health. © Kyle Smith/Calapooia Watershed Council; The endangered Fender’s blue butterfly © Matthew Benotsch/TNC; Yamhill Oaks Preserve © Rick McEwan

10 orEgoN aNNuaL rEport 2013

CONSeRVATION HeROeS each year, we honor exceptional volunteers who advance The Nature Conservancy’s mission with our Ray C. Davis Volunteer of the Year Award. This year, we recognize two volunteers whose efforts have significantly benefited our programs: David Gross and Gordon Lyford.

DaviD gross has been volunteering one month every summer for the past 14 years at the Clear Lake Ridge Preserve—located just a stone’s throw from Zumwalt Prairie in northeast Oregon—while also working for the U.S. Forest Service, where he has spent his ongoing 50-year career! This preserve is difficult to access, so David’s oversight is critical to our efforts there.

David is a highly skilled fence builder and our fences are essential because the preserve borders an area of permitted grazing. “David’s efforts to build and maintain fence are

essential to managing the grazing pressure on the preserve,” notes Justin Jones, Zumwalt project steward. He has also been responsible for opening and closing our remote volunteer cabin and maintaining the spring-fed water and solar electric systems.

“The work I do for The Nature Conservancy is physically demanding, but the reward is knowing that not only am I helping to protect and preserve the land, but nourishing my soul as well,” he says. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

David Gross © Leslie Nelson/TNC

gorDon lyForD has contributed over 1,000 hours of work at the Conservancy’s Rough and Ready Creek Preserve and other locations in southwest Oregon over the past 6 years. He serves as the Preserve Volunteer Steward and is dedicated to the eradication of one of Oregon’s most threatening invasive plants, Yellowtuft Alyssum.

“we count on Gordon to be our eyes and ears of the preserve,” says Molly Morison, southwest Oregon stewardship coordinator.

Gordon attends public meetings on behalf of the Conservancy, leads crews to scout and remove invasive plants, and propagates native grasses, rushes and flowers. In fact, his revegetation efforts are serving as a model for other landowners and agency partners.

“After 31 years of service with the Department of the Interior, this is a chance for me to give back,” says Gordon. “It’s fun working with volunteers and staff who have similar interests in restoring the natural habitat.”

Congratulations and genuine thanks to David and Gordon. Without dedicated supporters like you, our successes would not be possible.Gordon Lyford © Carri Pirosko,

Oregon Dept. of Agriculture

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“When mom visited Oregon from Florida, she

was awestruck as many visitors are. She developed

an attachment to the astoundingly beautiful sites

that The Nature Conservancy has protected and

wanted them to be preserved for other people

as well. Zumwalt Prairie and Cascade Head, in

particular, were very important to her.

“Her bequest reflected her unusual perspective

on life; she wanted to make gifts while she was

alive—in keeping with the values of her kids.

Donating to the Conservancy was really

meaningful for her. She got a lot of terrific

feedback on how great those gifts were.”

— Ann Werner, Legacy Club Member

and daughter of Jane Werner

Conservation success depends on organizational effectiveness. In Oregon we have set high standards for financial sustainability and accountability as the foundation for our great conservation work.

Thanks to our generous supporters, contributions remained strong in fiscal year 2013, accounting for 26 percent of total revenue. In partnership with federal, state and local governments, we leveraged those private contributions to help bring in $14 million in public funding for conservation. Spending on conservation programs represented 89 percent of all expenditures, demonstrating Oregon’s programmatic efficiency.

As of June 30, 2013, the Oregon Chapter held $88.9 million in total assets, with conservation lands accounting for over half of total assets. Liabilities decreased by nearly $4 million, as we worked with partners to recoup land acquisition costs.

programmatiC EffiCiENCYFy2013 total expenses $18,290,674

rEvENuEFy 2013 total revenue $23,402,002

conservation89%

contributions26%

general &administrative4%

investment9%

marketing & engagement2%

grants & contracts 43%

other revenue3%

thE NaturE CoNsErvaNCY iN orEgoN statEmENt of fiNaNCiaL positioN

assets at June 30, 2013 at June 30, 2012

Cash and investments $10,980,450 $11,289,284

Endowment funds $25,097,338 $24,081,210

Conservation Lands $46,774,991 $54,203,770

other assets $6,080,417 $5,626,026

$88,933,196 $95,200,290 liabilities $2,445,653 $6,324,521

net assets $86,487,543 $88,875,769

$88,933,196 $95,200,290

BY THe NUMBeRS2013 fiNaNCiaL rEsuLts (July 1, 2012–June 30, 2013)

Fundraising & membership5%

land sales & gifts19%

The Nature Conservancyin Oregon821 Se 14th Ave.Portland, OR 97214nature.org/oregon

(503) 802-8100oregon@tnc.org

Giving Thanks for the Table Rocks Just north of Medford lie Upper and Lower Table Rocks, two of the most iconic natural features in the Rogue Valley. Rising 800 feet high, these two horseshoe-shaped mesas were created by ancient lava flows and are home to 70 species of animals and 340 species of plants. It’s also a popular hiking destination—40,000 people visit Table Rocks each year, including 4,000 schoolchildren who use the Table Rocks as an outdoor classroom each spring. The Table Rocks are co-owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy and the Bureau of Land Management and are designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern.

This year, our combined conservation efforts received help from Senators Merkley and Wyden and Governor Kitzhaber, all of whom were instrumental in directing federal funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to protect the Table Rocks.

In April, local schoolchildren showed Senator Merkley their appreciation for his role in protecting this area by presenting him with handwritten thank-you notes.

this page Lower Table Rock © Terry Donnelly; Senator Merkley with a young supporter © Jim Craven Photography; Student thank-you cards © Jim Craven Photography

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