OWEB Small Grant

Pam Maher
11280 SW Robinson Road
Hillsboro, Oregon

In cooperation with the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District

This grant was an outgrowth of a voluntary conservation plan written and filed with Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District (TSWCD).

TSWCD became my fiscal agent, we used Natural Resource Conservation Service charts to write the budget.

Matt and Pam knew best how to write the grant.

Matt made maps of the project area.

We identified two invasive non-natives:
Reed Canary grass and Himalayan Blackberry

We decided to address the problem of blackberries first.

We wanted to create wildlife corridors to the Tualatin River, add tree and shrub diversity, and use plants for water phytoremediation due to two road runoff outfalls.

Road runoff feeds directly into Robinson Tributary; a tributary to Christensen Creek.

Matt and I figured out a 6 acre work plan; we concentrated on the upland riparian areas of UN 7, UN 9, and UN10

UN 10; this tract fronts Hillsboro Hwy at milepost 6.6

I needed extra help so I went to my friends at El Centro Cultural in Cornelius. Our watershed council coordinator Janelle told me the workers there had received watershed restoration training.

The 3 person crew cut the canes and dug up the roots.  They were able to do an agricultural burn on DEQ permitted days.

On non-burn days they piled up the cut canes for burning as air quality conditions allowed.

This species has large root masses

After site prep was finished we seeded the slopes with an annual rye grass and mulched with straw to prevent erosion.

After erosion control the area was ready for planting.  Some plant material was potted, others were bare root, we also did some stake propagation.

We were able to use bare root trees and shrubs from the BLM  nursery in Tillamook because our Watershed Council had signed a partner agreement.

On October 26, 2004 the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s national director Kathleen Clarke made a site visit.

After planting we used tree protectors and markers on  the young plants.

Bamboo stakes provide stabilization.

We used a variety of moisture conservation materials.

After site preparation erosion control and planting the process of invasive regrowth management began.

We placed photo points using compass degrees for long term monitoring.

We used a planting plan that was site sensitive.  On UN 9 we continued an oak savanna.

Once we got the invasive species out natives began to come in.

The broad range of natural species provided a diversity of food and habitat for wildlife.  We were able to piggy back onto another grant to add bird habitat to the tributary area.

Monitoring of the area and invasive re-growth continues up to 2 years after the grant wrap-up.  Views of  the site today:

The End

Friendship Farm Productions, Hillsboro Oregon
Pam Maher – Production Manager
October 26, 2004

Special Thanks to:

Matt Dunnahoe, Resource Technician, Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District
Pam Herinckx, District Manager TSWCD
Kurt Heckeroth, Tillamook Bureau of Land Management
Dave Bowman, East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Students from St. Mary’s Academy Sci-Fi, Fantasy Club for their help in tree planting
My friends from El Centro Cultural in Cornelius for their work in site preparation
Arnolfo Martinez and his friends and family for care of the young trees after planting
Craig Burnham from the Small Woodlands Association for advice on selection, planting, and care of young trees
Peterkort Roses, L.L.C. and Teufel Nursery for donations of supplies and materials
Jack Maher my partner and co-owner of Friendship Farm