Wildlife, Hiking, New Forest & More!

Wow, there was a lot of major news crammed into this 4 day work week! So here it is;

The positive news:

Story #1

Courtesy of Oregon Forestry Dept

“Oregon Lottery – It does good things” - Oregon created a new state forest for the first time since 1948, 43,000 acres of young pine trees in central Oregon. The state purchased the land from Fidelity National Timber Resources Inc., of Whitefish, Mont., with $15 million in lottery-backed bonds.

The land was owned for much of the 20th century by the founders of the town of Gilchrist. The department said Gilchrist Timber Co. sold it to Crown Pacific Partners, which logged the timber in the 1990s and replanted before going broke. Fidelity National Timber Resources bought 293,000 acres from Crown Pacific in 2006. It is the real estate subsidiary of Fidelity National Financial Inc., a title insurance company based in Florida.

The sale was part of a strategy of finding buyers who would maintain conservation benefits of the land, said Greg Lane, executive vice president of Fidelity National Timber Resources. – Source: Registered Guard

Story #2

Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife announced Rocky Mountain Goat reintroduction. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are about to move 30 to 40 Rocky Mountain goats from their home in the Elkhorn Mountains onto the slopes of Oregon’s second-tallest peak.

He said the goats will be trapped with a drop-net in northeast Oregon’s Elkhorn Mountains, home of the state’s 400-strong parent herd.

They will be taken to the upper headwaters of the Whitewater River, which is on the Warm Springs Reservation.

Assuming all goes well, he said, additional transplant sites in the future might include the slopes of Three Sisters, Three Fingered Jack and, eventually, the Columbia River Gorge.

A few introductions were attempted in the gorge a few decades ago, but only a few goats at a time were transplanted, not enough to establish breeding herds. – Source: Oregon Live

Story #3

Courtesy of NAU

Project Wilderness is up for a $10,000 grant which you can help us win! NAU.Com a Portland, Oregon based clothing company is awarding $10,000 to support one non-profit who instigates lasting, positive change in their communities.

You ask, what will Project Wilderness do with the $10,000 if they win? Well, here’s your answer:

Project Wilderness is working to break the mold of standard non-profit funding by developing a Portland based for-profit subsidiary.

“The Green House”, a wilderness themed ale house will donate 100% of proceeds above and beyond standard operating expenses for Project Wilderness to improve & expand public land in the Pacific Northwest. In addition The Green House will serve as a conduit to further engage the community in stewardship education and volunteerism.

Click the link to vote for Project Wilderness!

http://www.nau.com/collective/grant-for-change/project-wilderness-1375.html.share

Tragic news:

Courtesy of Terry Richard

News reports said a hiker fell to his death on Saddle Mountain this past weekend. Reports said the accident occurred after a group of hikers reached the mountain’s 3,283-foot summit Sunday. One of the hikers in his 20s apparently went out on a ledge to take some pictures, lost his footing and fell more than 100 feet down a steep slope. Rescuers said the hiker died shortly after a rescue climber was able to reach him. – Source: KATU

This is not the first death at saddle mountain and recently a hiker died at Silver Falls State Park.

Remember while hiking obey signs warning of danger & do not climb over any fence. The photo is not worth your life.

Dominic Aiello

Founder & President

www.projectwilderness.org

www.facebook.com/projectwilderness

www.twitter.com/prowilderness

Fisher – Martes Pennanti – Nice to meet you!

October 10th approximately 8pm, I was leaving the woods after an unsuccessful night of hunting in Hood County. I had to make a decision; spend another night at camp or pack-up and drive home to make sure I made my soccer game on Sunday (we lost). I decided to pack up and go surprise the girlfriend back home, and allow myself some more sleep in the morning, but don’t let her know!

I arrived home around 1am after a long drive, which I always enjoy.

Getting side tracked, I must say I am a big fan of the Columbia River Gorge & Hood River County commissioners for there efforts and protections to keep both the Gorge & Hood River County such a beautiful and recreation filled place. Oregon & the rest of our country could take a page from there book on Urban Growth Boundaries.

Ok, sorry, getting back to the story!

I’m not one bit tired and lucky for me she wakes up the same. So I hopped into bed and grabbed Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Project Wilderness had already began plans to submit habitat restoration/biodiversity improvement in Hood River County, so I figured it would be a good chance to review the guide and see what animal and plant species we could assist with the project. The first page of the species table the fisher catches my eye. At that point I held no knowledge of the animal (oh how that has changed), but something about it stuck with me. I made notation to do further research at another time, it’s listed outside the area we’re working. As I turn the page, there is a short description and history of the fisher in Oregon. This only further intrigues me.

Image courtesy of extirpated.org

Historically the fisher inhabited from British Columbia to California. Preferred resting and den areas generally coincide with late-successional coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forest. High forest canopy closure or multiple canopies and shrubs. Areas supporting diverse prey base are most used. Dens & rest sites are generally used in large diameter trees, large snags, tree cavities, and logs. To sum it up, they prefer forest which have the characteristics similar to old growth forest.

Terry Farrell, Oregon Fish & Wildlife assistant wildlife biologist in Roseburg is quoted stating he estimates there are less than 100 fishers total in Oregon. Those are in thanks to reintroductions in 1961, 1977 and 1981, when fishers were taken from British Columbia and Minnesota and released in Oregon forests to help control porcupine damage to timber. However very little to no tracking was done to track population growth or success of reintroduction.

In 2003 Keith Aubrey & Jeffery Lewis wrote an article; “Extirpation and reintroduction of fishers in Oregon”. In this article they researched sightings of fishers throughout Oregon. Categorizing the reliability of sightings with a number value of 1 to 6, one being the highest reliability (photographic data or trapped fisher) and 6 being the lowest (visual sighting only, no tangible evidence). Rankings 1 through 4 are then mapped. The highest volume of reliable reports came from the two populations in Southern Oregon. However reliable sightings are also mapped in or around Joseph, Tillamook and Mount Hood. Then research was done on any previous surveys, which, is greatly limited. The largest areas in Oregon surveyed included those where the 2 known populations call home. Which of course received positive identification of fishers habiting the area. No real data has ever been taken from other parts of the state. Leaving these couple questions open;

Are the populations in Southern Oregon growing, declining or stagnant?

Have fishers from Southern Oregon expanded to new areas?

Are their unknown populations of fishers in other parts of the state?

These and many other questions Project Wilderness would like to answer. We have submitted our initial proposal to receive authorization to formally assess the status of the fisher within Oregon.

Dominic Aiello

Founder & President

www.projectwilderness.org

www.facebook.com/projectwilderness

www.twitter.com/prowilderness