PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Nationwide Grasslands Council has awarded the Crooked River Nationwide Grassland the 2024 Nationwide Grasslands Conservation Award for distinctive achievements in conservation and management in sustainable land administration practices.
The award acknowledges the Crooked River Nationwide Grassland’s efforts working by means of robust partnerships with the Confederated Tribes of Heat Springs, Oregon Division of Forestry, and numerous conservation organizations to efficiently implement tasks that improve wildlife habitats, scale back wildfire threat, and assist the area people.
“We’re honored to obtain this recognition for our conservation work on the Crooked River Nationwide Grassland,” mentioned Shane Jeffries, Forest Supervisor for the Ochoco Nationwide Forest and Crooked River Nationwide Grassland. “This award displays the dedication of our crew and the power of our partnerships. Collectively, we’re making strides in defending crucial habitats, lowering wildfire dangers, and making certain these lands thrive for current and future generations.”
The Crooked River Nationwide Grassland performs an important function within the nationwide Wildfire Disaster Technique as a part of the Central Oregon funding panorama. By incorporating conventional ecological information, comparable to cultural burning practices from the Confederated Tribes of Heat Springs, and trendy fireplace administration methods, the Grassland has considerably lowered fireplace dangers whereas fostering co-stewardship.
The Metolius Winter Vary Restoration Undertaking, one of many Crooked River Nationwide Grassland’s flagship initiatives, focuses on enhancing mule deer migration corridors, eradicating invasive species, and restoring native plant populations. Collaborative efforts with companions just like the Oregon Wildlife Basis and Portland Basic Electrical have resulted in long-term conservation outcomes, benefiting each the setting and native wildlife.
Along with conservation efforts, the Crooked River Nationwide Grassland has made strides in renewable vitality growth, managing 20% of renewable vitality curiosity on Forest Service lands. Their work on creating nationwide templates for sustainable vitality tasks has the potential to affect local weather resiliency efforts on a nationwide scale.
“The Crooked River Nationwide Grassland’s achievements are a testomony to their dedication to collaborative conservation. Their skill to combine cultural and ecological information units a excessive commonplace for nationwide grassland administration,” mentioned Jacque Buchanan, Regional Forester for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Area. “Their efforts guarantee these landscapes stay wholesome and sustainable for future generations.”
The Crooked River Nationwide Grassland partnerships with organizations just like the Oregon Hunters Affiliation, Rocky Mountain Elk Basis, and Quail Eternally have additionally led to hundreds of acres of habitat restoration, together with invasive species management and water enchancment, additional enhancing the realm’s ecological well being.
“I’m extremely happy with the workers at Crooked River Nationwide Grassland for his or her continued dedication to taking a collaborative and multifaceted method to land administration,” mentioned Casey Johnson, Forest Service Nationwide Grasslands Supervisor. “Their work is a testomony to the social and ecological complexities current throughout the Nationwide Grasslands and stands as a beacon of what may be achieved after we accomplice, suppose outdoors the field, and do the laborious work for the appropriate causes.”
The Nationwide Grasslands Conservation Award is an annual recognition sponsored by the Nationwide Grasslands Council. It highlights modern conservation practices that promote biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, and collaboration amongst public companies, native communities, and personal companions.
For extra info on the Crooked River Nationwide Grassland’s conservation efforts and ongoing tasks, please go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/ochoco.
