In 2009, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife initiated a process to incorporate information about climate change and its effects on fish, wildlife, and habitats into the Oregon Conservation Strategy. The agency acknowledged that climate change is already affecting Oregon’s species and habitats and that future climate change represents...
Introduction: Biotic soil crust communities contribute valuable ecosystem services and biodiversity in steppe ecosystems. The uncommon crust lichens Acarospora schleicheri, Fuscopannaria cyanolepra, Rhizocarpon diploschistidina, and Texosporium sancti-jacobi are associated with fine-textured soils along rivers of the Columbia Basin. A. schleicheri and R. diploschistidina indicate late-successional habitat and may serve as...
Report by Portland State University's Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC), part of the Oregon University System's Institute for Natural Resources.
This report summarizes vegetation data collected in July 2015 in wet meadow and marshy habitats on the Double O Unit of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR). Because vegetation sampled at the Double O was wetter and more alkaline than wet meadows sampled at the south end of the refuge in...
In 2011, the Institute for Natural Resources – Portland (INR) entered into an agreement with the Natural Resources Conservation Service through the Cooperative Ecosystem Study Unit to assist in evaluation of a targeted watershed restoration area in central Oregon. The primary objective of the agreement was to use remote sensing...
A study to review the status and distribution of vascular plants at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park was initiated in 2009 and completed in 2010 by the Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center at Oregon State University. This study built on previous inventories conducted under the National Park Service‘s Inventory...
This project used a predictive model to map canopy cover of vegetation over seven feet in height (“tall woody vegetation”) at 30-meter resolution over nearly 29 million acres within and adjacent to the range of the greater sage-grouse in Oregon. Although the specific target of the mapping was western juniper...
The purpose of the Oregon Coastal and Marine Data Network Workshop was to begin to set the stage for fostering a network of people and data. The workshop was designed to enable individuals in agencies and other organizations who are directly engaged in coastal marine spatial planning to discuss and...
We monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally threatened Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) along the central and south coast of Oregon from 5 April – 14 September 2017. The project area surveyed and monitored for plover activity from north to south included Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River...
We monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally threatened Western SnowyPlover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) along the Oregon coast from 5 April – 31 August 2016. From north to south, we surveyed and monitored plover activity at Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River estuary, the Dunes Overlook, North and South Tahkenitch...
We monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally threatened Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) along the Oregon coast from 3 April – 11 September 2015. From north to south, we surveyed and monitored plover activity at Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River estuary, the Dunes Overlook, North and South...
We monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally threatened Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) along the Oregon coast from 1 April – 15 September 2014. From north to south, we surveyed and monitored plover activity at Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River estuary, the Dunes Overlook, North and South...
From 26 March – 19 September 2013 we monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally Threatened Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) along the Oregon coast. From north to south, we surveyed and monitored plover activity at Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River estuary, the Dunes Overlook, North and South...
From 5 April – 21 September 2012 we monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally Threatened Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) along the Oregon coast. From north to south, we surveyed and monitored plover activity at Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River estuary, the Dunes Overlook, North Tahkenitch Creek,...
From 6 April – 19 September 2011 we monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally Threatened Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) along the Oregon coast. From north to south, we surveyed and monitored plover activity at Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River estuary, the Dunes Overlook, North Tahkenitch Creek,...
From 6 April – 19 September 2011 we monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally Threatened Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) along the Oregon coast. From north to south, we surveyed and monitored plover activity at Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River estuary, the Dunes Overlook, North Tahkenitch Creek,...
From 8 April – 27 September 2010 we monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of
the federally Threatened Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) along the Oregon
coast. From north to south, we surveyed and monitored plover activity at Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River
estuary, the Dunes Overlook, North Tahkenitch Creek,...
This report describes the accomplishments in the second and final year of a project to develop a
set of measures to monitor the socio-economic effects on the local community of the stream
restoration efforts on the upper Middle Fork John Day River. A panel of Grant County residents
helped develop...
On behalf of the Board of Forestry (the Board), the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) approached the Oregon University System’s (OUS) Institute for Natural Resources (INR) to conduct an independent, outside review of the body of science ODF considered as it evaluated forest management plans and developed the Species of...
This report summarizes the presentations and discussions at the Regional Gravel Initiative Workshop. The Workshop was designed and conducted by the Institute for Natural Resources (INR) and Oregon Sea Grant (Sea Grant) on behalf of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) and...
In 2011, USFS requested the services of Portland State University's Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) to update its assessment of rare plant associations that occur on coastal sand dunes. The study area in this report includes dune habitats on the Siuslaw National Forest's Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (NRA), the...
Pine Creek Conservation Area (PCCA), just northeast of the John Day River in Wheeler County, Oregon, was acquired in 1999-2001 by the Confederate Tribes of Warm Springs with support from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), to mitigate for wildlife losses created by the large, hydropower Columbia River Dams, particularly the...
DRAFT REPORT. In 2013 – 2015, reconnaissance observations were made across non-forest habitats on FS and BLM land in the Coast Range and Cascade foothills within the Salem and Eugene BLM district areas for plant communities that did not fit the USFS Northwest Oregon Non-forest Plant Community guide. Surveys were...
This data set contains RCode designed for mapping correlated vegetation summary variables via univariate (modified random forest regression) and multivariate (random forest nearest neighbor) methods. It also contains a small vegetation plot dataset to illustrate the type of information needed to support such an analysis.
Prior to November 2010, when The Intertwine Alliance launched the Regional Conservation Strategy (RCS) and Biodiversity Guide (RBG) efforts for the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region, conservation priorities in the metropolitan region were identified at a broad regional scale that generally excluded urban areas (e.g., state conservation strategies and Willamette Synthesis); were...
White paper from the Institute for Natural Resources (INR) is an Oregon University System institute located at Oregon State University and Portland State University.
Executive Summary
The Institute for Natural Resources (INR) received funding from the Bullitt Foundation in 2009 for Financing Mechanisms that Advance Ecosystem Services Markets and Promote Rural Sustainability. 1 That research strongly suggested that, at least for the short- and possibly medium-term, payment for ecosystem services (PES) may best be...
In September 2014, the Metro Natural Area Program engaged The Wetland Conservancy to develop a scientific assessment of Metro’s 590-acre Killin Wetlands Natural Area. Metro acquired the lands comprising the KWNA between 2000 and 2012 with funds from two voter approved open space bond measures. Since 2000, Metro has sought...
Willamette Falls has long been a focus of botanical interest, but industrial development at the site has limited public access for over a century. The closure of the Blue Heron paper mill on the south bank of the river, and proposed redevelopment of the site, has given planners an opportunity...
Oregon has done remarkably well in preserving forests, farms, and rangeland from development. Ninety-seven percent of all non-Federal land in Oregon that was in resource land uses in 1974 remained in those uses in 2014. Ninety-nine percent of all non-Federal land in Oregon that was in resource land uses in...
Ecosystem services markets represent potential revenue streams for small- and medium-scale rural agricultural and forest producers, many of whom have faced significant economic downturns over the past several decades. Demand for ecosystem services (ES) in the form of investments by public agencies, mitigation funds from regulated entities, and voluntary payments...
The history, current condition, and options for restoration at Metro's Killin Wetland were outlined recently by Christy (see citation information below). As part of the site evaluation, Metro requested an inventory of Killin Wetland, which is presented here with information on other miscellaneous features observed that may be of interest...
EWEB envisions the development of an investment mechanism that makes payments for ecosystem services (PES) as a way to maintain and improve water quality within the McKenzie River Watershed, Eugene’s sole source of drinking water. The public name for this concept is the Voluntary Incentives Program. Under the envisioned Voluntary...
The National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program encourages the preservation of exceptional examples of the Nation’s biological and geological features. To qualify for NNL designation, a site must be one of the best examples of a geological or biological feature within a biophysiographic province. Zumwalt Prairie represents a perfect example of...
The National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program encourages the preservation of exceptional examples of the Nation’s biological and geological features. To qualify for NNL designation, a site must be one of the best examples of a geological or biological feature within a biophysiographic province. The Island is an isolated plateau located...
The National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program encourages the preservation of exceptional examples of the Nation’s biological and geological features. To qualify for NNL designation, a site must be one of the best examples of a geological or biological feature within a biophysiographic province. Round Top Butte includes a basaltic butte...
The National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program encourages the preservation of exceptional examples of the nation’s biological and geological features. To qualify for NNL designation, a site must be one of the best examples of a geological or biological feature within a biophysiographic province. Mount Howard - East Peak represents a...
This report is laid out as a progressive exploration of how the economics of ES production interacts with finance, broadly construed, in actual credit transactions. The inquiry proceeds in several steps. First, the economics of ecosystem services production is explored to provide critical context for potential financing approaches. This section...
This document reports on findings, conclusions and recommendations derived from scientific literature and knowledge regarding the effectiveness of tide gate removal or upgrade in improving conditions for Oregon’s native migratory fish species, particularly salmonids, and other plant and animal species that utilize estuarine ecosystems. The project was commissioned by the...
These datasets document observations of pronghorn crossing structures in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem between 2011 and 2014. These datasets include information about the probability of pronghorn crossing the structures and their behaviors around the structures themselves (e.g., sustained vigilance, stress).
This classification is an update of the 2004 classification of native vegetation of Oregon by Kagan, Christy, Murray and Titus. As before, this classification lists the native plant associations known to occur in Oregon, and includes both successional and climax vegetation types that were part of the presettlement landscape of...
REFEWLS - REnewable Food Energy Water on Land and Sea Nexus
This project will explore the connections between food, energy, and water uses along Oregon's mid coastal regions with a emphasis and focus on Newport. On average Newport uses approximately 2,000,000 gallons of water per day, but in the tourist...
The Willamette River has gone through extensive changes since Euro American settlement – changes that have reduced channel connectivity, destroyed important habitat for species and vastly undermined floodwater storage capacity. Efforts to preserve portions of the river have a controversial legacy that has left lingering suspicions of government involvement in...
This paper offers a framework for use by public and private entities who manage natural resources. It focuses on the maintenance and restoration of ecological integrity to help ensure that natural systems continue to provide intrinsic value and benefits to human communities. The ecological integrity measures assess four different attributes...
This research examines the effect of recent landownership changes and new management stewardship mechanisms (e.g., forest certification and working forest conservation easements) on disturbance rates in Maine forests. We quantify forest disturbance rates between 2000 and 2007 and forest cover type composition in 2007, as detected by Landsat Thematic Mapper...
This report is intended to help transportation and environmental professionals apply ecological principles early in the planning and programming process of highway capacity improvements to inform later environmental reviews and permitting. Ecological principles consider cumulative landscape, water resources, and habitat impacts of planned infrastructure actions, as well as the localized...