ORTWS is hosting a workshop on Grasslands Connectivity in the Willamette Valley on September 3, 2014. The workshop is at Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge, and will address the following topics:
- History of grasslands in the Willamette Valley
- Grassland connectivity
- Grassland restoration
- Grassland endangered species, including Fender’s blue butterflies
- Managing grasslands for native species
Regular admission: $50
Student admission: $30
Box lunch (optional): $10
To register, visit our Event Registration here! Note this is a new service we are testing to improve registration for our members (like you!). The draft agenda is below (and subject to change). You can download the full agenda here.
Pre workshop meeting: 8:00: Elspeth Hilton, Cascadia Prairie Oak Weed Management Area (CPOWMA)
9:00 – Tom Kaye, Institute for Applied Ecology
Grassland Ecology/Grassland basics
9:30 – Ed Alverson, Private consultant
Pre-contact, (pre)historical extent of grasslands
10:00 – Elspeth Hilton, Cascadia Prairie Oak Partnership (CPOP)
Overview of CPOP, connecting people and information
10:30 – Chris Seal, USFWS
Restoration techniques and goals for WV grassland
11:00 – Matt Blakely- Smith & Bob Altman, Green Belt Land Trust
Restoration for grassland birds
11:30 – Lunch/Field trip for restoration ara at Tualatin River NWR with Pete Schmidt, Refuge Biologist, and Erin Holmes, Project Manager
1:00 – Wes Messinger, US Army Corps of Engineers
Primer on pollinators, example of FBB connectivity project
1:30- Matt Benotsch, TNC
FBB restoration at Willow Creek Preserve
2:00 – Amie Loop- Frison , Yamhill SWCD
Conservation through cooperation
2:30 – Mary Bushman, City of Portland
City of Portland regional conservation strategy & connectivity efforts
3:00 – Ann Kreager, ODFW
ODFW grassland work
3:30 – Kevin O’Hara, USFWS
Willamette Valley Conservation Study Area