Regional Ecosystem Office
333 SW 1st P.O. Box 3623
Portland, Oregon 97208-3623
Website: www.reo.gov E-Mail: REOmail@or.blm.gov
Phone: 503-808-2165 FAX: 503-808-2163

Memorandum

Date:

June 27, 2006

To:

Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (see attached distribution list)

From:

/s/Anne Badgley, Executive Director

Subject:

NOTES - INTERGOVERNMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FIELD TRIP & MEETING, MAY 31 - JUNE 1, 2006

John Woolley, California State Assn. of Counties
Joan Smith (Alt)
Crawford Tuttle, Resources Agency, State of California
Cathy Bleier (Alt)

Larry Giustina, Oregon State Board of Forestry
Kevin Birch (Alt)
Rocky McVay, Assn. of Oregon & California Counties
Gil Riddell (Alt)

Merv George, Jr., Calif. Indian Forest & Fire Mgmt. Council
Nolan C. Colegrove (Alt)
David Herrera, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
Bruce Davies (Alt)
George Smith, Intertribal Timber Council
Donald Motanic (Alt)

Intergovernmental Advisory Committee
May 31, 2006 Field Trip Agenda
Juan de Fuca Conference Room, Red Lion Convention Center, Port Angeles, Washington

Time

Topics

Purpose

Presenter

7:30 a.m.

House-keeping

REO Staff

8:15

House-keeping

Anne Badgley, REO
Linda Goodman, USFS
Karen Rogers, Mayor, Port Angeles
Rory Westberg, NPS
Bill Laitner, NPS
Frank Shipley, USGS

9:00

BOARD BUS - DEPART

Elwha Restoration and Monitoring

9:30

10:10

BOARD BUS - DEPART

10:30

11:00

BOARD BUS - DEPART

11:15

Brian Winter, NPS (Moderator)
Bill Eaton, Peninsula College
Jerry Freilich, NPS

12:00

BOARD BUS - DEPART

12:15 p.m.

Stop #4: Altair Campground

Lunch

1:00

Pat Crain, NPS
George Pess, NOAA

1:50

Walk to Bus

2:00

BOARD BUS - DEPART

Time

Topics

Purpose

Presenter

2:20

• Bull Trout and River/Wadeable Stream Monitoring
• Biogeochemistry
• Marbled Murrelets
• NSO Monitoring Program & Fisher Conservation

Cat Hawkins Hoffman, NPS (Moderator)
Sam Brenkman, NPS
Steve Perakis, USGS
Marty Raphael, PNW
Patti Happe, NPS

4:00

BOARD BUS – DEPART TO HOTEL

4:30 p.m.

• Closing reminders for evening session, meeting times and location

House-keeping

Facilitator

Northern Spotted Owl Hooting Field Trip

6:30 p.m.

Patti Happe, NPS (Moderator)

6:50

Stop #1: Morse Creek Overlook

Overview/ Education

Scott Gremel, NPS

7:00

BOARD BUS - DEPART

7:40

8:30

BOARD BUS - DEPART

8:50

Stop #3: Owl Hooting

Scott Gremel, NPS
Patti Happe, NPS

9:30 p.m.

Arrive at Red Lion Hotel

Intergovernmental Advisory Committee
June 1, 2006 Agenda
Juan de Fuca Conference Room, Red Lion Convention Center, Port Angeles, Washington

Time

Topics

Purpose

Presenter

8:00 a.m.

House-keeping

Anne Badgley, REO

8:10

OPENING REMARKS

Opening

Linda Goodman, IAC Chair

8:20

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

House-keeping

Anne Badgley, REO

8:30

FIELD TRIP EVALUATION AND DEBRIEF

Feedback/ Advice

Anne Badgley, REO

8:45

LINKAGES AMONG REGIONAL MONITORING INITIATIVES

Field Trip Closure

Cat Hawkins Hoffman, NPS (Moderator)
Jerry Freilich, NPS, Elwha Research Consortium
Steve Acker, NPS
Representative, Governor’s Office, Washington State
Dave Busch, USGS

9:45

Info sharing

10:00

IAC ROUND TABLE

Moderator

Anne Badgley, REO (Moderator)

10:20

House-keeping

Anne Badgley

10:25

Closing Remarks

Linda Goodman, IAC Chair

10:30

Adjourn

Topic: WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS

Presenters: Linda Goodman, IAC Chair

Issue: Linda Goodman opened the meeting. She noted her appreciation for the excellent field trip hosted by the National Park Service. She also discussed the meeting goals and highlighted a few of the scheduled presentations

Action Required:

[ x ] Information [ ] Discussion [ ] Decision

Topic: FIELD TRIP EVALUATION AND DEBRIEF

Presenters: Anne Badgley, REO

Summary: Members of the IAC provided a number of comments about the issues raised during the educational field trip. Many noted connections and/or similarities with other activities within the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) area. Following is a summary of those comments:

Comparison with other activities in the Region:

• The Elwha Dam removal project provides an excellent learning opportunity. The lessons from this project may be applied to other dam removal projects throughout the United States.
• There are dams in Northern California being considered for removal and it was suggested that those projects could benefit from the work accomplished on the Elwha. An IAC member offered to take this information back to his contacts in California.
• A comparison was made to how much information was learned as a result of the Mt. St. Helens eruptions in 1980. The work at Mt. St. Helens has provided scientists and managers with a wealth of useful information over the past 26 years. Because the Elwha dam removal project is a planned event, there is an opportunity for scientists to thoroughly analyze information prior to removal and compare the results after the dams are removed. In addition there may be an opportunity for those working on the Elwha project to learn from the experiences at Mt. St. Helens.

Partnerships:

• Members were impressed with the educational possibilities as illustrated by the partnership with Peninsula College.

• One member reminded the group about the role of the local communities. He expressed concern regarding the impacts to local agencies as the Federal government downsizes fire protection, road maintenance and other services.

Monitoring:

• The EPA representative raised the topic of the project’s impact on the local water supply. He asked how EPA or the Washington State Department of Ecology might be able to help.
• A suggestion was made that monitoring not be constrained to just specific dam removal issues. An interest was raised in monitoring the impacts of dam removal on areas outside of the floodplain.
• The NOAA-Fisheries representative offered to explore options for assistance with fish monitoring work.

Tribal Connections:

• One IAC member highlighted the key role of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe which has provided leadership, alternative funding opportunities, and a new perspective on the project.

• Members were reminded about the potential impact of the Elwha projects on the Tribe and public health in the area.

Process Issues:

• One member expressed concern over process costs and the impact to monitoring activities. Members discussed whether it would be possible to combine processes, rather than doing them sequentially, in order to save time and money.
• Similarly, a county representative noted that from the community standpoint, all the people see is the process. If the process creates a barrier then the community loses faith and support for the project.

Action Required:

[ x ] Information [ x ] Discussion [ ] Decision

Topic: LINKAGES AMONG REGIONAL MONITORING INITIATIVES

Sponsor: Rory Westberg, NPS

Presenters: Cat Hawkins Hoffman (NPS), Jerry Freilich (NPS), Steve Acker (NPS), Dave Busch (USGS), and Bruce Crawford (State of Washington)

REO Contact: Dave Busch, USGS Representative

Issue Statement: This panel discussed connections among key monitoring approaches being implemented in the Pacific Northwest.

Summary: IAC members heard about various aspects of the Olympic National Park monitoring program on the May 31 field trip. During this session, a panel of presenters discussed linkages among the National Park Service (NPS) network-based Vital Signs monitoring approach, the monitoring program being implemented for the NWFP, and that being coordinated by the State of Washington Governor’s Monitoring Forum.

IAC members provided comments about how effectively such monitoring efforts are being coordinated. One comment dealt with the possibility for duplication or bias given the broad scope of monitoring taking place in the Pacific Northwest. Panelists noted that this is precisely the reason that NWFP and related monitoring coordination groups, such as the Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership, are important. The Pacific Northwest Environmental Threat Assessment Center has also recently been charged with evaluating the effectiveness of monitoring systems for fire, insect/disease, and climate change in forested ecosystems. NOAA is interested in sponsoring a future presentation on a monitoring-related subject regarding a framework for limiting factors related to species de-listing.

In response to questions about the national scope of NPS monitoring, we were reminded about the informative web site maintained by NPS at http://www1.nature.nps.gov/ protectingrestoring/im/inventoryandmonitoring.cfm

This IAC field trip successfully portrayed management and monitoring in a National Park. It was suggested that a future trip might provide contrast by dealing with the interface of agriculture and Federal land management.

Action Required:

[ x ] Information [ ] Decision

Topic: Biodiversity Workshop

Sponsor/Presenter: Cindi West, PNW

Summary: Cindi West discussed the June 5-7 Biodiversity workshop, which focuses on Federal land and enlists both Federal and State agencies. Objectives include defining biodiversity, establishing a common framework for collecting data, and determining how the private side can get credit for constructive actions.

Topic: California Spotted Owl

Sponsor/Presenter: Darrin Thome, FWS

Summary: Darrin discussed the "not warranted" listing determination for the California spotted owl. The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) recently denied a petition to list the California spotted owl, finding that most populations of the subspecies are stable or increasing. The FWS found that the primary threat to the owl is catastrophic fire and that the Federal fuel reduction program in the Sierra Nevada will help minimize that threat. Logging, which is also considered a threat, in the Sierra Nevada has declined on both Federal and private lands. The barred owl also appears to be less of a threat to the California spotted owl as it is not invading the drier Sierra mountains as quickly or as thoroughly as it has invaded the northern spotted owl’s territory.

Topic: Northern Spotted Owl (NSO) Recovery Plan

Sponsor/Presenter: Kemper McMaster, FWS

Summary: Kemper reported that the NSO Team has been formed. Team members include representatives from the Federal agencies, the three States, and also representatives from timber and environmental groups. Dave Wesley, FWS Deputy Regional Director, is the team lead. The FWS intends to publish the notice of availability for the draft recovery plan by November 15, 2006, and the final recovery plan a year later. The FWS has set up a website for the recovery planning process: See http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ecoservices/endangered/recovery/ NSORecoveryPlanning.htm

Topic: Marbled Murrelet Critical Habitat Designation

Sponsor/Presenter: Kemper McMaster, FWS

Summary: Kemper reported that the FWS is revising the critical habitat designation for the marbled murrelet. The draft revised designation will be published in the Federal Register in early September, 2006 with the final due one year later.

Topic: Reauthorization of Public Law 106-393 "Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000"

Sponsor: Anne Badgley, REO

Presenter: Al McKee (Washington State Counties Representative)

Summary: Washington State Counties’ IAC representative Al McKee reported on his efforts as part of a team organized to lobby Congress to extend Public Law 106-393, which provides assistance to timber revenue-dependent counties and school systems. He offered to discuss further and/or coordinate with other IAC members if they wanted to contact him.

Topic: Dave Allen, FWS Regional Director is Retiring

Sponsor: Kemper McMaster, FWS

Summary: A replacement has not yet been selected.

May 31, 2006 Field Trip

June 1, 2006 IAC Meeting

Name

Name

Name

Acker, Steve, Supervisory Botanist, USDI, National Park, Service, Olympic National Park

Kubo, Teresa, Agency Representative, US Environmental Protection Agency, Regional Ecosystem Office

Acker, Steve, Supervisory Botanist, USDI, National Park, Service, Olympic National Park

Badgley, Anne, Executive Director, Regional Ecosystem Office

Lackey, Bob, Senior Fisheries Biologist, US Environmental Protection Agency6, Research Lab

Badgley, Anne, Executive Director, Regional Ecosystem Office

Birch, Kevin, Senior Policy Analyst, Oregon State, Department of Forestry

Laitner, Bill, Superintendent, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Birch, Kevin, Senior Policy Analyst, Oregon State, Department of Forestry

Bleier, Cathy, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Watersheds, California State, Resources Agency

Loomis, Becky, Administrative Assistant, Regional Ecosystem Office

Bleier, Cathy, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Watersheds, California State, Resources Agency

Brenkman, Sam, Fisheries Biologist, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Mason, Garland, Deputy Director, Research, USDA, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station

Brong, Elaine, State Director, USDI, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/Washington

Brong, Elaine, State Director, USDI, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/Washington

McKee, Albert, Skamania County Commissioner, Washington State, Association of Counties

Busch, Dave, Agency Representative, USDI, Geological Survey, Regional Ecosystem Office

Busch, Dave, Agency Representative, USDI, Geological Survey, Regional Ecosystem Office

McMaster, Kemper, Project Leader, Oregon State Office, US Fish and Wildlife Service

Crawford, Bruce, Monitoring Program Manager, Governor’s Office, Washington

Collier, Kath, Facilitator/Management Analyst, Regional Ecosystem Office

Morris, Steve, Agency Representative, USDOC, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Administration, Regional Ecosystem Office

Crouse, Mike, Assistant Regional Administrator, USDOC, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Administration

Crain, Patrick, Fisheries Biologist, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Motanic, Donald, Technical Specialist, Intertribal Timber Counsel

Elofson, Robert, Restoration Director, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Washington

Crouse, Mike, Assistant Regional Administrator, USDOC, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Administration

Perakis, Steve, Forest Ecologist, USDI, Geological Survey, Biological Research Division, Corvallis Research Group

Freilich, Jerry, Research & Monitoring Coordinator, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Duda, Jeff, Research Entomologist, USDI, Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center

Pess, George, Supervisory Research Biologist, USDOC, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Administration

Goodman, Linda, Regional Forester, USDA, Forest Service, Region 6

Eaton, Bill, Senior Vice President, Peninsula College, Washington, Elwha Research Consortium

Poon, Derek, Regional Salmon Ecologist, US Environmental Protection Agency

Graham, Bob, State Conservationist, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service

Elofson, Robert, Restoration Director, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Washington

Powers, Dave, Forest Team Director, US Environmental Protection Agency

Hoffman-Hawkins, Cat, Chief, Natural Resources, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Freilich, Jerry, Research & Monitoring Coordinator, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Raphael, Martin, Team Leader, Wildlife Ecology, USDA, Forest Service Region 6, Pacific Northwest Research State, Olympic Forestry Sciences Laboratory

Knopp, Chris, Acting Director, USDA, Forest Service, Region 5, Ecosystem Conservation

Goodman, Linda, Regional Forester, USDA, Forest Service, Region 6

Rogers, Karen, Mayor of Port Angeles, Washington

Kubo, Teresa, Agency Representative, US Environmental Protection Agency, Regional Ecosystem Office

Graham, Bob, State Conservationist, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service

Roush, Paul, Wildlife Biologist, USDI, Bureau of Land Management, California

Laitner, Bill, Superintendent, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Gremel, Scott, Wildlife Biologist, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Schuler, Carol, Center Director, USDI, Geological Survey, Western Region, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Mason, Garland, Deputy Director, Research, USDA, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station

Happe, Patti, Wildlife Biologist, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Shipley, Frank, Acting Executive, USDI, Geological Survey, Western Region, Biological Resources Division

McKee, Albert, Skamania County Commissioner, Washington State, Association of Counties

Hoffman-Hawkins, Cat, Chief, Natural Resources, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Thome, Darrin, Division Manager, USDI, Fish and Wildlife Service, California/Nevada Office

McMaster, Kemper, Project Leader, Oregon State Office, US Fish and Wildlife Service

Hom, Dale, Forest Supervisor, USDA, Forest Service, Region 6, Olympic National Forest

Weins, David, Graduate Student, Oregon State University, Barred/Spotted Owl Interagency Study

Morris, Steve, Agency Representative, USDOC, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Administration, Regional Ecosystem Office

Hooper, Thom, Biologist, USDOC, National Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Administration

West, Cindi, Deputy Station Director, USDA, Forest Service, Region 6, Pacific Northwest Research Station

Motanic, Don, Technical Specialist, Intertribal Timber Counsel

Jenkins, Kurt, Research Wildlife Biologist, USDI, Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Westberg, Rory, Deputy Regional Director, USDI, National Park Service, Pacific West Region, Resources Management and Planning

Powers, Dave, Forest Team Director, US Environmental Protection Agency

Jenkins, Laurie Lee, Agency Representative, USDI, National Park Service, Regional Ecosystem Office

Winter, Brian, Elwha Project Manager, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Roush, Paul, Wildlife Biologist, USDI, Bureau of Land Management, California

Kailin, Janet, Secretary, USDI, National Park Service, Olympic National Park

Woolley, John, Third District Supervisor, Humboldt County, California

Schuler, Carol, Center Director, USDI, Geological Survey, Western Region, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Knopp, Chris, Acting Director, USDA, Forest Service, Region 5, Ecosystem Conservation

Young, Kristi, Agency Representative, USDI, Fish and Wildlife Service, Regional Ecosystem Office

Thome, Darrin, Division Manager, USDI, Fish and Wildlife Service, California/Nevada Office

Woolley, John, Third District Supervisor, Humboldt County, California

West, Cindi, Deputy Station Director, USDA, Forest Service, Region 6, Pacific Northwest Research Station

Westberg, Rory, Deputy Regional Director, USDI, National Park Service, Pacific West Region, Resources Management and Planning

Young, Kristi, Agency Representative, USDI, Fish and Wildlife Service, Regional Ecosystem Office