May 22, 2014 - City Council Newsletter

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Funk is a journalist whose work has appeared in Harper’s, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, GQ, Outside, and the New York Times. A National Magazine and Livingston Award finalist and the winner of the Oakes Prize for Environmental Journalism, he was a Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan, where he studied economics and system thinking. For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at www.eugene-or.gov/library or 541-682-5450. Newsletter Highlights Amazon Creek, WJ Skatepark, Sidewalk Safety and More Amazon Creek has undergone dramatic transformations over the past 150 years. Prior to straightening, deepening and channelizing parts of the creek, areas near present day South Eugene High School, Civic Stadium and low elevation areas were frequently inundated by flooding following winter storms. This issue of Stormwater Connections explores changes to the creek over time, what has been learned and what is needed for a healthy creek. A second article provides some insights on a not-so-ordinary project that took more than a decade to complete. That project is WJ Skatepark, the largest covered, lit skatepark in the country now open in Eugene which features wheeled recreational activities for all ages and skill levels. Also under cover are basketball courts and tournament-quality horseshoe pits. This unique structure required creative thinking to address the challenges of managing stormwater runoff at this park. Learn more about this and the upcoming grand opening on June 21on National Go Skate Day. Other informative topics include tips for clean and safe sidewalks and how to learn more about rain garden workshops. Readers will find a reminder about the benefits of bees and the important contribution they make as pollinators. The focus of the Stormwater Connections newsletter is educating and informing community members about stormwater pollution and ways to protect the local waterways. Articles in Stormwater Connections typically address seasonal or current issues and include one page of interest for younger readers. Copies of the newsletter are now available electronically at www.eugene-or.gov/happyrivers. Eugene residents can also expect to receive the newsletter delivered via mail next week. For more information, or additional copies of the newsletter, please contact Public Information Specialist for the Stormwater Management Program, Kathy Eva, at 682-2739 or Kathy.a.eva@ci.eugene.or.us. Native Prairies Restoration Begins at South Eugene Meadows A project to restore regionally rare upland prairie, oak savanna, and oak woodland at the South Eugene Meadows site in the City’s Ridgeline Park system began on May 19. Restoration of the site’s prairies and oak habitats will greatly improve conditions for wildlife, reduce fuel loads, and preserve these native ecosystems for enjoyment by the community. Over 200 Willamette Valley species use these habitats, ranging from grassland birds such as Western Meadowlarks to western gray squirrels, native plant species that support pollinators, and Oregon white oak trees themselves. South Eugene Meadows hosts many acres of these habitats, which are considered conservation priorities in Oregon. These high priority habitats were the reason South Eugene Meadows was acquired with major grants from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), under the provision that the City would protect the site’s natural values. The oak and prairie restoration project implements the City’s management plan for the site, approved by the OWEB and BPA, as well as the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The project will be funded with grant funds provided by the BPA as well as the value of the trees removed from the site. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 May 22, 2014