05/22/1985 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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- - e Jim Greer, 3150 East Main, Springfield, represented the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department. He agreed with the recommendations for the Confluence Island Heronry. He said herons sometimes return to an abandoned heronry. He recommended a condition that would begin the three-year period over again for the ,Pudding Creek Heronry if the herons returned within the three-year period when abandonment is being considered. Mr. Rust said that Confluence Island has the largest number of cottonwood trees and the largest rookery in the Willamette system. He wondered if the Fish and Wildlife Department was concerned about it. Mr. Greer said the department is reviewing all the heron rookery habitats in the Willamette system. The Confluence Island site might be considered valuable even if it is abandoned. Answering other questions, Mr. Greer said he assumed there would be very little activity near the rookeries. The herons should be there for a long time. The Fi sh and Wil d1 i fe Department will have to "get its act together" if the herons abandon a rookery next year. The Fish and Wildlife Department recommended the NR designation for both the Confluence Island and Pudding Creek heronries when the protection process began. Department representatives felt three years is an adequate period to evaluate an abandonment. Mr. Ball asked why the Fish and Wildlife Department had changed its recom- mendation for the Pudding Creek Heronry from NR to sand and gravel with a management plan. Mr. Greer replied that originally the department's concern had been for all wildlife habitat. Cottonwood habitats have been declining, but they can be replaced by simply letting them grow back. The department is now focusing on the heronry and that is why it agrees with the L-COG recommen- dation. The completion of an inventory of the Willamette system is important, but Mr. Greer did not know if it is a priority in the department's budget. He would give the names of people active in the Department of Fish and Wildlife budgeting process to Mr. Ball. Responding to a question from Mr. Obie, Mr. Greer said heron rookery habitats in Lane County have improved. The planning process has forced the improve- ment. There are some small, fragmented rookeries in conifers and softwoods. Many are in timber lands. The largest rookeries are on the Wi1lamette River from Portland to Eugene. Several large heronries on the Wi1lamette River have been lost in the last five to ten years because of harvesting of the trees. Herons require fairly large cottonwood trees. The Pudding Creek Heronry has smaller trees than most of the heronries in the county. The number of herons in the county has probably been static for the last three or four years. It declined before that because of the loss of the large heronries on the Wi1lamette River. Mr. Ball said the Pudding Creek Heronry had more than 50 active nests in 1980 or 1981 and about 30 active nests in 1984 or 1985. Answering questions from Mr. Simmons, Mr. Greer said he would prefer the NR designation for the Pudding Creek Heronry. The buffer exists now. The department's major concern about the gypsy moth spraying was harrassment of the herons. The department is monitoring the Great Blue Heron and Osprey Eagle areas that have been sprayed. MINUTES--Eugene City Council, Springfield City Council Lane County Board of Commissioners May 22, 1985 Page 4