Wetlands Information & an Oregon Wetlands Explorer Portal

1. Wetlands Information & an Oregon Wetlands Explorer Portal www.oregonexplorer.info Jimmy Kagan Information Program Manager Institute for Natural Resources Oregon State University

2. Wetlands Project Summary • INR – Wetlands Conservancy PARTNERSHIP to create an Oregon Wetlands Explorer • Interagency Partnership between EPA, OWEB, INR, DSL and TWC to improve wetlands conservation, restoration, monitoring, reporting, and permitting. ACE, Xerces, ODOT, Oregon Trout, & Oregon Solutions also involved. • Primary Steps include 1) creating data needed for the portal and tools, and 2) building the portal

3. Wetland Information Development • Integrate Conservation Priorities • Oregon’s Greatest Wetlands (OGW) – expand with: • ODFW Conservation Priority Areas • TNC’s Conservation Portfolio sites • General Wetlands Information • Classifications and Guides • Wetland Species • Maps and Data • Wetlands Standard • NWI

5. Wetland Data Development • Complete wetlands classification and inventory for southwestern Oregon • Build species lists for wetland types by location* • Build comprehensive Wetlands Map for Oregon • Complete Digitizing NWI • Add Local Wetland Inventories • Add WV Natural Wetlands and other wetlands data • Add data from Watershed Councils & NGOs • Develop protocols for updating Wetlands Map • Complete SSURGO level hydric soils cover statewide • Create HGM (Hydrogeomorphic • Complete map of historic vegetation

6. Oregon Wetland & Riparian Guides • Riparian and Wetland Vegetation of Central and Eastern Oregon – Crowe et al 2004 • Native Freshwater Plant Associations of Northwestern Oregon – Christy 2004 • Field Guide to Riparian Plant Communities in Northwestern Oregon – McCain & Christy 2005 • Riparian Plant Communities of Northwest Oregon: Streamside Plant Communities – McCain 2004

8. http://www.oregon.gov/DAS/IRMD/GEO/docs/wetlands/ORWetlandMappingStandard02b2.pdfhttp://www.oregon.gov/DAS/IRMD/GEO/docs/wetlands/ORWetlandMappingStandard02b2.pdf

9. http://www.fws.gov/nwi/Pubs_Reports/Class_Manual/class_titlepg.htmhttp://www.fws.gov/nwi/Pubs_Reports/Class_Manual/class_titlepg.htm

10. NWI 2008 Mapping Status

11. Mapping Standards & Classifications for Wetland Maps & Covers • NWI Maps • Local Wetland Inventory Maps • Wetland Delineations • Natural Wetlands • Historic Wetlands

12. Corvallis NWI (blue) and LWI (red). Maps need to be integrated.

14. 1996

15. Hydric Soils

16. http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/wetland/pdfs/wrpde4.pdf

17. 1850 1996

18. What we set out to do Oregon Explorer Goals • Develop a natural resources digital library and portal for the State of Oregon • Create an accessible information system that enables: • Spatial and non-spatial information discovery; • Information integration and synthesis; • Evaluation of information quality; and • People networking. • Highlight multi-format information, tools for integration and synthesis, people, resources and stories. • Assure access to information at multiple spatial scales: watershed, county, state, region

19. First Prototypes WillametteExplorer.info NorthcoastExplorer.info UmpquaExplorer.info Keys to Success Content Context Access

20. Newest Site – Wildfire Risk Portalhttp://oregonexplorer.info/wildfire/

21. Learn about Places – regional portals Develop portals or pages for each basin, ecoregion and county

22. Learn about Topics – topic portals Portals or pages for each topics Fire Risk about finished, Wildlife portal now being built. Wetlands Explorer is a major focus

23. Conservation Registry • See http://www. Conservation registry.org

24. Oregon Wetlands Explorer Portal • Cooperative project between The Wetlands Conservancy, DSL, OWEB and OSU. • Involves data methods, standards and collection. • Includes wetland stories and information to improve conservation. • Has tools to assist reporting, wetlands permitting streamlining, and mitigation. • Funding from Murdock Foundation, DSL, EPA, OWEB, US Fish and Wildlife Service & FHA

25. Wetlands Portal Objectives • To promote better conservation, information and online tools will be developed to: • Expand knowledge about wetlands biology & distribution • Expand information on wetlands conservation • Improve access to wetlands restoration information • Develop tools to improve wetlands permitting and to allow developers and institutions to pre-screen projects • Create tools to improve mitigation effectiveness • Build tools to improve wetlands conservation • Provide a single source of information on wetlands in Oregon • I

26. Key Wetlands Conservation Questions • What are the historic wetland communities by ecoregion or basin? • What wetlands have been lost, what are left? • What are the communities, habitats and associations to strive for regionally & locally? • What hydrology has changed, and how can it be fixed? • How does wetland restoration and enhancement directly link to fish and wildlife conservation?

27. Wetland Restoration Information • Provide access to information from DSL’s or other Wetland Restoration Programs • Develop & post information on restoration: • Ways to share lessons on what methods work & what don’t • Information on seed and plant sources • Information on what to plant where • Contractors & experts on restoration (site prep, planting, funding, etc.) • Methods & tools for reporting restoration

28. Pre-Screening & Permit Tool • Anyone can identify potential problems with a project before funds are spent on planning, acquisition or development. • Map tool shows potential impacts with: • Wetlands or SAC (special area of concern) • Threatened or Endangered Species • May provide on-line permit applications • Provides guide to the myriad of state and federal permits required for any project

29. Mitigation Tools • Assure mitigation occurs in the most important places without the net loss of acres or values by linking projects with the nearest, significant wetland. • Link groups identifying wetlands needing conservation with agencies or developers needing mitigation credits. • Create simpler ways to mitigate with good effect • Decision support tools • Mitigation banks • Joint mitigation projects • Access to new mitigation methods

30. Conservation Tools • Develop, expand & integrate conservation tools • Identify & integrate conservation priorities (Oregon Greatest Wetlands; Oregon Conservation Plan, Sub-basin plans, ecoregional plans…) • Track ongoing conservation projects needing funds, expertise, or partnerships. • Provide link to funding sources and opportunities. • Provide access to experts. • Provide access to conservation partners. • Develop online education and training opportunities to promote conservation.

31. Current INR Moving Pieces • EPA 2006 Grant – 45k + match – data development & basic portal – ends 2008 • Murdock Charitable Foundation Grant – 278k, data development, portal tools – ends 2010 • Federal Highways Grant – 50k + Match, WV mitigation and data tools (with ODOT) ends 2009 • EPA 2008 Grant – 150k + match – ends 2010, portal tools, coastal workshop, inventory

32. Current non-INR Moving Pieces • EPA 2006 Wetlands Development Grant (DSL – Adamus (Rapid Assessment) • EPA 2005 Wetlands Mitigation Grant (DSL) • EPA 2008 (OWEB-DSL-Xerces) – 345k + match (monitoring wetlands restoration + DSL information + Invertebrate IBI) • DSL – Oregon Trout – Oregon Solutions – Riparian Restoration Streamlining • EPA 2011 – National Wetlands Assessment

33. How to contact us firstname.lastname@oregonstate.edu Oregon Explorer Development Team • Institute for Natural Resources • Jimmy Kagan, Oregon Explorer Program Co-Manager • Renee Davis-Born, INR FRA/Project Manager • Kuuipo Walsh, INR GIS Analyst/Web Developer • OSU Libraries • Janine Salwasser, Oregon Explorer Program Co-Manager • Marc Rempel, OE Programmer • Bonnie Avery, Natural Resources Librarian • Jeremy Frumkin, Innovative Library Services • University Librarian for Pubic Services & Innovative Technology