The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) awarded $546,530 to the City of Salem for the Minto Island Conservation Area’s West Forest Restoration Project.
The grant was announced at OWEB’s October meeting and is one of 71 restoration projects totaling $14.2 million to support fish and wildlife habitat and water quality projects statewide.
“This OWEB grant award will allow the City and partners to continue improving the ecological functioning and resilience of the conservation area by restoring native riparian forest, improving habitat, and reducing invasive species,” says Jeffery Johnson, Natural Resources Planner, City of Salem.
The Minto Island Conservation Area’s West Forest Restoration Project goal is to improve the health of the Minto Island Conservation Area, along the Willamette River. The project will restore functioning native riparian forests, provide refuge for native fish during high flows, sequester carbon, and serve as a habitat for native plants and animals. The restoration work builds on previous phases of restoration in the Minto Island Conservation Area. Grant-funded work will include treatment and removal of invasive plant species as well as the planting of 36,500 plants and 300 pounds of seed on site. Work is expected to begin in January 2025 and be completed by the end of 2030.
Funding for these grants, awarded by the OWEB Board, comes from the Oregon Lottery, and Federal Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery funds provided by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. Additional matching funds in the form of technical assistance are being provided by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
Since 1999, the Oregon Lottery has provided over $525 million to OWEB’s grant program that helps restore, maintain, and enhance Oregon’s watersheds. Combined, the Lottery has earned nearly $15 billion for watershed enhancements, public education, state parks, and economic development. For more information about the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org.
For additional information about this project contact Jeffery Johnson at jdjohnson@cityofsalem.net. For additional information about OWEB and its grant programs, contact Eric Williams at eric.williams@oweb.oregon.gov. A complete list of all awarded grants is available at: https://www.oregon.gov/oweb/Documents/2024-Oct-Board-Awards.pdf
