Tualatin riverkeepers
Climate Change Challenge: less water, worse droughts
Grant Award: $223,835; Year Awarded: 2015
Tualatin Riverkeepers is rallying a diverse partnership to develop a scalable, climate adapted model for restoring ecosystem processes in focal riparian and prairie habitats. Flashier winter storms and drier summers forecasted for the Pacific Northwest are increasing importance of the critical hydrologic processes associated with American beaver dams in riparian areas. Higher summer and fall temperatures call for innovative, adaptive prairie and savanna management to reduce fuel loading, address burn restrictions and produce resiliency and diversity. Building on pilot projects and available research, Tualatin Riverkeepers and partners will achieve riparian reforestation and prairie and savanna enhancement within a 1,200- acre, public-private conservation landscape and introduce carefully managed grazing to at least 40 acres of prairie and savanna habitats.