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Another year has passed and our annual report is available on our website– link in bio. We are filled with gratitude for all who work, live and play in the South Santiam, for our partners and co-conspirators, and for the critters that persist and thrive in these waters, forests and fields. Every watershed council has a few things in common: we work hard, we are passionate about what we do and where we are, and we generally like to mix in some fun as much as possible. In honor of that, we give you the Friends of the South Santiam, non-human edition. Pull up a seat– maybe that picnic table next to Roaring River in the first photo?– and enjoy some of the offbeat perks that this year held. Happy New Year!1. Picnic bench on gravel bar next to Roaring River. Large trees on far bank have yellow and orange Fall foliage. 2. A rusty metal sculpture resembling a pig. Created for target shooting, it was never used for its intended purpose so now it's art. 3. A young orange stripped cat sitting in green vegetation next to an off-channel pond. 4. A larger dog with long black, white, and tan fur walks along a row planted with small trees and shrubs in an agricultural field. A section of Hamilton Creek riparian area with mature conifers and hardwoods is in the background. 5. A brown and tan house cat sits by a laptop on a standing desk in our Director's home office. 6. Two black, white and orange butterflies alight on animal scat deposited on a green mossy log in Moose Creek. 7. A young brown goat named Jack takes a break from eating tree trimmings in dappled sunlight near Hamilton Creek. 8. An older black dog with brown eyes and a greying muzzle lays on their bed.9. Two items found along lower McDowell Creek that seemed to go together: a black, toy SUV now driven by a plastic, Caucasian male doll who happens to be extra stretchy.

By Webmaster / January 3, 2022
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Our 2021 Annual Report

By Shannon Richardson / December 30, 2021
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I’m pleased to present our 2021 annual report. We’re grateful to everyone who contributed this year, in so many different ways. Happy New Year to all of you!

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Staff were in the field yesterday (woohoo!) and got to check out the landscape-shaping impact of beaver. At this location, beaver started building with cobble-size rocks in 2014 and the landowners were sure that kids had snuck in and placed the rocks. When they started seeing other beaver sign, however, they realized that their seasonally inundated prairie and wet meadows were likely to become wetter for more of the year. Now, with a sizeable impoundment built and active lodge nearby, the landowners are delighted to have a large wetted area for waterfowl, brushy edge habitat for song birds, and improved fish habitat downstream. We love working with landowners who embrace what the watershed brings and we are so excited to see the continuing evolution here. 🦫#beaver #beaverrestoration #castorcanadensis #beaverdam #habitatrestoration Photo 1. Water flowing from a pond over a beaver dam, taken from downstream side. Green grass on the bank below the dam, dam constructed of brown wood with green, growing vegetation, against a grey sky with white clouds. Photo 2. Water flowing from a pond over a beaver dam, taken from pond side. Willows and spirea grown from the top of the dam structure. Dark water of the pond, light brown and green on the dam, grey sky. Photo 3. An active beaver lodge. Brown sticks and small logs piled into a dome shape, packed with brown mud and some green, growing vegetation. Photo 4. An expansive view of the pond backed up behind the beaver dam. Rippling dark water up to a brushy edge, grey sky with white clouds against a forested hill in the background. On the ancestral lands of the Kalapuya, Tsankupi, and Santiam peoples.

By Webmaster / December 8, 2021
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Another excellent webinar from OSU Extension coming up this week. This is the fourth in a series and each of the previous webinars is available to view from their website. This free educational program is designed to provide information for all Oregonians to be knowledgeable about fire and fire prevention practices. Link in bio!#osuextension #firewise

By Webmaster / December 6, 2021
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Live outdoor education is back! Last weekend, we got to host a table at a STEM day event hosted by the Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington at the Willamette Heritage Center. After more than a year and half, it was such a joy to see smiling faces (100% masked!) both on kids and their adults alike! Mill Creek offered some fun onsite macroinvertebrates exploration, including some very active clams. Many kids were amazed to learn that they could flip over rocks in their local creek or pond and find some critters to check out on their own. We also talked about why it's important to explore *gently* whether we're inside or streamside, and all of the lessons about stream health we can learn from aquatic organisms.1. Two white plastic tubs with water, leaves, and rocks on a table with various tools for identifying aquatic organisms. 2. A view of the exhibit hall from the location of our table. 3. Two enthusiastic young participants examining freshwater clams. 4. A video of an active freshwater clam. Many thanks to everyone who came together and made this day happen! #girlscouts #girlscoutsoforegonandswwashington #outdooreducation #macroinvertebrates #stem #willametteheritagecenter

By Webmaster / November 22, 2021
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Fall is in full effect here in the South Santiam, and the council has been busy. This is my favorite time of year to be out- it's beautiful, and each day holds the possibility of Autumn treasures. Brightly colored leaves, fungi in every direction, changed visual displays in creeks and streams as water rises and mobilizes wood and leaves. Take a quick tour through our work so far this week!Photo 1. McDowell Creek near the mouth, where it flows into the South Santiam river. Trees with yellow and orange leaves line a small creek. Photo 2. Restoration and Education Manager, Mike, holds a thermometer mid-creek.Photo 3. Restoration and Education Manager, Mike, holds a thermometer mid-creek. Mike is collecting instantaneous water temperature for calibrating the temperature logger that's deployed here. Photo 4. This resilient yew tree provides shade and nutrients, protecting the streamside and everything that lives in and around the water. Photo 5. McDowell Creek higher up in the watershed. Creek lined by trees with orange and yellow leaves and a small white bridge crossing the bridge. Photo 6. Crabtree Creek, midway up the basin. Broad creek lined by trees with yellow and orange leaves. Photo 7: A close-up of brown and cream colored fungi growing along a small tree trunk. Photo 8. Leaving our parking spot by the creek better than we found it. Mike, on the side of the road above the creek next to a car, holds a bag of trash.On the ancestral lands of the Kalapuya, Tsankupi and Santiam peoples.

By Webmaster / October 27, 2021
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New Research Suggests Thinning Treatments Can Reduce Severe Fire Risk For Years

By Mike Vernon / October 12, 2021
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Prescribed fire is an important tool for land managers seeking to reduce fuels, protect communities, and restore historic conditions in fire-prone forest types. However, due to liability issues, agency capacity, and smoke restrictions, the application of prescribed fire lags behind treatment of forests through thinning. A recent study published in Forest Ecology and Management investigated…

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ODOT is closing U.S. 20 on September 8-10 to install two culverts under the highway, between House Rock Campground and Sheep Creek. Plan ahead and allow extra time to use the signed detour routes while the road is closed. Find out more information by visiting the project webpage linked in our bio.

By Webmaster / August 23, 2021
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This is Mike. He's the one on the left, facing a group of students who want to learn more about the natural world through the lens of salmon ecology. Mike is part of a cadre of folks who meet young learners by the creek during Salmon Watch trips. He is about to share some knowledge about water quality and what it can tell us about the watery world of salmon. Is Mike prepared? Heck yes he is. How is he so good at what he does? Training.Want to be like Mike? Come to one of our upcoming Salmon Watch volunteer trainings and we'll show you how!Trainings are August 26 (Waterloo Park) and September 11 (Albany Senior Center). More information at LBSW.org and on our website– just follow the link in our bio!📸: Adult man talking to group of middle school aged students across a table that has tools for testing water quality. They are standing along a river under leafy trees.#salmonwatch #lbsw #everykidoutdoors #volunteer #outdooreducation

By Webmaster / August 11, 2021
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Build Lebanon Trails logo

BLT Poker Run: September 11, 2021

By Shannon Richardson / August 10, 2021
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This fun event will help promote existing trail use within Lebanon and raise funds for continuing trail development into the future! Participants will walk, stroll, ride, roll and trot along segments of Lebanon’s trail system, visiting “poker dealers” hosted by local businesses along the way. The event starts at 9 am, dealers are available until…

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