SALEM, Ore.-The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced $10.3 million in funding awarded to 23 projects across the state, including in Umatilla and Wallowa Counties through the Private Forest Accord Grant Program (PFA), on April 22.
“This $10 million investment is a continued step forward in conserving our state’s irreplaceable fish and wildlife resources,” said Jessica Watson, ODFW Acting Habitat Division Administrator.
The PFA is an agreement between representatives from the timber industry, the Oregon Small Woodlands Association, as well as conservation and fishing groups that was signed in 2021 and works to expand protections for fish and wildlife, while allowing for timber harvest and forest management.
PFA funding is meant to help restore spawning grounds and migratory corridors for fish and wildlife. Projects awarded funding will also work to improve water quality, remove invasive species and restore native plant communities, according to ODFW.
Projects were reviewed by the ODFW, the Oregon Department of Forestry, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and the National Marine Fisheries Service before funding was awarded.
The PFA Grant Program Advisory Committee then chose projects that aligned with the program’s goal of “providing the most conservation benefit for Oregon’s fish, amphibians, and habitat covered by the Private Forest Accord Habitat Conservation Plan.”
“The PFA Grant Program is an incredible opportunity to move the dial toward conservation and recovery for some of Oregon’s most sensitive fish and amphibians,” said Andy Spyrka, ODFW’s PFA Grant Coordinator.
Umatilla County
North Fork Walla Walla River Holistic Floodplain Restoration
The Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council was awarded $432,156 to improve salmon habitat and benefit wildlife along a 1.3-mile-long stretch of the Walla Walla River floodplain in Umatilla County.
Floods in the area, including the largest on record in 2020, have reduced native fish and wildlife habitat. According to the ODFW, the goal of the restoration project is to establish a self-sustaining ecosystem by transitioning from a single-channel flume system to a multi-threaded channel network,
Wallowa County
Phase 1: Camp Creek Wet Meadow and Aquatic Resiliency Project
Trout Unlimited was awarded $803,461 in PFA grant funding to restore 2.8 miles of stream and reconnect 30 acres of wet meadow habitat on the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve in Wallowa County.
The project will re-connect a river/wetland corridor on Camp Creek, restore the natural floodplain in the area and improve climate resilience and spawning habitat for Snake River steelhead, according to the ODFW.
“By supporting these diverse conservation projects, we continue to advance our goal to ensure a healthy environment for these species and for generations to come,” said Watson.
A full list of projects in Oregon receiving PFA funding is available online. PFA grant applications will be open again in the fall of 2025.
