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| State Land Board gives 2004 Wetland Award to Port of Portland Project |
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| 04/12/2005 |
Vanport Wetlands project enhanced 60-acre wetland
The State Land Board today presented the 2004 Wetland Project Award to the Port of Portland for their 60-acre Vanport Wetlands, a mitigation site on the northwest fringe of Portland.
The Port of Portland enhanced a 60-acre wetland and 30 acres of upland within a 90-acre parcel near the Portland International Raceway and Expo Center to mitigate for impacts to wetlands from development at nearby port properties. Site preparation started in 1999, and construction began in 2001 with planting completed in 2003 at the highly visible area west of Interstate 5, known for seven decades as the KGW Radio Towers site.
The port paid $5.5 million for the property—the price of comparable industrial land at the time. “We could have purchased many smaller, isolated, less costly parcels,” said Bill Wyatt, executive director of the Port of Portland. “However, in keeping with our stewardship goals, we opted to add this large parcel to the string of open areas to form a long, protected piece of wildlife habitat within the very urbanized metropolitan area.”
The area adds to a large continuous corridor with Force, Smith and Bybee lakes and the Columbia Slough systems to the west. The project involved changing water level and flow, controlling noxious weeds and replanting the area with native plants. “One of the biggest challenges was to deal with a 20-acre plot covered with blackberries,” said Carrie Butler, the Port’s wetland mitigation site specialist. Crews mowed, disked and sprayed herbicides before planting a mixture of sterile wheat grass and native plants. “I was surprised at the success of these approaches,” Butler said.
Acres of reed canarygrass also confronted the planners. Port staff flooded some locations and raised water levels to discourage the invasive species – a technique that had been used on few other projects on such a large scale. “We mowed, disked, sprayed and flooded the area repeatedly,” she noted. “We learned we had to be persistent with these efforts,” she added. As a result of the success, the port and other organizations are using the site as a research area for controlling invasive plant species.
Crews also placed 100 logs and root wads throughout the site to provide habitat for reptiles and amphibians. A new habitat project includes the construction of a Cliff Swallow nesting structure near the old Radio Towers building which was demolished last year.These efforts have greatly increased the population of birds and other wildlife. “This is the most satisfying part of the work for me,” Butler said, reporting that more than 100 species of birds and other wildlife are using the area for feeding, breeding and nesting. She’s seen ruddy ducks, pied billed grebes and American coots. The recent presence of predator birds such as falcons, hawks and eagles, confirms there’s a significant waterfowl presence, she added. Observers have seen salamanders, frogs, snakes and muskrats, too.
While the area is not publicly accessible, it’s so visible in this urban and industrial environment that people are drawn to it and want to know about it. In response, the port plans to erect some interpretive signs near the site in the future.
Besides port staff, the environmental consulting firm of Fishman Environmental Services/SWCA worked to plan, design and monitor the project.
The State Land Board Awards were created in 2003 to promote and recognize responsible, sustainable stewardship of natural resources. To be eligible, stream and wetland projects must have received a Removal-Fill Permit from the Oregon Department of State Lands and must meet or exceed all permit conditions. Committees of DSL staff members, Land Board assistants and representatives of natural resources organizations select winners. Nominations are due each January for the preceding year.
The State Land Board consists of Governor Theodore Kulongoski, Secretary of State Bill Bradbury and Treasurer Randall Edwards.
05-28
For more information:
Monte Turner
503.378.3805 x247
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