KWSO News 5/9/19

Warm Springs Tribal Council is advertising the following committee vacancies – six positions tribal member positions on both the Culture & Heritage Committee and the Fish & Wildlife Committee. And, three tribal member positions on each of the following committees: Education, Health & Welfare, Land Use Planning, Range Irrigation & Agriculture and Timber. Letters of interest and resumes are due to Secretary-Treasurer/CEO Michele Stacona no later than 5pm on June 7^th.

National park and Yurok Tribal officials are seeking public comment on a project to reintroduce California condors to the area as the plan enters its final stages. The public will be asked to provide input on a National Environmental Policy Act document related to a proposed release site in Yurok Country, according to a press release. The NEPA review, which began January 2017 is the last stage of the permitting process before condors can be reintroduced, according to the press release. The Yurok Tribe has spearheaded efforts to reintroduce the largest North American flying bird to its ancestral territory after receiving a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2008. It has since partnered with Redwood National Park, Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies in the reintroduction effort. At a U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in March, Yurok Tribal Chairman Joseph James said California condor reintroduction efforts could be realized as early as this fall. As of 2017, there were 450 birds, half of which were wild. Breeding facilities for the California condor include the Oregon Zoo and a Peregrine Fund site in Idaho.

As summer approaches, the Oregon Health Authority reminds people heading outdoors to be on the lookout for toxin-producing cyanobacterial blooms in lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Many blooms are harmless, but under the right conditions — when weather, sunlight, water temperature, nutrients and water chemistry are ideal — they can produce cyanotoxins that make people and animals sick. Since only a fraction of Oregon’s fresh waters are monitored, OHA suggests people stay out of the water if it looks foamy, scummy, thick like paint and pea-green, blue-green or brownish-red in color. Children and pets are particularly sensitive to illness.

Portland General Electric and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs will host the 25th annual Pelton Round Butte Fisheries Workshop July 17-18 at the Riverhouse Convention Center in Bend. The event has rescheduled it this year to July so they can share the complete results of a multi-year Water Quality Study. Registration is required by July 5^th and is open to the public.

It’s that time of year for homeowners to make sure their homes are protected from wildfire. Defensible space around homes before fire strikes this summer could be critical. Oregon State Fire Marshal Jim Walker says “The roof is the most critical part of the house when it comes to wildfire protection.” “Embers can collect and ignite on the roof, in gutters and enter unscreened openings around the house.” He says, “keep roofs, gutters and eaves clear of all leaves, pine needles and other flammable debris.” To reduce the risk, fire officials suggest removing dead vegetation a minimum of 30 feet around your house and other structures. In most cases, trees and healthy plants do not need to be removed. However, trees should be pruned and grass kept short and green to keep fire on the ground and more manageable by fire crews.