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• Willamette Valley - Agricultural and urban development along the Willamette River <br /> has greatly reduced river access to the natural floodplain, restricting the river to a <br /> fraction of it's historic channel area. Recent estimates suggest that approximately <br /> 1,000 of the original 136,000 acres of Willamette Valley wetland habitat remain <br /> today. Habitat created by and dependent <br /> on natural river dynamics (such as <br /> sloughs and oxbows) have been reduced <br /> L yC <br /> or eliminated. Present day river control <br /> measures prevent these habitats from <br /> iT ?x j � w > <� <br /> f � � �, ,,� � �:.�,;. .being regenerated. Native grassland and <br /> e oak savanna habitats have been <br /> 4 substantially reduced. Several listed, <br /> s�' f g proposed or candidate plant and animal <br /> + � � �� .,y� � • species occur within the Willamette <br /> Valley, their survival compromised by <br /> Wetland Habitat in the Willamette habitat degradation and Toss. <br /> Valley Has Been Substantially <br /> Reduced By a Wide Range of <br /> Development Activities (ODFW file <br /> photo) <br /> Cooperative efforts could expand upon the successful Metropolitan Greenspaces Program, <br /> developed in the Portland and Vancouver metropolitan area, to more projects in more <br /> cities. Potential actions could include linking wildlife habitat in the major urban areas with <br /> viable habitat elsewhere in the Willamette valley. Additional funds could be used to cost - <br /> share planning and implementation of projects involving protection and /or restoration of <br /> key wetland and wildlife habitats in Eugene - Springfield and other urban areas. Local <br /> governments and the private sector would be primary partners in this effort. <br /> FISCAL REQUIREMENTS <br /> The program would be results oriented, with more than two thirds of available funding used <br /> specifically to support "on the ground" restoration and recovery actions. Each dollar contributed in <br /> partnership by the Service is expected to generate more dollars and in -kind services for projects <br /> enhancing fish and wildlife resources through coordinated management. <br />