WEW Sustainable Management Strategy Implementation Plan Analysis

New Search

Manager position. The capacity to effectively manage the program in its present form will be significantly reduced. The proposed budget for 2009, BLM West Eugene Wetlands is approximately, $331,000. This amount does NOT include the GS -12 Project Manager and GS -11 Natural Resource Specialist salaries. Three of the partners in the WEW Partnership are landowner /managers; City of Eugene, The Nature Conservancy, and BLM. The BLM is the largest land manager of these three land owning partners. The City of Eugene contributes about $1.27 million on an annual basis to the WEW restoration and management, while The Nature Conservancy spends approximately $370,000 annually specifically in the WEW. BLM's role is pivotal and important to the success of all the WEW partners working together to achieve a common goal, and any future decisions should honor this partnership commitment. Implications: The WEW Plan identified either an Interpretive Center or an Environmental Education Center as a part of the 1992 vision for the WEW Project. The 1995 BLM National Environmental Education Strategy lists the WEW as one of 18 National BLM Service Centers to support environmental education within a regional area. In 1999 BLM responded to the local community request to explore the construction of an environmental education center as a complement to the National BLM EE Strategy and WEW Plan. The City of Eugene has now $2.0 pillion dedicated to the construction of this center. WREN was formed to be BLM's non - profit partner in this endeavor and has secured additional private funding for this center. Since 2002, WREN has built a stellar environmental education program to gain support to build this center in the WEW. The loss of BLM's funding to the project would jeopardize not only the non - profit partner, WREN, but the education program that has served over 22,000 students in the last 5 years. Also at risk is the success of the education center for which the stand alone federal land transfer bill was passed by Congress in 2006 with full support of the Oregon delegation. Pending verification, the current understanding is that even though BLM will be transferring the 12.5 acre education center building site to the City of Eugene, the BLM is requiring the City to provide a reciprocal transfer of land back to the BLM, this is based on a request from the Association of the O &C Counties. This is due to Section 3 of Public Law 105 -32' (Act), October 23, 1998, "No Net Loss" requires BLM to ensure a no net loss of O &C acreage on a ten -year basis. The City worked with the BLM to determine which City parcel will be coming into BLM ownership as a result of these transactions. Currently, 60% of the funds have been secured for Phase 1 of the education center construction project which is short approximately $1.6 million. ,SPECIFIC REQUEST- Create a Sustainable Management Strategy The Eugene District requests the immediate assistance of the OR/WA State Office (OSO) in helping to scope out future alternatives and opportunities for the WEW program. Specifically, the Eugene District requests administrative support to create a sustainable management strategy, and appropriate staff to participate in strategy discussions, (including SO briefings). The process of developing the Sustainable Management Strategy will be transparent and include internal and external stakeholders. Information will be shared throughout the process to ensure effective communication. The outcome of this effort will guide and enable the WEW to become completely financially sustainable within five years The Sustainable Management Strategy will: 1. Evaluate internal and external funding options 2. Evaluate capacity and need 3. Explore funding, management, and ownership options 4. Develop an exit strategy (from BLM Eugene District base funding) that honors commitments, and enables the WEW to continue to function sustainably