Willamette Resource Education Network

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I/ EUGENE Parks and Open Space July 24, 2008 WREN A DIVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS attn: Michael Shippey President, WREN Board of Directors 1820 ROOSEVELT BLVD. EUGENE, OREGON 97402 751 S. Danebo Ave. (541) 682-4800 Eugene, OR 97402 FAX (541) 682 -4882 Re: Letter of Support for WREN — Organizational Capacity Building WWW. EUGENE-OR GOV/PARKS On behalf of the City of Eugene's Park and Open Space Division and through our commitment to the West Eugene Wetlands Partnership, I am pleased to provide this letter of support for the capacity building grant application being submitted to the Oregon Community Foundation by the Willamette Resources and Educational Network (WREN). The foundation's financial support for WREN's capacity building will directly affect WREN's ability to fulfill the growing community need for high quality field science and environmental programs. WREN is the lead partner to build and operate the West Eugene Wetlands Education Center. The City of Eugene has shown its commitment, both in the funds we have PARKS AND OPEN SPACE PLANNING contributed and plan to contribute, as well as the countless hours of ongoing staff involvement. The City will continue to provide the in -kind contribution of the time and expertise, to WREN and the planning team throughout the design and construction phase PARK OPERATIONS of the project. URBAN FORESTRY As an active partner with WREN, the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Division, along with environmental organizations, specialists in several fields, including science, education, and construction, as well as hundreds of community volunteers, have already NATURAL RESOURCES committed over a decade of time and hard work to obtaining and developing this portion of the Willamette Valley's once vast, wet prairie habitat. The City is a significant steward and co- manager of this 3,000 -acre, urban wetlands known as the West Eugene Wetlands. We work cooperatively and collaboratively with many partners, including The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Oregon Youth Conservation Corps, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Long Tom Watershed Council, and the' McKenzie River Trust for the protection and enhancement of this resource. The Plan for these wetlands is a state and national award winner, and incorporates habitat protection, a mitigation bank, stream restoration, floodplain protection, natural resource conservation, and, vitally important, community and youth education programs. We also work very closely with WREN's education team in this regard. The City shares WREN's dream for an Education Center at this site and we are excited to be a part of the creation of this tremendously important component for both school -based and community programs. It is essential to restore, protect, and preserve this natural EUGENE