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savannas; selective thinning to release individual open -grown oaks and pine; and removal of <br /> conifers from oak woodland areas to prevent overtopping. <br /> • Species - specific habitat management: Manage specific habitat features for special status <br /> species. Examples include standing snags, bare soil patches, host plants, and other <br /> attributes that provide key structural or functional elements required by target species. <br /> D. Implement habitat management demonstration projects (on public, land trust, or private lands) <br /> as a way to test and showcase management approaches. Demonstration projects should be <br /> well documented and monitored for success so they can be studied and the results clearly <br /> articulated to land managers, property owners, elected officials, and the public. <br /> E. Improve in- stream habitat for native fish, reptiles, and amphibians in and along ridgeline area <br /> waterways. Enhancement techniques would include creating channel complexity (pools, <br /> meanders); adding side channels where feasible; introducing structure (logs and root wads); <br /> and fencing livestock out of waterways. Significant potential for habitat enhancements of this <br /> type exist along Spencer Creek, Coyote Creek, and Amazon Creek. <br /> F. Remove obstructions to fish passage where they exist along perennial streams. This would <br /> include replacing culverts that are not fish friendly with box culverts or bridges and removing in- <br /> channel ponds (with dams that restrict block fish passage). <br /> G. Increase capacity and experience with habitat management within the ridgeline partnership in <br /> an effort to continue to improve the success of habitat management techniques and reduce their <br /> cost. Partner with other land management agencies and universities to continue to refine <br /> habitat management techniques. <br /> H. Work with recreational providers to ensure that recreational uses do not negatively impact <br /> important habitat areas. Where impacts are occurring, consider actions such as relocating <br /> recreational facilities and trails; seasonal closures; signage; or fencing (wildlife friendly). <br /> I. Work cooperatively with the Bonneville Power Administration to manage their power easements <br /> in a way that improves habitat conditions in those areas. This would include controlling exotic <br /> vegetation, managing special habitat features, and re- vegetating waterway corridors. Because <br /> taller vegetation typically must be removed from power easements, opportunities exist to <br /> manage these areas for native prairie and shrub communities. <br /> J. Develop and implement qualitative and quantitative monitoring programs for natural areas to <br /> identify emerging issues and track the effectiveness of management and enhancement efforts. <br /> Use adaptive management principles to adjust management and enhancement practices as <br /> needed. Examples of monitoring efforts could include vegetation plots, photo - points, <br /> inventories, survival and /or cover data as well as qualitative evaluations. <br /> K. Identify and preserve special habitat features that provide structure and function that are <br /> important to threatened /rare species, keystone species, important species guilds, and other <br /> target species (i.e. snags for cavity nesters, light for Aster vialis, nectar /host plants for Fender's <br /> blue butterfly, etc.). <br /> Goal 3: Funding for Habitat Management <br /> Ensure that sufficient funds for operations and maintenance are available to adequately maintain key <br /> habitat areas in public, land trust, and private ownership. <br /> Recommended Actions and Strategies: <br /> A. An operations and maintenance funding strategy should be developed for each new site that is <br /> brought into public or land trust ownership to ensure that these lands can be properly managed <br /> over the long -term. Many of the state and federal land management agencies could be <br /> available to assist with, or help fund, ongoing operations and maintenance. Another option <br /> could be modeled after land trusts such as The Nature Conservancy and the McKenzie River <br /> Trust, which often set up endowments to pay for Tong -term maintenance at the time of purchase. <br /> B. In an effort to reduce initial site management costs of newly acquired properties, attempt to <br /> incorporate basic site improvements as a condition of purchase. This could include activities <br /> such as disposal of slash piles, culvert repair, debris removal, and road removal. <br /> 3 <br />