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0 orego, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board <br /> W <br /> Rs4014 <br /> E <br /> B dPa e4News Release <br /> L'fihaace� <br /> May 21, 2002 02-14 <br /> For Local Information:Therese Picado,Public Information Specialist,City of Eugene Parks&Open Space (541)682-4814 <br /> For OWEB Information:Kari Seely,Public Information Coordinator, (503)986-0056,email:kari.seely@state.or.us <br /> OWEB Grants $500,000 for Acquisition of West Eugene Wetlands <br /> On May 16, 2002, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board awarded $500,000 to the City of Eugene <br /> for the acquisition of 75 acres of wetlands in West Eugene. This acquisition is the work of a unique <br /> partnership between the City of Eugene, Bureau of Land Management,Army Corps of Engineers, <br /> The Nature Conservancy, Oregon Youth Conservation Corps, and Lane Council of Governments. <br /> The acquired acreage will be placed in a conservation land trust to ensure that it is maintained and <br /> preserved as wetlands. This acreage is wetland prairie, and Willamette Valley used to have <br /> approximately 49,190 acres of wetland prairie but is now represented by less than 2,090 of protected <br /> lands. <br /> The West Eugene Wetlands Partnership was formed in response to the identification of significant <br /> wetlands in the middle of Eugene's major industrial area, and strives to balance wetland protection, <br /> recreation, and urban development. Under a master land use plan,the City of Eugene has <br /> designated areas for industrial and residential development, and other areas for the protection of <br /> wetlands, providing certainty for developers, environmentalists, and regulators. <br /> All acreage purchased for conservation by the West Eugene partnership has been purchased from <br /> willing landowners who recognize the importance of protecting this land for the future. OWEB is <br /> only one of several funding participants in this acquisition. OWEB's $500,000 will be matched by <br /> $680,000 from the Bureau of Land Management,$530,000 from the North American Wetlands <br /> Conservation Act,and$250,000 from the City of Eugene's Stormwater Management section for a total <br /> of$1.96 million. <br /> The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB)was created in 1999,and is charged with <br /> funding local voluntary efforts to improve water quality and quantity, enhance habitat for critical fish <br /> runs, and restore and protect watersheds and wildlife habitat to support local economies. Funding <br /> comes from many sources, including a voter-approved 7.5 percent from lottery proceeds for the <br /> purpose of watershed restoration and protection. <br /> Fora complete listing of the grants awarded,visit OWEB's web site at:http;//www.oweb.state.or.us/news/index.shtml <br /> ##OWEB## <br /> http://www.oweb.state.or.us <br />