D6 THE REGISTER-GUARD CITY/REGION FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER 19,2' <br /> Zoo3 <br /> ' 1111‘1114.._ * ,, . <br /> *a, <br /> 1',1 A / <br /> r <br /> ,.. ,r‘ '44 , , <br /> \\ki , 411‘, V <br /> If E <br /> iiii_ , <br /> -, \,, , , I ,i <br /> - . . <br /> _ ,, <br /> ....,_ , <br /> : _ „.__, _ <br /> ,,... ...,.--,, __ - i _ , -,,... . . <br /> _:„ ..... .., :,... , , . , _ „. <br /> , . <br /> i_ _ _ - _ , ! ' -- <br /> ,` / ,...„ / <br /> r . lF <br /> KEVIN CLARK/The Register-Guard <br /> Construction equipment removes fill material on a nine-acre parcel at the corner of West 18th Avenue and Bertelsen Road. <br /> The area is being restored to a wetland prairie by various groups working through the Cooperative Conservation Initiative. <br /> Wetlands: BLM helped fund restoration <br /> Continued from Page D1 of the 89 funded projects.That Nathanson also recognized the Kincaid's lupine.Some of the <br /> illustrates how highly federal accomplishment of the public- largest known populations of <br /> host plant,Kincaid's lupine, authorities regard the local ef- private partnership. both species are found else- <br /> listed as a threatened species. fort to protect wetlands,Clarke "We plan together,we fund where on the Willow Creek site, <br /> The BLM recently contribut- said. together and we manage togeth- and the butterflies from there <br /> ed$150,000 toward the$885,000 To date,the BLM has spent er,"Nathanson said."I can't are expected to continue mi- <br /> project through the federal Co- more than$13 million to help . imagine the citizens being hap- grating to and establishing new <br /> operative Conservation Initia- buy land in the wetlands part- pier with the arrangement." populations at other newly re- <br /> tive. nership's project area,which The Willow Corner restora- stored sites in west Eugene. <br /> The agency also awarded the now covers more than 2,500 tion project is adjacent to the The Dragonfly Bend project, <br /> wetlands partnership$773,000 acres of land in various stage of 442-acre Willow Creek Natural still in the planning stages,also <br /> for a second restoration project, restoration.The partnership al- Area owned and managed by calls for restoring wetland and <br /> called Dragonfly Bend,along so includes the Army Corps of The Nature Conservancy.Both upland prairie habitat,which <br /> Amazon Creek and including a Engineers and Oregon Youth parcels are in the headwaters of was lost to farming in the 1930s. <br /> 75-acre wetland near Royal Ave- Conservation Corps. the Willow Creek watershed, In addition,restoration work- <br /> nue and Greenhill Road. "I think it's a great tribute to which encompasses most wet- ers will transform about 3,000 <br /> The combined funding repre- you folks and your vision," land sites in west Eugene. feet of Amazon Creek and the <br /> sents nearly 20 percent of all the Clarke-said."You're working Willow Corner and Willow Amazon Diversion Channel <br /> BLM's Cooperative Conserva- together to enhance quality of Creek Natural Area are consid- back to braided and meander- <br /> ikaw tion Initiative grants this year, life....Carry forward." ered critical areas for recovery ing streams with native <br /> and it's the largest single award City Councilor Nancy of Fender's blue butterfly and vegetation. <br />