{"id":18470,"date":"2010-09-22T16:29:39","date_gmt":"2010-09-22T16:29:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/162.217.168.59\/?p=18470"},"modified":"2023-03-22T17:04:40","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T21:04:40","slug":"portblakelyconservationresearchaward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/portblakelyconservationresearchaward\/","title":{"rendered":"Port Blakely Earns SFI Conservation Research Award"},"content":{"rendered":"

VANCOUVER, British Columbia \u2013 Port Blakely Tree Farms received the Sustainable\u00a0Forestry Initiative\u00ae (SFI\u00ae) Conservation Leadership Award for Biodiversity Research today\u00a0for its participation in a cooperative project to reintroduce endangered Oregon spotted frogs\u00a0to their former historic range.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty years ago, a population of Oregon spotted frogs was discovered on one of Port\u00a0Blakely\u2019s properties in Washington state,\u201d SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said\u00a0when presenting the award at the 2010 SFI Annual Conference. \u201cSince then, the company\u00a0has worked closely with state and federal agencies, conservation groups and universities on\u00a0reintroduction and research activities to facilitate the recovery of this state endangered\u00a0species.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Blake Murden, Port Blakely\u2019s director of wildlife and fisheries, said the Oregon spotted\u00a0frog population on company property south of Olympia is the only known viable\u00a0population on commercial forestland. \u201cLike our partners, we are determined to help the\u00a0frogs recover and keep them off the federal endangered species list,\u201d he said. \u201cPort\u00a0Blakely\u2019s involvement in the conservation and recovery of this species shows it is possible\u00a0to enhance wildlife habitat while supporting profitable and sustainable timber production.\u201d<\/p>\n

The reintroduction project involves taking frog eggs from three locations, including Port\u00a0Blakely\u2019s property, raising the frogs at regional zoos, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and\u00a0Cedar Creek Corrections Center, and then releasing them at Fort Lewis Military\u00a0Reservation in Washington state.<\/p>\n

\u201cPort Blakely Tree Farms has been a pivotal conservation partner in a multi-state effort\u00a0focused on conservation of the Oregon spotted frog,\u201d said Dr. Marc P. Hayes, senior\u00a0research scientist in the habitat division of the Washington Department of Fish and\u00a0Wildlife, which is leading many of the recovery efforts. \u201cThe company is instrumental in\u00a0providing important research design assistance and support to studies addressing habitat\u00a0enhancement for the species.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to Port Blakely Tree Farms and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, other\u00a0partners involved in the recovery efforts include Washington Department of Natural\u00a0Resources, U.S. Army, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park,\u00a0Oregon Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo, University of Washington, The Evergreen State College,\u00a0Washington Department of Transportation and The Nature Conservancy of Washington.<\/p>\n

SFI Inc. manages the largest single forest certification standard in the world, and is unique\u00a0among independent third-party forest certification programs in that it includes research as\u00a0one of its standard requirements. Since 1995, SFI program participants have contributed\u00a0more than $1.1 billion for research activities that improve the health, productivity and\u00a0responsible management of forest resources. The SFI conservation leadership award was\u00a0introduced in 2007 to recognize projects with strong partnerships that achieve ongoing and\u00a0far-reaching benefits.<\/p>\n

In addition to the SFI award, Port Blakely Tree Farms received a 2010 Environmental\u00a0Excellence Award from the Association of Washington Business for a voluntary safe\u00a0harbor agreement in Washington state, which calls on the company to voluntarily enhance\u00a0thousands of acres of habitat for two federally listed wildlife species \u2013 the northern spotted\u00a0owl and marbled murrelet \u2013 in exchange for assurances against future regulatory\u00a0restrictions.<\/p>\n

BACKGROUNDER<\/strong><\/p>\n

RECOVERY OF THE OREGON SPOTTED FROG
\n<\/strong>The Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) became an endangered species under Washington\u00a0state law in 1997, and is a candidate species for federal listing. Historically, the frogs were\u00a0found within Washington state from the Canadian border south to the Columbia River near\u00a0Vancouver, and east along the lower slopes of the Cascade Mountains. Loss of wetland\u00a0habitat, introduced predators, such as the American bullfrog, and disease appear to have\u00a0contributed to the decline of the Oregon spotted frog. Many wetlands within their historical\u00a0range have been drained, filled, developed or severely altered.<\/p>\n

In 1990, a remnant population of Oregon spotted frogs was found on Port Blakely Tree\u00a0Farms property southwest of Olympia \u2013 the only known viable population on commercial\u00a0forestland. The company has collaborated with state agencies to better understand the\u00a0species, its breeding success and its habitat requirements.<\/p>\n

Port Blakely has been part of a project aimed at reintroducing the frogs to their former\u00a0historic range and establishing self-sustaining wild populations. Frog eggs were taken from\u00a0three locations, including company property, raised at regional zoos or the Northwest Trek\u00a0Wildlife Park, and then released at the Fort Lewis Military Reservation. The frogs were\u00a0measured and weighed; and this data was analyzed to determine trends in growth rates and\u00a0locations. They were also tagged for future monitoring by injecting a dye that is visible\u00a0under ultraviolet light into the left hind limb.<\/p>\n

Port Blakely is also involved in research to study the impact of cattle grazing on frog\u00a0breeding areas. The company had leased the area for cattle grazing and when the cattle\u00a0were removed in 2006, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), an exotic invasive\u00a0species, began choking the open seasonal pools where the frogs laid their eggs. Port\u00a0Blakely has invited a rancher to graze cattle on the site in an effort to maintain and enhance\u00a0the traditional breeding sites.<\/p>\n

In addition to Port Blakely Tree Farms, the projects, led by Washington Department of Fish\u00a0and Wildlife, involve many partners, including Washington Department of Natural\u00a0Resources, U.S. Army, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park,\u00a0Oregon Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo, University of Washington, The Evergreen State College,\u00a0Washington Department of Transportation and The Nature Conservancy of Washington.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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