CRM PUTTING CONSERVATION ON THE GROUND

Examples of Successful CRM Planning

Coordinated Resource Management (CRM) is a planning process designed to achieve compatibility between natural resources uses. Local stakeholders with diverse interests voluntarily work together in a consensus based, collaborative effort to improve land and water resources. The CRM process is successful in reaching solutions where there is conflict in the resource management of agriculture, fish and wildlife habitat, forage production and use, forest products, recreation and land development. The following few examples illustrate on-the ground results by landowners and other interests using the CRM planning process.

Klickitat County

Issue: Diverse ownership and objectives created timber and grazing management problems for ranchers, large and small forestland owners, agencies and the Yakama Tribe.

Conservation Activities:

• Development of 30 springs for watering cattle,
• 50 miles of fence installed to protect riparian areas,
• 100,000 acres of tree planting (including industrial forest owners),
• 150,000 acres of improved forest grazing practices,
• 100 miles of improved stream riparian areas. Additional treatments are planned for 2003-2005.

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Okanogan County

Issue: Managing grazing on state, private, federal and tribal owned land. More than 25 CRM plans have been developed within the county, addressing 650,000 acres of grazing land. Resource issues include anadromous fish passage, irrigation water management, livestock grazing management, and cultural plants.

Conservation Activities:

• 30,000 native hardwood trees and shrubs planted,
• 73 miles of fence improving mgmt. of riparian areas,
• 6 cultural sites planted on tribal land for food and medicine,
• 372,041 acres of improved grazing management,
• 27 water developments for livestock watering outside of the stream corridors.

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Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties

Issues: Four CRM plans covering 188,000 acres. Resource issues include Lake eutrophication, road sediment entering streams, fish passage barriers, streambank erosion, mass wasting of forested slopes, road maintenance practices and water quality issues.

Conservation Activities:

• 22 riparian projects improving four miles of stream,
• Large woody debris placed in 2 miles of stream,
• Two bioengineering stream projects protecting 900 feet of streambank,
• 15 culverts installed to improve fish passage allowing access to 20 miles of additional spawning areas,
• Several miles of road cuts seeded and stabilized,
• 15 mass wasting sites treated,
• Change in road maintenance practices by 3 industrial forest companies eliminating sediment from streams.