Voluntary Stewardship Program Workgroup

Transcription

1 Voluntary Stewardship Program Workgroup VSP Workgroup Meeting #5 Thursday, August 11 th Location: St Mary of The Rosary Catholic Church (Event Room), Chewelah Attendees: 32 (including 6 VSP Staff), Attendance List attached Facilitators: Debra Hansen, Adam Cares Time Notes Action Items 10 mins Introductions - There were 11 Voting Committee Members present out of 12 active members (see attached attendance list). - Some suggested creating a list of Voting Committee members and their background/ affiliations. This idea will only be pursued in a way that protects the privacy of Voting Committee members. 15 mins Presentation of NRCS BMP s Dean Hellie - NRCS Best Management Practices (BMP s) are a longstanding set of standards for conservation-related practices, enhancements, and improvements. - There are 159 BMP s listed for Washington State - BMP s are listed in the Electronic Field Office Technical Guide (e-fotg) - NRCS will also accept any practice as long as an engineer signs off on it. - Ecology has its own set of BMP s. - Once certain stewardship practices are identified in our plan, the NRCS BMP s will provide a detailed and highly credible description of how a specific practice will be implemented. - We will be able to plug in relevant BMP descriptions into our plan as needed, but aren t required to use any practices in particular. The list of BMP s won t dictate what practices landowners must use, but rather lend credibility and technical detail to any voluntary practices that we do want to focus on. - Comment: the Nutrient Management BMP reads very similarly to EU Nutrient Management Directive, which was crippling for dairy industries in several European countries. - Post efotg BMP List on Website. -

2 35 mins Discussion of Ag Viability / Critical Area Interaction (#6): Livestock Production in Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas. This discussion was guided by a worksheet: Agriculture/Critical Area Interaction Matrix 6 (attached). Attendees were asked to discuss the agricultural realities surrounding this interaction, the critical area impacts, and suggested management ideas. Suggestions were typed into the Matrix by Debra Hansen as they were given. Relevant ag viability goals from a pre-defined list were listed for later reference. (See attached worksheet). - Research and organize further information on the state of fish & wildlife habitats in Stevens County. - There was some disagreement over the current state of the fish and wildlife habitats and species in Stevens County. Some members held the opinion that the habitats and waters in the county are pristine and the fish are not at all endangered, while others were more skeptical about the current state of habitats. - There was disagreement over including riparian buffer areas as a management idea, since it is such a sensitive topic. Because this was a brainstorming session, all ideas were welcomed, and riparian buffer areas were listed. - Some attendees referenced a three-year water quality study on behalf of a local rancher who allowed unrestricted access to the river showed 300% improvement in water quality after it left his ranch compared to when it entered. 40 mins Discussion of Ag Viability / Critical Area Interaction (#7): Livestock Production in Geologically Hazardous Areas This discussion was guided by a worksheet: Agriculture/Critical Area Interaction Matrix 7 (attached). - Focused on steep slopes (30% or greater). - Some attendees stated that this was not a concern, slopes were stable and generally not overgrazed. - Others stated that slope instability was a continuous problem on their property, and that keeping soil in place on slopes was a high priority. - Disagreement over whether manure runoff from steep slopes was impacting water quality further down. Questions: Are we taking an approach that state agencies will accept? Any news on the Chelan and Thurston Plans? mins Public Comment Period. - People need to know what Critical Areas are. Where are they defined? Critical Area Ordinance Chapter 13.10: Protection Regulations - Setting ourselves up for failure if we say that livestock manure runoff is contaminating water. 3 mins Planning for Next Meeting - Next VSP meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 8 th from 6:00 8:00pm. - Hope to use Catholic Church for next meeting. Complete Interaction Matrix #8: Crop Production in Geologically Hazardous areas over the next month.

3 Meeting Attendance List (Based on Sign-In Sheet) Voting Committee Members Present (11/12): (Illegible) Merritt Acheson (Illegible) Lorren Hagen Merritt Acheson René Holaday Dominique Bador Bill Lacy Susan C. (Illegible) Julie Loveall Adam Cares* Eleanor Mattice Lorren Hagen Hillary Ohm Debra Hansen* Jim Paladin Dean Hellie* Amanda Parrish René Holaday Owen Pullen Erik Johansen* Krista Stauffer Nils Johnson* Charlie Kessler* Not Present: Bill Lacy Andrew Engell (Excused) Julie Loveall Lorna Mackowiak Bob Mackowiak Eleanor Mattice Mike Mcclellan Kathy Murbach Michael Nichols Hillary Ohm Jim Paladin Amanda Parrish Tammy Petty Patti Playfair Owen Pullen Krista Stauffer Ivan Tacoma Kelly Tacoma Ann Van Dielen Diane Zeihen

4 Stevens County Agriculture and Critical Area Interactions DRAFT The following are goals for agricultural viability and critical area protection. These goals are used to guide suggested management practices in subsequent Ag/ Critical Area interaction matrices. The idea behind this is to draw clear connections between interactions and management practices and corresponding viability and protection goals. Down the road, this will back up the fact that any voluntary practices we include in our plan are in line with the VSP requirements to a) promote ag viability, and b) protect critical areas. General Agricultural Viability Goals (Based on Ag Viability Questionnaire Responses) 1. Increase the ability of agricultural operators to achieve profitable use of the land. 2. Maximize the availability of land for agricultural use. 3. Promote a simpler, more stable regulatory environment 4. Increase flexibility for agricultural operators in managing their land. 5. Focus and maximize existing voluntary incentive programs for protecting critical areas. Critical Area Protection Goals (Based on RCW 36.70A.703 (8)) 1. Protect functions and values existing as of July 22, 2011 for the following five critical areas: - Fish and Wildlife Priority Habitats and Species - Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas - Wetlands - Geologically Hazardous Areas - Frequently Flooded Areas

5 Interaction Matrix 1: Crop Production in Frequently Flooded Areas Agricultural Realities Ideas for Voluntary Actions Ag Viability Goal (#) Loss of farmable ground October May. Damage or loss of existing crops in flooded areas. Erosion of soil and washout of nutrients. - If flooding gets worse, remove obstructions from the stream (dredge). - Streambank Stabilization. - Tile, Drainage practices. Increase the ability of agricultural operators to achieve profitable use of the land (1). Maximize the availability of land for agricultural use (2). Impacts on Critical Areas Impacts on water quality due to chemical and nutrient runoff during flooding events. - Intermittent dredging with buffers in between, to direct floodwaters to specific areas. Critical Area Goal Protection of floodplain functions and values.

6 Interaction Matrix 6: Livestock Production in Fish & Wildlife Conservation Areas, i.e riparian habitats Agricultural Realities Ideas for Voluntary Actions Ag Viability Goal (#) Livestock waste interfaces with riparian habitats Waste transport and distribution into the water body Livestock needs access to water (streams) Livestock have a historical legal riparian right Everything is well-kept in Stevens County, it looks gorgeous Majority of our farms were directly built on or near creeks/streams critical areas and we can t move our farms Pasture ground to feed animals has created more opportunities for wildlife habitat and feed source Not all streams are created equal in terms of fish habitat there should be some mechanism for stream classifications Currently the fish as they are not endangered Impacts on Critical Areas During wet times of year livestock will disturb the soil which may move into the water Degraded stream banks Designated improved stream crossings. Plan and Implement grazing practices that increase the stubble height or stems per acre in riparian areas (educational resources available to land owners) Look at the number of head per acre where you have livestock interacting with riparian areas Off-creek watering & salt away Buffer riparian areas Use methods to keep cattle out of water in certain areas without fencing (rubble?) Allow full livestock drinking access in some areas. #1 Increase ability for profitable #2: Maximum availability for land #4 Increase flexibility for operators Critical Area Goal Protect and voluntarily enhance functions and values of the fish and wildlife for the five critical areas

7 Interaction Matrix 7: Livestock Production in Geologically Hazardous Areas (Steep Slopes). Agricultural Realities Ideas for Voluntary Actions Ag Viability Goal (#) A lot of the slopes only have grass on them for a short part of the year There isn t that much runoff here. Currently the grass remains not many producers run until bare Grass here is adapted to the steep slopes we have. Seasonally we have a lot of problem of moving top soil where we don t want it to be. Many cattle don t use steep slopes, but other livestock may varies on livestock and area Huge reduction in ladder fuels with grazing reduce fire danger Implement ag practices that help filter run off from the slopes Site specific grazing plans to assure adequate stubble height Maintain some trees on steeper slope; grazing within the trees; increase native plant species Stocking rates (head per acre) Walkways and pathways (NRCS) Do planning on where your gates are for entry/exit to direct cattle away from certain slopes Watering option (spring box?) on a slope to reduce travel livestock #1 #2 #3 #4 Impacts on Critical Areas Site specific impacts Soil moves with the weather Agriculture on flat areas are catching and filtering run off from slopes (positive impact). Livestock provide fertilization for plants. Fertilization could be too much in some areas Livestock create trails that contour the hillside and decrease erosion/ capture runoff (positive interaction). Critical Area Goal Protect and voluntarily enhance functions and values of geologically hazardous areas. Reduce the frequency and severity of geological feature failure events.