East Fork Amazon Headwaters Forest Pesticide Free Parks Proposal

From Eugene Neighbors

[edit] Pesticide Free Parks Program Proposal

Southeast Neighbors Revised Proposal 2009.1110

The City of Eugene proposes that the EFAH parcel be included in the City’s Pesticide Free Parks Program (PFP). By utilizing an existing program, the City maintains consistency across the parks system, thereby reducing policy confusion for staff and the public. The program has been in existence for several years and has been a success. The goals and outcomes of the PFP program are very similar to what City staff and you discussed at the February 18th meeting.

Staff has discussed the possible addition of the EFAH parcel to the PFP program with staff from the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP). Upon your acceptance of this proposal, we will work with NCAP staff to clarify language regarding natural areas. Specifically, the City will need to include a clause in the third paragraph on the left hand side of the program’s documentation that specifies ecological integrity as the third reason (in addition to public health and safety) why the City may elect to use herbicides with proper notification. If designated a PFP, that designation would govern the City’s actions regarding pesticide use at the EFAH parcel.

NCAP is excited to work with the City and the SE Neighbors to make the EFAH parcel a model for other communities to follow in managing natural areas without the use of herbicides. Please see the attached documentation for additional information about the PFP program. You may also contact NCAP representative Shelly Conner (344-5044 x17 or sconnor@pesticide.org) or me for additional program details.

Other Components of Weed Management Strategy At our meeting on Febraury 18th, we also discussed several other elements of a potential weed management strategy that would involve the City and the SE Neighbors. Below, I outline the elements that we discussed.

REVISED:

1. The City will perform a cursory weed assessment on the property by the end of May 2009. The City will then forward information about weeds found on the site, their threat level, and control methods to Lisa Warnes, Kevin Matthews, Pat Johnston, and Samantha Chirillo for their review.
2. Following the survey, the group will meet to collaborate on any immediate management needs, management strategies for specific weeds, and how neighbors might get involved with weed management and more detailed mapping.
3. The group will begin working toward deliberate and focused volunteer weed management and mapping in the Fall/Winter of 2009.
4. SE Neighbors will investigate applying for a Neighborhood Matching grant to fund collaborative management planning, volunteer training, or other special management-related needs at the site.
5. The POS volunteer program will coordinate volunteer related activities at the park and will be involved in management planning discussions with the group. The supervisor for the POS volunteer program is Jackie Hallett (682-4844 or jackie.c.hallett@ci.eugene.or.us).
6. The Parks and Open Space Division’s Natural Resources Maintenance program will engage in collaborative management planning and decision making, including reasonable invasive control performance goals, with Southeast Neighbors for management activities.

This agreement does not pertain to State of Oregon mandated and performed pest control operations, such as control of gypsy moth. This agreement does not pertain to other management activities not related to the management of pest species on the East Fork Amazon Headwaters Property.