Thursday, March 8, 2012

COQUILLE VALLEY WETLANDS FIRE SALE





It’s a done deal.  The Coquille Valley flood plain (Winter Lake) is going to be bought for Oregon Department of Fish and Game for permanent wetland protection, conservation, and restoration projects.  Or until the next overdue magnitude 9 subduction earthquake re-adjusts the surface geomorphology.

Up to ‘approximately 3,000 acres of lowlands’ of the ‘larger initiative’ will be acquired for the land set aside for ODF&W.  The federal ‘National Coastal Wetlands conservation grant program’ proposal seems to be a done deal.  The ‘primary partners:  Nature Conservancy, Oregon Depart of fish and Game and other groups such as Doris duke Charitable Foundation, FWS, OWEB, TNC, Coquille Tribe, Coquille High School, Bandon High School and Ducks Unlimited have agreed to participate in the land purchase (at approximately $4,028 per acre).

Granted, the actions of Fish and Game will improve local fish production (and bird watching) that provides more money for the local economy (some estimates set about $400.00 per pound for salmon caught by ‘local’ fishermen/women).  Most of the animals, birds, fish and people will benefit.  So will fish eating populations like seals, cormorants, etc. also benefit from eating the salmon?

The ‘benefits to coastal – dependant or migratory birds’ list of 80 or so birds failed to list starlings or cormorants, I guess their populations will not be increased.  As a blueberry grower, I’m always interested in robin populations to increase as they just love our berries!  Maybe some crop damage could be mitigated with money?

There are at least two major concerns about this great plan.  The first is: how about the harm to local farmers who can’t possible afford the cost of summer feed for the cattle, sheep, goats, etc. caused by no source of summer pasture.  The uplands graised by live stock can’t support ‘pasture feed’ livestock during dry summer months.

The second concern of mine is call salt water intrusion.  A study (get it on line – Coquille River Salt water intrusion) already shows salt water intrusion 41 miles up the Coquille river.  What is going to happen to the Coquille Valley fresh water sources if it is made easier for salt water intrusion to take place?

It would be a lot cheaper to let climate change (warmer) raise sea water intrusion into the Coquille Valley as a more ‘natural’ cycle warming trend.  Of course if the great earthquake causes the Coquille River, wetlands to drop more, problem solved.  Coquille River Valley is now classified as a drowned river valley, so it drowns even more.   The ‘normal’ geological time scale is that ‘wetlands’ usually fill in by sedimentation and become great pasture/farm land.  But who are we to stop progress or retrogression even if it is temporary – so is life.

As for Pacific coast salmon, the main problem is that they are old non-adaptive DNA.  That is to say most pacific coast salmon spawn only one time and die.  What a waste.  How about breeding Pacific coast salmon with Atlantic coastal salmon that spawn 2, 3, or 4 times before they die?  They are much more able to adapt (more generations) to earth changes! 

It’s all about the money.