On January 12th, 2023 the Lower Nehalem Watershed Council will be hosting both their Annual Meeting and a presentation w/ Andy Bluhm, OSU’s Associate Program Director of the Hardwood Silviculture Cooperative, who will share new insight into a common tree in the Nehalem Watershed, the red alder.
The LNWC’s Annual Meeting will start at 5 pm. The Annual Meeting consists of board elections, selection of board officers, and the Annual Report. All members are welcome to attend to vote in board elections. The Annual Report will be a summary of council activities in 2022 including progress reports on restoration designs, planting projects, and regional collaborations. It’s been a busy year for the council so we hope you’ll come early to learn about what we’ve been up to.
Andy Bluhm’s presentation on red alder will begin at 7 pm. This presentation will introduce the characteristics of red alder and summarize the ecological role that red alder plays in the Oregon Coast Range. We’ll look at how red alder fits into the big picture of PNW ecosystems then examine the red alder’s effect on diversity, site productivity, community resiliency, and ecosystem function. Specific emphasis will be placed on the function red alder has in riparian systems and it’s influence on riparian communities.
In addition to a B.S. in Forestry from the University of Minnesota and an M.S. in Forest Ecology/Silviculture from the University of Georgia, Andy has spent the last 20 years at OSU as the Associate Program Director of the Hardwood Silviculture Cooperative- focusing on the biology and management of red alder. Other research projects at OSU have included directing the red alder management program for the OSU College Forests, managing a long-term study on alternative silvicultural practices, installing and measuring a Swiss Needle Cast research plot network, and coordinating the PNW Permanent Sample Plot network. His main duties include everything from education and outreach, data collection to growth and yield modeling and everything in between. In his free time, he enjoys exploring PNW old-growth forests in pursuit of big trees.
Andy is an expert on this foundational tree in our watershed and will have a wealth of information to share with us. Hopefully, everyone will walk away from this talk with a new appreciation for Red Alders and the roles they play in the Nehalem.
Both the Annual Meeting and the presentation will be hosted on Zoom and are free to the public. The zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83650617243 or on the Faceboook event at www.facebook.com/lnwc1. You can also contact the watershed council at info@nehalemwatershed.org. A recording of this presentation will also be posted on the LNWC’s YouTube channel with our other recorded presentations. Just search for “Lower Nehalem Watershed Council” on YouTube.
Event Information: This event is FREE and open to the public. Find more information on our speaker series and the links for access on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/lnwc1).
Time & Agenda:
5:00 PM LNWC Annual Meeting
5:30 PM LNWC Year in Review
7:00 PM Role of Red Alder in the Oregon Coast Range w/ Andy Bluhm
8:30 PM Adjourn