Tag Archives: Oregon Sea Grant

A Retrospective Impact Analysis: Coastal Restoration in Tillamook, Oregon

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Posted on behalf of Alyssa Purslow

Hi Everyone,

Alyssa here with some updates on what I’ve been working on this summer. It’s been a busy time as I completed my Professional Science Master’s degree and successfully defended my research with Tillamook Estuaries Partnership and Oregon Sea Grant.

My report, A Retrospective Impact Analysis: Coastal Restoration in Tillamook, Oregon, focused on three key research questions:

  1. How does the long-term effectiveness and monitoring of restoration efforts highlight the need for continued funding, especially in climate-vulnerable, ecologically important, and economically productive areas like Tillamook County?
  2. How can we assess whether restoration funding was used effectively, and what evidence supports ongoing investment in these projects?
  3. Where is the funding sourced, and how is it being used to benefit Oregon’s economy and job prospects in Tillamook County?

The need for restoration in this region is largely due to factors such as drained and diked wetlands, river levees in floodplains, the Tillamook Burn and subsequent fires, intensive logging, and the impacts of natural resource industries like dairy, forestry, fishing, and tourism. Public infrastructure development and the removal of in-stream large wood debris for navigation have also contributed to these challenges.

Some of the observed effects in the area include sea level rise, ocean acidification, water pollution, significant flooding, erosion, landslides, habitat fragmentation, loss of biodiversity, invasive species, and depleted fish stocks.

To address these issues, I developed a set of field metrics to capture key observations, and I matched historical and current photopoints to show the long-term effects of restoration—one of my favorites being a 1942 photo from Mapes Creek with a bridge to culvert to bridge infrastructure change over an 82 year span.

Additionally, I conducted a funding analysis for each site, including details on project type, partners and collaborators, cash and in-kind contributions, jobs created, and overall economic output. I have an example below of the Cruiser Creek funding analysis. Direct effects refer to jobs and outputs from restoration project implementation, indirect effects involve economic contributions from materials and services used in the projects, and induced effects capture the broader economic impact as workers spend their earnings on goods and services in the local economy.

In total, the combine efforts across the 11 sites resulted in 53 jobs created and an economic output of $7.8 million, with more than 17 miles of previously inaccessible habitat reopened for spawning and rearing. For every $1 spent, TEP leveraged $2.24—demonstrating a strong return on investment. These projects successfully met the objectives of agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), and National Ocean Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), contributing to salmon recovery and habitat enhancement.

The purpose of this study was to support marketing, community awareness, and legislative communication, while providing metrics and templates for local projects. It also aimed to show the success of the National Estuary Program (NEP), continue funding efforts, and support science communication and community education through organizations like Tillamook Estuaries Partnership, Oregon Sea Grant, and the EPA.

Thanks for following along, and I’ll keep you posted on future developments!

Discover Oregon Seafood Tours

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Hello again!

Discover Oregon Seafood Tours have kicked off. We began in Port Orford and have put on tours in Brookings, Charleston and Garibaldi. Each port is unique in its layout, economics, and catch – and it’s been a fun challenge to figure out how to highlight that during each tour.

Though we can’t guarantee one can buy fish off the dock, we scheduled these Discover Oregon Seafood tours with an intent to increase the chances of overlapping with albacore tuna season. If we were lucky we would have vessels selling direct to consumers, and lucky we were. Port Orford, Charleston, and Brookings all have vessels selling off the boat, and it’s an invaluable educational opportunity to be able to point out where tour attendees can purchase locally sourced seafood. Direct marketing is an instance where you can know where your seafood comes from, and we encourage tour attendees to come back to these vessels after the tour to purchase seafood.

Our tour attendees have been engaged and equipped with thoughtful questions and insights into the specific port the program’s taking place in. At times, a group gets a chance to talk with a fisherman face to face. It’s clear that being able to hear from an industry professional is one of the most interesting parts of their tour experience. Seeing that connection being fostered is really fulfilling. I’ve enjoyed being able to interface with so many different people and perspectives as I continue to lead these tours.

Discover Oregon Seafood Tours are a series of pilot programs, so ironing out the kinks is to be expected. What I learn from any missteps will be helpful for program improvement in the following years. As these tours continue, I am sure they will continue to become more and more streamlined. The last tours of the season will occur during Labor Day weekend, and end for the summer in Garibaldi on September 13th.

I hope to see you there!

Meet Alyssa Purslow, a 2024 Natural Resource Policy Fellow

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Hi all,

My name is Alyssa Purslow, and I am currently serving as a 2024 Natural Resource Policy Fellow, working as a Restoration Project Impact Analyst for Coastal Watersheds with the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership (TEP). Located at the Port of Garibaldi, TEP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to conserving and restoring tidal wetlands. Our goals include building habitats, reducing flooding, reviving salmon and other native fish populations, supporting the restoration and growth of native plants, and providing education and public outreach to the local community.If you would like to learn more, please visit our website or social media pages listed below.

In Tillamook County, healthy estuaries are vital to the local economy and community. TEP is committed to improving watershed health through scientific methods and community involvement. Our mission emphasizes the importance of clean water in rivers, streams, and bays for current and future generations. As a grassroots, non-profit organization, we focus on estuarine restoration, monitoring, and education. Recognized nationally, we operate under a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), supported by partners, volunteers, and board members.

As the Oregon Sea Grant fellow, my role at TEP focuses on visiting and assessing post-implementation restoration, fish passage, and riparian area treatments in Tillamook County. I started with TEP remotely from the Bay Area in California, and for the past three months, I have been temporarily living on the Northern Oregon Coast to visit post-implementation sites. Of the 11 sites listed, I have visited 8, with the last 3 planned for the next two weeks. After completing these visits, I will return to the Bay Area and finish the rest of the work remotely.

I am currently visiting and documenting the success of these projects, which range from 5 to 20 years post-implementation. The sites span 5 watersheds: Tillamook, Trask, Nestucca, Kilchis, and Sand Lake-Frontal Pacific Ocean, 8 sub-watersheds: Middle Fork North Fork Trask River, Upper Tillamook River, Nestucca River, Beaver Creek, Farmer Creek-Nestucca River, Elk Creek-Nestucca River, Little South Fork Kilchis River, and Netarts Bay-Frontal Pacific Ocean, and 11 creeks: Cruiser Creek, Fawcett Creek, Killam Creek, Smith Creek, E. Beaver Creek, Wolfe Creek, Hawk Creek, Maps Creek, and Jackson Creek.

I look forward to posting my progress as I continue to work through the fellowship.

2024 Natural Resource Policy Fellow, Alyssa Purslow

Cheers!

Alyssa

Website & Social Media Links

Tillamook Estuaries Partnership (tbnep.org)

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Introducing Natural Resource Policy Fellow Maddie Foley

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Hi everyone!

I’m Maddie Foley, a fellow in the Natural Resource and Policy Fellowship working with Oregon Sea Grant to expand educational programs centered around the commercial fishing industry. Graduating with a Master’s in Biological Oceanography with a focus on the movement ecology of gulls from Stony Brook University, I found myself drawn to a more policy – oriented career path. Subsequently, I made my way back to the West Coast.

I’m passionate about science communication, accessibility, and sustainability. I believe that one of the greatest ways someone can contribute to sustainability is through their purchasing choices as a consumer. By purchasing from local sources of seafood, you’re supporting an industry that is geared towards sustainability and the people who make plating a fish possible. Knowing where food comes from and understanding the effort that goes into providing it is something that gives me feeling of confidence in what I choose to eat and respect to the environment that provided it. I aim to carry that feeling into my work, more specifically the pilot programs I, Jamie Doyle, Amanda Gladics, and Angee Doerr will be premiering in Charleston, Port Orford, and Brookings. I’m very excited to pilot and lead some tours myself, and can’t wait to see how our pilot programs go.

Discover Oregon Seafood tours are aimed towards anyone who has an interest in learning more about their local seafood industry and the people who are a part of it. Shop at the Dock tours that run in Newport, Oregon during the summer months provided the framework for Discover Oregon Seafood’s tours. The goal is to educate both locals and tourists on where and how they can buy fish when it’s being sold off the docks, how the gear that catches their fish works, and how the fishery itself is managed. If we’re lucky, we’ll be able to chat with a local fishermen, and hear firsthand about the human dimension of commercial fishing! Shop at the Dock will be continuing in Newport and returning to Garibaldi this summer, along with our pilot programs. Dates for Discover Oregon Seafood tours and Shop at the Dock will be announced soon – so keep an eye out!

Fishing boats in Newport, OR.

Natural Resources in the Context of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians

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 Posted on behalf of Kayla Stevenson

Hello again from Seattle! My work with the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians (CTCLUSI) is steadily making progress. In early April, I drove down to Coos Bay to host a writing workshop with the Department of Culture and Natural Resources staff for my work on the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment. I had prepared topics for us to discuss but left it open to address any issues or complexities that arose relevant to the framing of the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment. The workshop allowed for in-person discussions and problem-solving and revealed new issues to consider, which I discuss below. 

Something that came up during the workshop was how the area of interest for the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians spans across multiple geographies and encompasses diverse ecosystems, each with its own set of vulnerabilities. In the development of the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, it became clear that I needed to consider the interconnectedness of environmental issues across ecosystems.

Salmon in the Pacific Northwest is an example of the complexity of natural resources that span multiple geographies. As an anadromous species, salmon traverse various ecosystems during their life cycle and therefore need to be included at multiple points in the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment. This led to another question during the workshop: what is the best way to categorize and organize a vulnerability assessment? We looked at different examples from other northwest Tribes and realized that, for the unique context of CTCLUSI, the assessment needed to serve multiple purposes, including a vulnerability assessment of not only natural resources but also how CTCLUSI properties will be exposed to climate change impacts. That said, it became clear that the assessment needed to consider damage protection and resource conservation. How do we safeguard Tribal properties and economic assets while mitigating future vulnerabilities? This necessitated a nuanced approach, considering both immediate concerns and long-term sustainability goals. Related to long-term sustainability goals came the question of how to approach climate modeling in the report. During the workshop, we talked about intergenerational responsibility, specifically from the perspective of planning for the next seven generations. 

One of the main takeaways from the workshop was recognizing the importance of a holistic approach to climate change vulnerability and adaptation. This work requires comprehensive strategies that integrate traditional knowledge with scientific research, braiding knowledge to navigate environmental challenges. The workshop served as a crucial step in understanding the complexities of Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment in the context of CTCLUSI and a way to reflect on methodologies for designing climate change adaptation documents.

Introducing Isaac Olson

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I recently completed my time as an undergraduate at the University of Washington, where I studied Oceanography and Environmental Studies. Throughout my college career, I have studied a variety of coastal anthropogenic stressors, including ocean acidification (OA), harmful algal blooms, and microplastics. Communication, environmental justice, and diversity, equity, and inclusion principles are central tenets of both my research and community work. Recently, I interned with NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program, helping create a variety of regionalized OA communication and education materials as a Hollings Scholar.

This summer, I will be interning with the Oregon Coastal & Ocean Information Network (OCOIN), a partnership between Portland State University, Oregon State University, Oregon’s Coastal and Marine Data Network, and Oregon Coastal Management Program. Specifically, I will work to enhance the Oregon coastal and ocean information-policy network through a variety of outreach and tech-support projects, including by contributing to OCOIN’s outreach materials, research platform, and website. There will be a focus on equitable data sharing and sovereignty, something particularly exciting to me as a proponent of increased diversity and justice in the geosciences.

Enjoying sunrise in Anchorage, Alaska

Introducing Rana Almassmoum

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Posted on behalf of Rana Almassmoum

My name is Rana and I am a junior studying marine studies with a minor in natural resources at Oregon State University. I am from Saudi Arabia but moved to Oregon for school a few years ago. Having spent my whole life along the coast, the ocean has always held a special place in my heart. I have fond memories of exploring the tide pools, fishing, and gazing out at the endless ocean horizon. Eventually, those memories inspired me to come to OSU, hoping to learn more about coastal studies in a different region. Given the global threats facing our coasts, I decided to concentrate my studies on coastal management and policy to strike a balance between ecosystem protection and public access. I hope to play a vital role in protecting coastal areas and allow others to develop the same sense of wonder for our oceans that I discovered as a child.

This summer, I am excited to take on an internship with ICAN that is focused on coastal management and global collaborations. This experience will help strengthen my existing skills and knowledge while exposing me to new areas that can benefit my grad school application as well as my career path. With this internship, I hope to gain the necessary experience that will allow me to work directly with global ocean initiatives, supporting the implementation of management strategies that will drive significant positive change for our coasts. 

Introducing Destiny Coleman

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Here I am pictured in the Florida A&M University, School of the Environment laboratories with my pet fish and a few books I am currently reading. 

I am Destiny Coleman, a graduating senior studying Environmental Science at Florida A&M University. I plan to pursue a career in research and conservation of marine life and environments, specifically targeting marine mammals. Marine biology has been my passion since I was a child, and science and nature have worked their way into major portions of my life. I have a pet crested gecko (Harlequinn) and 7 “plant babies” that I enjoy incorporating into my daily life. Although I enjoy blurring the line between my career interests and personal life, I do value the friendships I have built throughout my college career and a large portion of my free time is dedicated to maintaining those relationships. I enjoy being the “planner” friend who always has creative ideas to bring diverse individuals together for something that can be mutually enjoyed. In my alone time, I have reclaimed my love for reading, scrapbooking, and I often dive and snorkel with friends from school. This summer, I am excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the SEACOR project and receive hands-on experience in coastal biology before I continue my career as an early scientist.

Miss Destiny Coleman

4th year Environmental Science

Florida A&M University 

Introducing Linnea Ingrid Gebauer

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My name is Linnea Gebauer, and I’m a rising junior at Occidental College in Los Angeles, majoring in Biology with a minor in Religious Studies. I grew up in Southern Oregon, and have always loved taking trips to the Oregon Coast! Marine biology has always been an interest of mine, and I’m especially interested in the impact of human activity on the ecology and biodiversity of marine habitats. This past school year I’ve also had the opportunity to give science presentations at local elementary schools, and I’ve really enjoyed getting more involved in science communication and outreach! I’m passionate about making science accessible and engaging for all audiences. I’m also a student researcher in Occidental’s Computational Biology lab, where we focus on computational methods in urban wildlife ecology and conservation biology. I’m excited to explore the intersection of scientific research, outreach, and education this summer working with the ODFW Water Program!

This is me holding a boa constrictor in my Zoology lab!

 Introducing Kayla Stevenson, Natural Resource Policy Fellow with Oregon Sea Grant

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Hello! I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Kayla Stevenson, and I am currently a Natural Resource Policy Fellow with Oregon Sea Grant. I graduated from the University of Washington with a Master’s in Marine Affairs and a Master of Arts in International Studies in 2023.  I am a Tribal Climate Adaptation Specialist for the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians (CTCLUSI). The purpose of my position is to write a climate change vulnerability assessment for the Tribe. This involves researching current climate change impacts that directly affect members of the Tribe, including issues such as sea level rise, coastal erosion, changes in precipitation, and more. The report includes an assessment of natural and cultural resources that will be affected by climate change. Impacts that I have so far noted are possible obstacles associated with recreation and harvesting, such as harmful algal blooms and toxic cyanobacteria which has the potential to harm people who are interacting with the environment. The climate change vulnerability report will serve as a jumping-off point for future climate change planning for the Tribe, including a climate adaptation plan. 

The climate change vulnerability assessment is a large undertaking and involves becoming an expert in a variety of topics and considering the possible impacts climatic changes will have on the tribe. In this role, it is of utmost importance for me to consider community concerns, as Tribal members are currently and will continue to experience the impacts of climate change. To engage the Tribal community, my supervisors and I crafted a climate change priority survey to assess what CTCLUSI Tribal members are most concerned about regarding climate change impacts. Part of the distribution of this survey included going to Florence to participate in and distribute surveys at the Tribal holiday party in December. It was an honor to be invited to the event. Tribal members sang songs, shared prayers, and enjoyed delicious food. This is a critical part of involvement at a socio-cultural level, as I felt that understanding community concerns about climate change would inform priorities for my research on the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment. Additionally, it was informative to drive down to Coos Bay and Florence to get a visual understanding of CTCLUSI’s ancestral lands and current Tribal properties. Since I work remotely in Seattle, it was important for me to physically travel to Coos Bay and see the ecosystems that I am writing about. It has been an exciting couple of months, stay tuned for more to come!