Activity Report for the Period 12/30/2019 – 1/10/2020

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Andrew Brown, EMSWCD's Conservation Legacy Program Supervisor, is currently serving as Interim Executive Director in the interim. See his report here.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Dan Mitten
Completed:
  • Prepared Budget versus Actuals for Program Supervisors and Financial reports for January Board Meeting.
  • Worked with bookkeeper on December payroll and submitted retirement contributions.
  • Began preparing FY20-21 budget information and templates for Programs.
  • Attended Plant Sale Team meeting, meeting with Interim Exectuve Director, Finance & Ops program meeting, and break room remodel discussion with Facilities Manager.
Planned:
  • Will draft budget message and develop budget drafts.
Office Management Lindsay Nelson
Completed:
  • Lindsay was on vacation until the very end of this reporting period.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • Scot was on vacation until the very end of this reporting period.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Plant sale: working with team, testing, checking and editing descriptions, adding in photos, tweaking/configuring UI and editing page language. Answered and forwarded plant sale emails and calls.
  • Coordinated print jobs and followed up with billing, documentation and postage.
  • Assisted staff with various technical needs, software questions, file recovery, image conversion, etc.
  • Social media outreach for various events and updates.
  • Promoted Farm Succession workshop series with updated postcard mailer, social media and website post.
Planned:
  • Final preparations for Native Plant Sale.
  • Plant sale launch: store management, order checking, inventory, customer assistance, refunds.
  • Preparations for Plant Sale Pick-up Day.
  • Revise signage and send to print.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • Julie was on vacation until the very end of this reporting period.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Worked on a design for microirrigation and access roads for CLIP.
Planned:
  • Engage in the diversity, equity, and inclusion process EMSWCD staff are participating in.
  • Attend all Oregon Association of Nurseries Mt Hood Chapter meetings and events. Fulfill the responsibilities of treasurer on the Mt. Hood Chapter board.
  • Connect with partners to develop strategies to promote cover crop adoption/optimization on nurseries.
  • Monitor CLIP projects I have managed.
  • Work with nurseries to install Erosion Solutions and irrigation efficiency projects through CLIP.
  • Work with the nursery that purchased EMSWCD's Oxbow property to implement conservation practices on the property.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • I had a site visit with a farmer who is interested in enrolling in the StreamCare Program. Lots of potential but a few hurdles to get over to make it work. Proposal map created and sent.
  • I completed the annual update of the Dianna Pope Natural Area Site Conservation Plan and distributed it to staff to review.
  • Lots of time off for Christmas and New Years.
Planned:
  • I will be assisting Jon in water quality sampling in Beaver and Johnson Creeks.
  • I will be attending the 4-County Cooperative Weed Management Area's Pull Together (a one-day workshop).
Technical Assistance Jeremy Baker
Completed:
  • I'm just getting back in to the swing of things after both the holidays and being out of the office on medical leave.
Planned:
  • Oversite on CLIP grant to landowners focused on a heavy use area and mud management.
  • In partnership with NRCS, working with an ag producer in Corbett on a full conservation plan focused on mud and manure management. Currently awaiting bids for heavy use area excavation and concrete, construction of manure composting facility, excavation/install of access road.
  • Finalizing CONNECT confernece planning. All break out sessions have been planned and confirmed. Conference registration is now open.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • Chris was unable to submit a report for this reporting period.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • I got back from vacation.
  • I finished illustrations for a draft of the activity book. I have been preparing a native plants presentation. I have been working with chris on coordinating winter weeds work.
Planned:
  • I will work with Chelsea to complete text for Rural Lands activity book and share a copy for review/editing. I will finish preparing a native plants presentation. I will work with Chris to create weed status reports.
  • I will attend the Pull-Together and take and present live comic notes.
  • Lucas and I will collect monthly water quality samples and complete the monthly wildlife survey of the Diana Pope Natural Area.
  • Chelsea and I will give a native plants presentation.
  • Chris and I will map and control Ivy and spurge laurel.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Worked with the Equity Planning Team to edit the strategies of the draft Equity Plan.
  • Worked with Jon to finish a rough draft of the "The Great Gorge Adventure,"" a conservation-themed activity book.
  • Promoted Rural Native Plants workshop, which will be presented by Jon and I on Monday, January 13th at the Columbia Grange. Worked with regional partners to schedule a biochar workshop for February.
Planned:
  • Work with Ping Khaw on a scope of work to bring the Equity Plan to the Community Engagement Liasons for feedback.
  • Help coordinate the 4-County Cooperative Weed Management Area's annual Pull Together Conference.
  • Continue planning and promoting Spring workshops.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Kathy was on vacation until the very end of this reporting period.
Technical Assistance Whitney Bailey
Completed:
  • Whitney was unable to submit a report for this reporting period.
Outreach & Education Monica McAllister
Completed:
  • Continuing to work on Plant Sale preparation. Meetings about online sale opening and pick-up day.
  • Work Session with Equity Planning Committee on Goal #3 , Objectives, and Strategies. Reading equity resources for Food and Hunger for equity discussion group.
  • Was on vacation until New Year's.
Planned:
  • Hosting a successful plant sale on February 8th.
  • Working with Voz, Verde, and other community partners for upcoming projects and workshops.
  • Work Session with Equity Planning Committee on Goal #4, Objectives, and Strategies. Working with community engagement liaisons on the Equity Plan.
Outreach & Education Brandi Boersma
Completed:
  • Plant Sale planning and outreach: MailChimp announcement, calendar and listserv submissions, local neighborhood association and library outreach, social media posts.
  • Native Plant Workshops for Plant Sale: scheduling, outreach, and event coordination tasks.
  • Plant Sale Volunteer Coordination: recruitment, scheduling, and managing volunteers and webpages (including a new process for registration).
Planned:
  • Equity Team Meeting, Small Equity Group Discussion on Food/Hunger, Meeting with Ping.
  • Plant Sale Store opens online
  • NECN Meeting, PCC Tour, Fix-it-Fair, Russian Family Fair at Leach with JCWC Speak Creek Intern.
Outreach & Education Rhesa Napoli
Completed:
  • Rhesa was unable to fill out a report for this work period.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Prepared for and participated in the January Board meeting, including faciliating the interviews for potential Execitive Director search firms.
  • Helped to advance the disposition of the farm property subject to a conservation easement.
  • Assisted Rowan with finalizing the recruitment for the Headwaters Operations Assistant position.
Planned:
  • Working with the team to produce the 2nd quarterly report for FY19-20. Assist with the development of the draft budget for FY20-21.
  • Assist Chelsea and the Equity Team with advancing the community input into the draft EMSWCD equity plan.
  • Work to get input onthe scope of work and finalize the contract for the ED search consultant.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • PIC: Navigated final steps for PIC 2020 submissions. Received 26 applications, initial follow-up for corrections. Finalized 2020 PIC Review Team with three new members - approved by Board. Set up PIC Review meetings for Feb. 26th and 27th. Site visit: Tucker Maxon.
  • Grantmaker consultations: Met with Sheilagh Diez, Metro, to discuss DEI work and grantee support. Met with Crista Gardner, Metro Nature in Neighborhood to discuss strategic funding and shared grantees.
  • Equity: Prepared food/hunger resources for January staff discussion groups. Prepared questionnaire for program teams to identify demographic info needs to help support DEI related work.
Planned:
  • Complete review and processing of January SPACE grants.
  • Continue review of 2020 PIC applications.
  • Equity: Assist in leading staff discussion group, attend Equity Team meeting, continue work on demographic info, attend Equity Grantmakers meeting.
Land Legacy Matt Shipkey
Completed:
  • Matt was on vacation during this reporting period.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • Concluded the hire of the new Operations Assistant for Headwaters Farm.
  • Finalized the 2020 HIP Farmer’s Manual and conducted the End of Year Survey for HIP farmers.
  • Met with several of the new HIP farmers to discuss plot locations and space needs.
Planned:
  • Finalizing the contract for the equipment shed electrical and concrete work.
  • Supporting farmers in developing Nutrient Management Plans for 2020.
  • Working on the draft HIP budget for fiscal year 2020-21.