Site search
sponsored by
Home
News
 ENLARGE
|
<b>Bohler</b>
|
Jeff Bohler admitted he was surprised by the award.
The wildlife biologist for the Umpqua National Forest’s Diamond Lake Ranger District had gone to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s annual convention in Reno, Nev., in late February, thinking he was only there to man a display and explain to visitors the district’s wildlife enhancement projects.
But then he was invited to an afternoon reception where his name was called. He was presented with a plaque from the U.S. Forest Service and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation that designated him as the winner of the 2008 Elk Country Achievement Award. The foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1984, is dedicated to ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat.
After getting over his surprise, Bohler shared how the honor belonged to more than just him.
“My name is attached to it, but a lot of other folks are also attached to it,” he said. “It’s a district award, and really not just the folks at the Diamond Lake district. As a district we collaborated to put together a lot of people with different perspectives to make something satisfying happen. When you plan something, do something and it turns out the way you had hoped, it’s satisfying."
The wildlife biologist for the Umpqua National Forest’s Diamond Lake Ranger District had gone to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s annual convention in Reno, Nev., in late February, thinking he was only there to man a display and explain to visitors the district’s wildlife enhancement projects.
But then he was invited to an afternoon reception where his name was called. He was presented with a plaque from the U.S. Forest Service and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation that designated him as the winner of the 2008 Elk Country Achievement Award. The foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1984, is dedicated to ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat.
After getting over his surprise, Bohler shared how the honor belonged to more than just him.
“My name is attached to it, but a lot of other folks are also attached to it,” he said. “It’s a district award, and really not just the folks at the Diamond Lake district. As a district we collaborated to put together a lot of people with different perspectives to make something satisfying happen. When you plan something, do something and it turns out the way you had hoped, it’s satisfying."
Bohler was recognized for his hard work and leadership in enhancing forage conditions for elk and other wildlife in the Cascade Mountains of eastern Douglas County. Since 2001, under his guidance and supervision, the Diamond Lake Ranger District has completed prescribed burning, forage seeding, fertilizing, forest thinning and mowing projects encompassing more than 2,500 acres of public land. Most of the work has occurred within priority winter range for elk.
Bohler said he has received plenty of help in the projects, naming John Ouimet, the Diamond Lake district ranger, and Eric Baxter and Justin Hadwen, both biological technicians for the district, as well as RMEF, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Hunters Association, the Student Conservation Association and several other agencies and groups.
“I think Jeff is being a little bit modest,” Baxter said of Bohler downplaying his role in the award. “He’s been able to find people who want to work on these projects. If not for Jeff holding the reins, we might not be getting this work done. He arranges the cooperation between everyone involved.”
Bohler, 45, earned a degree from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point in 1980. He’s worked for the U.S. Forest Service for the past 20 years and has been with the Umpqua National Forest since 1999. He explained that study has shown that “local elk herds are poorly nourished and their body conditions are substandard so we’re growing more forage for them.”
Prescribed burning to remove competing conifers, mowing 3- and 4-foot tall shrubs down to a couple inches and seeding native grasses are methods to regenerate or begin new growth that is most desired by elk. Since 2006, the district has been working at disking the top 3 or 4 inches of closed roads and then seeding and fertilizing that ground in order to grow grass.
In a news release announcing the award for Bohler, Tom Tomas of RMEF said that such projects are important because elk herds were decreasing.
“Over time, timber harvest practices have changed in the western Cascades,” Tomas said. “Forage for elk was rapidly declining and nutritional values were low. Conifers and chaparral were overtaking meadows. Elk herds fell to record low numbers. Elk were going into winter with low fat levels due to declining habitat, and infant mortality and spontaneous abortion of elk was increasing.”
Bohler has developed partnerships and projects in an effort to help elk increase their numbers and improve their health.
A display of enhancement work is scheduled to be at Saturday’s annual fundraising banquet of the Umpqua chapter of the RMEF. The event will begin at 4:30 p.m. in Douglas Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. A limited number of tickets remain and may be purchased by calling Venice Anderson at 459-8800.
• You can reach Features Editor Craig Reed at 957-4210 or by e-mail to creed@newsreview.info.
Bohler said he has received plenty of help in the projects, naming John Ouimet, the Diamond Lake district ranger, and Eric Baxter and Justin Hadwen, both biological technicians for the district, as well as RMEF, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Hunters Association, the Student Conservation Association and several other agencies and groups.
“I think Jeff is being a little bit modest,” Baxter said of Bohler downplaying his role in the award. “He’s been able to find people who want to work on these projects. If not for Jeff holding the reins, we might not be getting this work done. He arranges the cooperation between everyone involved.”
Bohler, 45, earned a degree from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point in 1980. He’s worked for the U.S. Forest Service for the past 20 years and has been with the Umpqua National Forest since 1999. He explained that study has shown that “local elk herds are poorly nourished and their body conditions are substandard so we’re growing more forage for them.”
Prescribed burning to remove competing conifers, mowing 3- and 4-foot tall shrubs down to a couple inches and seeding native grasses are methods to regenerate or begin new growth that is most desired by elk. Since 2006, the district has been working at disking the top 3 or 4 inches of closed roads and then seeding and fertilizing that ground in order to grow grass.
In a news release announcing the award for Bohler, Tom Tomas of RMEF said that such projects are important because elk herds were decreasing.
“Over time, timber harvest practices have changed in the western Cascades,” Tomas said. “Forage for elk was rapidly declining and nutritional values were low. Conifers and chaparral were overtaking meadows. Elk herds fell to record low numbers. Elk were going into winter with low fat levels due to declining habitat, and infant mortality and spontaneous abortion of elk was increasing.”
Bohler has developed partnerships and projects in an effort to help elk increase their numbers and improve their health.
A display of enhancement work is scheduled to be at Saturday’s annual fundraising banquet of the Umpqua chapter of the RMEF. The event will begin at 4:30 p.m. in Douglas Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. A limited number of tickets remain and may be purchased by calling Venice Anderson at 459-8800.
• You can reach Features Editor Craig Reed at 957-4210 or by e-mail to creed@newsreview.info.
