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ENLARGE
Claude Sterline points out Bulldog Rock on a map of the Umpqua National Forest. The area is one of about 13 that the Umpqua Watersheds Wild on Wilderness committee is trying to get designated as a roadless wilderness area.
So you know ...
Umpqua Watersheds new mission statement as presented at the banquet on Saturday:
“We envision a land of lush mountains and river valleys that sustain an abundance of clean water, diverse wildlife and native fish runs. These landscapes will enrich a community that values fulfilling jobs, diverse viewpoints, and the solitude of wild places.”
“We envision a land of lush mountains and river valleys that sustain an abundance of clean water, diverse wildlife and native fish runs. These landscapes will enrich a community that values fulfilling jobs, diverse viewpoints, and the solitude of wild places.”
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ENLARGE
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David West and his wife, Terrie, look at a gift from local musical Mark Baratta after West's keynote address at the Umpqua Watersheds conference on Saturday.
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ENLARGE
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Al Foster, of Irish Creme, grooves on his banjo at the Umpqua Watersheds banquet on Saturday. The banquet was held at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
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ENLARGE
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Margaret Marshall, left, Lillene Fifield and Penny Wallace, all of Roseburg, peruse items in the silent auction at the annual Umpqua Watersheds banquet.
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Like many countrymen, Grants Pass resident David West can trace his roots to many corners of the globe.
“I am the American experience — I'm Dutch, French and Indian,” he said to about 250 people gathered at the annual Umpqua Watersheds annual banquet on Saturday as he discussed tribal knowledge of the landscape and nature.
West, who teaches courses in Native American studies at Southern Oregon University, left Alaska at 4:30 a.m. Saturday to give the keynote speech at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
As his plane landed in Medford a traveler sitting nearby asked about the flattop Table Rock mesas. West gave the man the geological explanation of a subducted lake bottom that left the plateaus standing.
“But there's another story,” he told the locals later that evening. He proceeded to tell a tribal story, in which a redtail hawk carries away an evil medicine man, knocking off the top of the mountain in the process. To punish the man for his evil actions, the hawk cursed him to remain a tree and his family were turned into the three spires of the Table Rock formation until he'd repaid the debt he owed to humanity.
“I would think we should take a really, really good lesson from the evil ‘Goya' (medicine man) and not misuse our gifts and abilities and talents, so that we don't get turned to stone,” West said. “Let's restore the earth.”
“I am the American experience — I'm Dutch, French and Indian,” he said to about 250 people gathered at the annual Umpqua Watersheds annual banquet on Saturday as he discussed tribal knowledge of the landscape and nature.
West, who teaches courses in Native American studies at Southern Oregon University, left Alaska at 4:30 a.m. Saturday to give the keynote speech at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
As his plane landed in Medford a traveler sitting nearby asked about the flattop Table Rock mesas. West gave the man the geological explanation of a subducted lake bottom that left the plateaus standing.
“But there's another story,” he told the locals later that evening. He proceeded to tell a tribal story, in which a redtail hawk carries away an evil medicine man, knocking off the top of the mountain in the process. To punish the man for his evil actions, the hawk cursed him to remain a tree and his family were turned into the three spires of the Table Rock formation until he'd repaid the debt he owed to humanity.
“I would think we should take a really, really good lesson from the evil ‘Goya' (medicine man) and not misuse our gifts and abilities and talents, so that we don't get turned to stone,” West said. “Let's restore the earth.”
West's story came at the end of an evening themed “Thinking Like a Mountain,” and celebrating the Umpqua Watershed's 14th annual banquet and 15th year in existence.
To the tunes of local musician Mark Baratta and band Irish Creme, members of the conservation community as well as representatives of local public lands agencies perused items in the silent auction.
Money goes toward the operations of the nonprofit organization, which devotes its efforts to the local environment in the Umpqua Valley. The auction raised $30,000 in 2009.
“For many years, the mantra has been ‘protect the best and restore the rest,'” Umpqua Watersheds Board President Ken Carloni said.
In addition to encouraging those in attendance to continue supporting the group through donations and volunteer action, UW Executive Director Cindy Haws recognized several volunteers.
Buzz Long, a new volunteer who joined last year, was given the “Counting on You” volunteer award. Kathy Shayler received the lifetime volunteer award to great applause.
“You get into a room with her and it's like a wind is blowing she has so much energy,” Haws said, by way of introducing the woman.
Stan Petrowski, an organizer of the State of the Beaver 2010 conference held Feb. 3-5, was named conservationist of the year.
To the tunes of local musician Mark Baratta and band Irish Creme, members of the conservation community as well as representatives of local public lands agencies perused items in the silent auction.
Money goes toward the operations of the nonprofit organization, which devotes its efforts to the local environment in the Umpqua Valley. The auction raised $30,000 in 2009.
“For many years, the mantra has been ‘protect the best and restore the rest,'” Umpqua Watersheds Board President Ken Carloni said.
In addition to encouraging those in attendance to continue supporting the group through donations and volunteer action, UW Executive Director Cindy Haws recognized several volunteers.
Buzz Long, a new volunteer who joined last year, was given the “Counting on You” volunteer award. Kathy Shayler received the lifetime volunteer award to great applause.
“You get into a room with her and it's like a wind is blowing she has so much energy,” Haws said, by way of introducing the woman.
Stan Petrowski, an organizer of the State of the Beaver 2010 conference held Feb. 3-5, was named conservationist of the year.
Nominations were also opened for new board members after Carloni announced the three current directors — Jemma Crae, Ed Cooley and Dale Greenley — would be stepping down.
Marko Bey of Ashland spoke of the work his group, the Lomakatsi Restoration Project, has done around southwestern Oregon. The organization attempts to bring together public agencies, timber workers and conservation efforts to restore forests.
Petrowski briefly talked about the group's past work in South County.
“Lomakatsi came to Tiller and mixed together a lot of dysfunctional stuff and healing happened,” he said.
Speakers keyed in on restoration through holistic efforts, recognizing an interconnected web.
“A moment ago, someone spoke about the beaver as a key species — they're all key species,” West said. “We're not separate, they're a part of us and we're a part of them ... We warm our hind ends by the fire for a while and when we're done we go back to the ground, just like the water.”
• You can reach reporter DD Bixby at 957-4211 or by e-mail at dbixby@nrtoday.com.
Marko Bey of Ashland spoke of the work his group, the Lomakatsi Restoration Project, has done around southwestern Oregon. The organization attempts to bring together public agencies, timber workers and conservation efforts to restore forests.
Petrowski briefly talked about the group's past work in South County.
“Lomakatsi came to Tiller and mixed together a lot of dysfunctional stuff and healing happened,” he said.
Speakers keyed in on restoration through holistic efforts, recognizing an interconnected web.
“A moment ago, someone spoke about the beaver as a key species — they're all key species,” West said. “We're not separate, they're a part of us and we're a part of them ... We warm our hind ends by the fire for a while and when we're done we go back to the ground, just like the water.”
• You can reach reporter DD Bixby at 957-4211 or by e-mail at dbixby@nrtoday.com.
