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Department of Ecology News Release - November 29, 2006
06-251
SPOKANE - Environmental honors are going this evening to a farmer and to a conservation district each for doing extraordinary work to improve water quality in Eastern Washington.
The Adams County Conservation district is receiving an Environmental Excellence Award and Ron Sheibe of Asotin County is receiving a Conservation Farm Award this evening at the 2006 Washington Conservation District Annual Meeting banquet. The meeting is being held this week at Mirabeau Park Hotel and Convention Center in Spokane Valley.
The Department of Ecology's (Ecology) Eastern Washington Regional Director, Grant Pfeifer, will present the Environmental Excellence Award to Adams County Conservation District Supervisor Eric Maier and district employee Pam Maier for the district's work along Cow Creek and the Lower Palouse River.
At the same time, Pfeifer will present the first annual Conservation Farm Award to Ron Sheibe for his work in the Couse Creek and Mill Creek watersheds in Asotin County.
"In both cases, the winners of these awards worked exceptionally hard to improve riparian zones along the creeks, making fish and wildlife the biggest award recipients of all," Pfeifer said.
Riparian buffers are zones of protective native vegetation along streams that provide vital functions such as slowing down bank erosion by holding soil in place during periods of high water and creating fish and wildlife habitat. Healthy riparian areas provide space, food, water, and cover needed by wildlife.
Riparian buffers also reduce flood damage and help keep water cool in the summer by providing shade. The native vegetation filters pollution such as excessive nutrients, sediment and pesticides, and keeps it from reaching the stream.
When livestock is allowed to graze along creeks and have direct access to the water, water quality is harmed by excess nutrients from manure and sediment from stream-bank trampling.
"The partnerships we have developed with landowners such as Mr. Sheibe and the Adams County Conservation District have had real, tangible results," Pfeifer said. "A number of creeks are getting thousands of new native trees and shrubs and cattle are getting alternative stock-watering facilities so they don't have to enter the stream. We're seeing steady improvement in water quality."
The conservation district has worked with landowners along Cow creek to install more than 40 miles of fence to protect water quality. Similar efforts are under way along the Lower Palouse River.
"This is the first year for the Washington Conservation Farm Award," Pfeifer explained. "That's how important we think it is to recognize individual farmers each year who go above and beyond to protect the environment. Ron Sheibe's efforts are a tremendous way to begin this awards program."
Among Sheibe's credits are installing 136,000 feet of cattle-exclusion fencing, planting 80,000 native trees and shrubs and providing 19 off-stream watering facilities for cattle.
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Contact: Jani Gilbert, public information manager, 509-329-3495; cell, 509-990-9177
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
