Siuslaw National Forest

Siuslaw River Partnership Wins International Riverprize

Home : Newsroom : Siuslaw River Partnership Wins International Riverprize

September 1, 2004

Contacts:

• Karen Bennett, Watershed Program Manager, Siuslaw National Forest 541-750-7101

• Joni Quarnstrom, Public Affairs Officer, Siuslaw National Forest 541-750-7075

Corvallis OR- Members of a partnership that make up Siuslaw River Basin Restoration projects on the Central Oregon Coast are first-time winners for the United States in an international river restoration award.

The Thiess International Riverprize award, part of a 10-day Riverfestival held in Brisbane, Australia, celebrating rivers by blending arts and science, was conceived to give recognition for outstanding achievement in the restoration and preservation of rivers and waterways both nationally and internationally.

“It is quite an honor to receive the first Riverprize awarded to the United States”, said Kevin Martin, acting Siuslaw forest supervisor."We are so proud of the partners who have worked together to improve watershed conditions throughout the Siuslaw Basin," he added.

The Siuslaw River Basin Restoration nomination highlighted the Knowles, Deadwood and Karnowsky Creek projects and the Siuslaw Stewardship Community group as a sampling of the many restoration projects in the Siuslaw River Basin.

Sponsors of Riverprize term the honor as the Nobel Prize for river restoration. A panel of international scientists and restoration practitioners judged all the nominations.

Partners involved in the success of Siuslaw Basin Restoration projects include, among others, the Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District, the Siuslaw Watershed Council, the Siuslaw Institute and Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc.

Major funding of the individual projects come from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Siuslaw National Forest and the National Forest Foundation.

“The Siuslaw Restoration strategy is innovative because, as partners, we jointly identify high priority restoration areas and together restore them in coordinated whole watershed efforts,” Martin said. “With its proven record of success and international recognition, this new model of partnership and restoration can be used by other agencies in other parts of the country, even the world, to continue to improve local environments and economies”.

Other international finalists for the 2004 award included the Meewasin Valley Authority, The Meewasin River Valley – Canada, Tarun BharatSanghArvari Rivers Revival Model – India and Communaute de Communes du Val de Drome (CCVD)Drome River Valley Restoration- France.

Past Riverprize winners include the Mersey River in England, Grand River in Ontario, Canada, Blackwood River in Western Australia, Mekong River in Cambodia and the Alexander River in Israel and Palestine.

The Thiess Riverprize of Australian $100,000 recognizes excellence in river management and provides an incentive to further the worldwide effort of restoring healthy rivers. It is open to an individual, organization, agency or group of organizations that can demonstrate outstanding achievement in river management.

The Siuslaw River Basin restoration projects boast strong partnerships, active community support, a base of scientific knowledge, a focused restoration strategy, a committed educational component and local Native American support.

During the last two years, restoration projects in the Siuslaw River Basin have generated between $2.5 and $3.7 million each year for the local economy through jobs and related expenditures.

You can find out more about Siuslaw basin river restoration projects by visiting our web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/ or from the Siuslaw Watershed Council website at http://www.siuslaw.org or check out the Riverfestival’s site at www.riverfestival.com.au.

Riverprize Executive Summary and Fact Sheet

Riverprize Press Release (from Australia)

LOCAL ENVIROMENTAL PROJECT WINS GLOBAL RIVERPRIZE

Australia - The Siuslaw River Basin Restoration Project has won the prestigious 2004 International Thiess Riverprize, beating a field of entrants from three continents.

The International Thiess Riverprize of AUD$100,000 is awarded at the annual International Riversymposium hosted in Brisbane, Australia and attracts delegates from more than 30 countries to discuss and debate river and watershed management.

This is the sixth year in which the International Thiess Riverprize has been presented.

"The Siuslaw River Restoration Project represents world's best practice in river watershed repair, with components of the project of particular relevance to other river catchment systems globally," Professor Paul Greenfield, Chair of the International Judging Panel said.

"The Siuslaw River Basin Restoration Project has restored the hydrology of local creeks and improved water quality, facilitating the repopulation of fish species in the basin, including Coho Salmon.

"This award recognises the extensive efforts undertaken by government agencies, scientific panels, landholders and community members in helping to improve what was one of the world's most productive aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems at the turn of the century", he said.

The Siuslaw River Restoration Project has been undertaken in consideration and cooperation of the confederated tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw 'First Nations'.

Mr Johnny Sundstrom, Chair of the Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District and Coordinator of the Siuslaw Institute, accepted the award at a gala Award's ceremony in Brisbane, Australia on 1 September 2004.

For further information
Michael O'Connor or Penny Townley, Phillips Group, 61 7 3230 5000
or 0400 152 009

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USDA Forest Service, Siuslaw National Forest
Last modified Thursday, September 02 2004