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Stewardship Fund
The Stewardship Fund offers landowners and managers a funding source to improve and restore fish and wildlife habitat. These federal funds support watershed restoration on private and other non-federal lands where there is demonstrated benefit to national forest lands and fish and wildlife habitat. See the History section at the bottom of the SSWRP homepage for background information.
Approximately $400,000 is available on an annual basis from the Siuslaw National Forest (SNF) Stewardship Fund. The exact amount of the Fund may vary depending on the completion of yearly stewardship timber sales. The Fund was created from retained timber receipts generated from revenue as a result of the implementation of stewardship timber sale contracts on the SNF. Of these retained receipts approximately 60% are used for projects on the SNF. Through the Wyden Authority, the remaining 40% of the retained receipts are used for projects on nearby (private or non-federal) lands that benefit resources within watersheds of the SNF. Funds are distributed on a shared basis among the five Stewardship Groups. Projects with at least 25% match funding or in-kind contributions are favorable, however match is not a requirement for funding.
Application Process
The SNF, Cascade Pacific RC&D (CPRCD), and the Stewardship Groups guide the utilization of the Fund. Project proposals are solicited and received by CPRCD, evaluated by the SNF Technical Team, prioritized by each stewardship group, and awarded to successful applicants by CPRCD on an annual basis. Projects must promote sustainable use and enhancement of natural resources in the Siuslaw River Basin and the Alsea, Marys Peak, Hebo, Siuslaw and Smith-Umpqua River Stewardship Group areas; and natural resource management based on recent data and sound science.
Projects must be located on private, state, county, city, tribal or federal land in the Siuslaw River basin and/or coastal lakes area, and the Alsea, Marys Peak, Hebo, Siuslaw and Smith-Umpqua River Stewardship Group areas and are generally limited to on-the-ground projects.
Accepted eligible activities for project funding:
- Riparian planting, fencing, protection and release
- Aquatic structures, in-stream structures to improve aquatic habitat
- Culvert repair or replacement for fish passage or sediment reduction
- Culverts and boxed culverts (purchase and placement only-no technical design)
- Wetland restoration, tidal and freshwater
- Noxious weeds eradication or control
- Road drainage, road decommissioning
- Water quality improvements
- Storm water drainage
- Wildlife Habitat improvements foraging/meadows improvement
- Non-commercial stand improvement
Prohibited project funded activities:
- Indirect Administration
- Analysis/Research/Inventories/Evaluation/Surveys (except Cultural Resources)
- Monitoring or Maintenance (Project level monitoring and inventory is recommended to be included in stewardship project proposals, however those tasks must be funded through in-kind work or other match sources)
- Education or Signage
- Technical (engineering) Design
- Capital Improvements (e.g. permanent structures such as bridges, footings, concrete abutments, etc.)
- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Planning
Stewardship Fund Application
The FY2025 Stewardship Application deadlines are as follows:
| January 2024 | Project proposals discussed at Stewardship Group(SG) meetings and with SNF |
| February 5 | PRE-Application due to CPRCD |
| February 5-March 15 | SNF Natural Resource Staff and Stewardship Board review PRE-Applications |
| March 18 | CPRCD notifies Applicants of approval to proceed to full application status |
| April 10 | Full Applications due to CPRCD |
| April 11-26 | SNF Technical Team (TT) Review of Applications |
| May 1-31 | CPRCD forwards TT comments to Applicants to develop responses |
| By June 3-24 | TT reviews Applicant responses and forwards final comments to CPRCD |
| June 26 | Applicants receive final comments |
| August-September | SG’s meet to prioritize projects |
| October 1-11 | Roundtable meets to prioritize applications for SSWRP funding |
| October 31 | FINAL Revised Applications due to CPRCD |
| December 2 | Letter of Approval from SNF Forest Supervisor |
| Early 2025 | Funding obligated by the SNF and contracts awarded to Applicants by CPRCD |
Project Approval Process
Prior to project development, project applicants must consult with their Stewardship Group and the SNF Stewardship Representative (Katie Issacksen) to ensure the project meets the basic criteria as outlined above. This process occurs from November – January. Once the Stewardship Group and the SNF approve of the project idea, a Pre-Application can be submitted to CPRCD by January 31. Although this is a Pre-Application a good deal of detail is required and project must already be well thought out and ready to implement. The SNF Technical Team reviews the Pre-Applications. Approved applicants submit a full application by the end of March. A detailed description of the process and a list of all deadlines can be found at the front of the application (see below).
Fill out the Pre-Application section and email your proposal and any questions, to Connie Barnes.