Citizen Science Projects

• Fisher Nest Project. Friends of Elk River volunteers went deep into the forest to create nesting dens for rare, elusive Pacific Fishers. These mink-like predators need extensive tracts of old-growth forest with dense canopies, large trees, snags, and down logs. Radio-tagged fishers have been known to occupy a home range of 75 square kilometers. They nest in tree cavities and their diet includes shrews, squirrels, hares, muskrat, porcupine, beaver, birds, carrion, truffles and fruit.
  
  The Bush Administration determined that the Pacific fisher warranted protection under the ESA, but this protection has been precluded by other higher priority listings. Only 6 fishers have been positively identified in Oregon.
  
  

• Marbled Murrelet Forest Surveys. Since 1991, Survey-certified FOER members have surveyed timber sale areas for these threatened seabirds, to protect their habitat. Go to our STORIES & ARTICLES section to read the story behind the surveys, the birds’ life history… etc.
  
  
• Survey & Manage Species Surveys. Survey-certified FOER members take volunteer groups into forests to locate at-risk rare terrestrial mollusks and amphibians.
  
  Our certified surveyors and skilled volunteers found 14 Del Norte salamanders and 6 Blue-gray tail dropper slugs, securing protection of critical zones within timber sales.
  
  
• Timber Sale Monitoring. Since 1974 FOER has monitored all U.S. Forest Service management activities in Elk River watershed
   
• Water quality monitoring. FOER has 10 years of scientific base-line data, should it be needed for litigation if herbicides are misapplied near waterways

Special Projects

• Watershed Tours. Exceptional hikes led by members knowledgeable in the area’s ecology and history
   
• Annual Riparian Tree Planting. Since 1985 FOER has coordinated volunteers to plant trees and shrubs along the banks of Elk River.

©Steve Miller

• Trail restoration. Volunteer work parties restore trails throughout the watershed

• Eradicate invasive non-native plants. FOER partners with USFS to share costs for hand removal of noxious weeds from roadsides