The Oregon Department of Agriculture's Noxious Weed Control Program announced last week that Mark Porter has been selected as their new Rangeland Health Specialist.  In this new role, ODA said Porter will provide capacity and technical expertise to collaborative efforts across Oregon that create resilience to climate change and wildfire and conserve and improve the productivity of Oregon’s natural and working rangelands.  Most of this work will be focused East of the Cascades on rangelands impacted by invasive annual grasses.

 

Additionally, the Department said Porter will lead collaborative processes to identify and articulate mid- and long-term planning actions and goals.  With the assistance of another Rangeland Health Specialist, to be hired in 2025, Porter will connect private landowners to funding sources and technical assistance to implement climate smart Ag practices on their lands.  This work, ODA stressed, supports the agency’s mission to “...safeguard Oregon’s agriculture, natural resources, working lands, economies, and communities...” and the agency vision for “a resilient tomorrow for generations to come”. This initiative is funded jointly by the Natural & Working Lands Fund (HB 3409) and a cooperative agreement with the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

 

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com 

More From PNW Ag Network