Convening and Science Advisory Past Projects

Featured Projects: 2018-present

Mid-coast Water Resource Planning Project (2021)

Lead by Creative Solutions, LCC, the Institute for Natural Resources, OSU Extension, and Oregon Sea Grant collaborated to facilitate the Mid-Coast Water Planning Partnership in developing their Water Action Plan.

Resources & Products

Trees to Tap: Forest Management and Community Drinking Water (2021)

There are 337 public water providers, servicing almost 3.5 million Oregonians, who rely on surface waters for some or all of their supply. These providers may own their source water watersheds, but many do not. As a result, they have little control on activities occurring in their source watersheds, many of which are forested and managed by a diversity of owners. The purpose of this project was to 1) update that report by synthesizing current science about the impacts of forest management on community drinking water supplies, and 2) describe and analyze the management of forested municipal watershed systems.

Resources & Products

  • Archived project webpage: 
  • Final Report: Trees to Tap Science Review Working Papers (15 June 2020) 
  • Video Links: March 2021 Trees to Tap Conference recording page with the video links embedded. This virtual conference reviewed the Trees to Tap Science Review using a mix of science presentations given by the project scientists and management presentations given by forestry and water professionals, regulators and conservationists. Science presentations gave a high-level summary of the Trees to Tap findings in each topic covered. Management presentations provided an overview which was followed by practical discussion of how to account for the report's scientific findings in practice.

Oregon Marine Reserve Assessment RFP Process (2021)

The Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) of the Oregon Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) asked INR to run a request for proposal process. Researchers affiliated with any Oregon institution of higher education listed in ORS 352.002 were invited to submit proposals to conduct the legislatively-mandated assessment of Oregon’s marine reserve system. The main deliverable was a scholarly review of the marine reserves process and outcomes from 2008-2020, which was detailed in a December 2021 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Synthesis Report.

Stage 0 Restoration (2020)

In coordination with the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, INR convened a workshop in November 2020 to bring together practitioners, researchers, regulators and other stakeholders to discuss current topics and data gaps related to implementing and monitoring restoration projects intended to achieve a Stage 0 condition.

The workshop was open to discussion of all types of restoration actions focused on restoring Stage 0 conditions, but was primarily focused on outcomes and monitoring of larger-scale projects that utilized heavy equipment to move large amounts of sediment into incised channels from adjacent terraces to reset the valley floor and increase floodplain connection.

Resources & Products

  • Workshop Report (2021): Behan, Jeff, K. Fetcho, R. Davis, and L. Gaines. 2021. River Restoration to Achieve a Stage 0 Condition:  Summary of a Workshop Held November 5th and 6th, 2020. Report to the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (Salem, Oregon) and the Institute for Natural Resources (Corvallis, Oregon). https://www.oregon.gov/oweb/Documents/Workshop-Summary-Report.pdf
  • Video Links

Stage 0 Workshop: Day 1 Sessions I & II - Stage 0 Background/Overview, and Challenges & Uncertainties

Stage 0 Workshop: Day 2 Current Monitoring and Evolving Knowledge & Communication Network/Process

OSU Extension Water Needs Survey (2019)

The Institute for Natural Resources and the Institute for Water and Watershed worked with OSU Extension Service staff and faculty associated with water to assess priority water issues that need to be addressed over the next 5-10 years to help guide Extension water activities toward the goal of creating a community of practice.

Ecological Effects of Tide Gate Upgrade or Removal (2018)

The project was commissioned by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) to foster better understanding of the effectiveness of their past investments in estuary habitat restoration involving tide gates, and to aid in targeting future investments.

Resources & Products

  • Final Report: Souder, J.A., L.M. Tomaro, G.R. Giannico and J.R. Behan. 2018. Ecological Effects of Tide Gate Upgrade or Removal: A Literature Review and Knowledge Synthesis. Report to Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. Institute for Natural Resources, Oregon State University. Corvallis, OR. 136 pp. Submitted to Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board in fulfillment of grant #217-8500-14090. https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/technical_reports/3b591f80b

Select projects before 2018

SB 202 Independent Science Review Task Force (2016)

In 2015, the Oregon legislature found in Senate Bill 202 that policy and program decisions made by natural resources agencies, boards and commissions can benefit from independent scientific review that: (a) reflects a balance of representation from various research sectors, academic and nonacademic, public and private; (b) is performed by distinguished scientists from a range of disciplines; and (c) is clearly communicated to the public and state and local officials.

Senate Bill 202 established the Task Force on Independent Scientific Review for Natural Resources to “evaluate and assess the need for independent scientific reviews in Oregon and make appropriate recommendations” to the Governor and appropriate Legislative committees no later than September 15, 2016.

West Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Science Panel (2015) 

The Institute for Natural Resources (INR) worked with the California Ocean Science Trust (CalOST) to convene an expert panel that will advance decision-makers’ understanding of the drivers and impacts of ocean acidification and hypoxia. The panel synthesized and interpreted knowledge from this scientifically diverse and rapidly evolving field of research, and identified research and monitoring priorities critical to the West Coast's future.  CalOST and INR guided and supported the panel using their expertise in understanding manager needs and facilitating cross-disciplinary groups. Together CalOST and INR served as the link between the panel and state, regional and federal decision-makers by providing the management and policy context for ocean acidification and hypoxia.

The work of the West Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Science Panel took place in 2015.