Each year we report on the status of each of the performance measures outlined in our Long Range Business Plan. This year was our third year of implementing our 2021-2025 business plan.
Click the arrow beside each success criteria to read more about performance measures, project results, and current status.
Strategic Direction 1: Embed equity and inclusion in all that we are and all that we do.
Internal staff and board diversification and capacity development
Year 4 Performance Measure: Convene formed advisory committee.
Project specifics and results: The staff and board DEI committee has pivoted this goal and has decided to seek out feedback at inidivudal levels through surveys and interviews instead of in an advisory committee setting.
Status: On pause/Data not available
Service benefits are increased for historically underserved communities
Year 4 Performance Measure: Annually evaluate the distribution and receipt of benefits with advisory committee (SAME PM YEARS 4-5)
Project specifics and results: Work has not been started on evaluating the distribution and receipt of benefits.
Status: Needs improvement/data not available.
Address any found disparities in our contracting, supplies, and/or procurements to ensure our expenditures are equitably distributed.
Year 4 Performance Measure: Evaluate the percentage of contracts and purchases from Diverse Suppliers registered through the State of Oregon Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID) or self-reported equivalent qualifications with respect to number and value awarded. (SAME PM YEARS 2-5)
Project specifics and results: Contracted Services, Materials & Supplies sourced from diverse supplier are being tracked. Suppliers either hold State of Oregon Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID) certifications or have self-reported with equivalent qualifications.
Status: Successful
Strategic Direction 2: Ensure we are welcoming, adaptable, supportive, viable, effective, and sustainable in our practices.
Staff work-life balance
Year 4 Performance Measure: Create and evaluate realistic annual work plan(s); Ensure regular communication-feedback processes
Project specifics and results: This past year has been more stable with less staff turnover and deepened staff experience with modernized payroll and accounts payable automated systems. This was the second year of all staff, regardless of seniority, having 6 weeks of Paid Time Off to use as desired and approved throughout the fiscal year. The DM continues to meet 1:1 with each direct report (8 of 11 permanent staff) to identify Progress, Plans and Problems (PPP) with weekly projects that roll up to staff annual work plan goals. These regular communications and feedback also inform more realistic annual work plans.
The District Manager identified a Trauma-Informed training opportunity given by Trauma Informed Oregon (a PSU and Oregon Health Authority partnership) for staff this past year.
DM identified a “pulse survey” conducted by Cascade Employers Association to anonymously gauge the work health and wellness of staff. Most responses were positive, and responses that needed more investigation were discussed as a team. DM recommends another pulse survey in the next year, now that there are newer staff on board.
Status: Successful
Safety
Year 4 Performance measures: All incidents are reported in a timely manner with corrective and preventative action taken. Develop a Business Continuity Plan to guide the District’s recovery in case of disaster. Include risk analysis, disaster preparation and mitigation, guidance on what to do during a disaster, and steps and timeline for recovery efforts following a disaster event.
Project Specifics and Results: Very few safety incidents reported this past year.
The Board approved the Business Continuity Plan in October of 2024. The BCP plan should be reviewed annually for any needed updates.
Status: Successful
Efficiency and effectiveness
Year 4 Performance Measures: Maintain detailed job descriptions; Complete annual performance evaluations
Project Specifics and Results: Position descriptions have been updated as new staff are hired to ensure accuracy. All position descriptions were reviewed and updated as need this past year because we worked with Cascade Employers Association to conduct a Base Compensation Study to ensure that District compensation is on par with other regional government jobs compensation. The analysis confirmed that the District’s compensation to staff is on par with other governments within the Portland metro area. District policy is to conduct this analysis every three years, and this was on time.
DM has completed annual and new hire performance evaluations at appropriate times.
Status: Successful
Staff and board feel welcomed
Year 4 Performance Measures: Develop and support affinity groups that meet our needs.
Project Specifics and Results: Oregon Conservation Partnership Affinity Group meetings organized by the Tryon Creek Watershedwatershed an area of land that channels rainfall, snowmelt, and runoff into a common body of water, such as a nearby lake or river. Multiple streams can be part of the same watershed area, such as the Tryon Creek Watershed which is fed by Oak Creek, Park Creek, Falling Creek, and others. Council Coordinator and Oswego Lake Watershed Council Executive Director. Multiple staff have attended ORCP zoom meetings in this reporting period. Conversations have been centered around organizational updated regarding equity work and navigating current events. Meetings include space for discussion and check ins.
The BIPOC Affinity Cohort is a space for BIPOC Conservation Staff to meet monthly to build community, heal in wellness, and focus on professional development.
Status: Successful
Strategic Direction 3: Ensure we are financially sustainable.
Remain fully compliant with all laws and regulations pertaining to public entities
Year 4 Performance Measures: Independent audit of financial statements resulting in clean audit opinion and finding that District is in compliance with relevant laws and regulations. (Same PM across all 5 years)
Project Specifics and Results: Audit completed early with the conversion to modified cash basis. Clean audit report. Auditor presented audit to the Board of Directors in December. There was no previous history of auditor presentation.
Status: Successful
Use best practices for budgeting and forecasting, working to enhance revenues, contain costs, and allocate resources strategically.
Year 4 Performance Measures: Annually receive the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation award. (Same PM across all 5 years)
Project Specifics and Results: Used Oregon Economic Forecasting for budgeting purposes. Also used GFOA best practices for building the budget. Obtained the GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation award. Updated the budget focusing on identified areas for improvement.
Status: Successful
Strategic Direction 4: Share conservation information so people have the knowledge and confidence to take action.
Understandable and culturally accessible
Year 4 Performance Measures: Deliver a CELs-vetted and -guided communication plan that reaches broader audiences
Project Specifics and Results: A 5-year communications plan has been completed, with reduced emphasis on working with the Community Engagement Liaisons organization than may have been previously planned at the outset of the LRBP.
Status: Successful
Science-based credible information that includes other, non-dominant culture ways of knowing
Year 4 Performance Measures: 10 conservation plans completed.
Project Specifics and Results: For some landowners, conservation plans are not the best way to share information and inspire action; instead, conservationists have answer questions on phone or email, go on site visits, and conduct follow ups to encourage continued conservation action. This year, the Urban program served 15 owners and land managers through site visits and technical assistance. The Special Habitats/RiparianRiparian areas The land alongside a stream, creek, river, or floodplain program served 33 with site visits and technical assistance. In addition, one conservation plan was completed and three are in progress.
Status: Successful
Strategic Direction 5: Protect and improve water quality and soil health.
Cropland improved
Year 4 Performance Measures: 30 acres per year (Same PM across all 5 years)
Project Specifics and Results: 23 acres of cropland improved through soil health practices.
Status: Needs improvement
Stream length enhanced
Year 4 Performance Measures: Minimum 22,910 feet by Year 5 (Same PM across all 5 years)
Project Specifics and Results: 17,000 linear feet of stream maintained and/or enhanced with new or additional plantings. Maintenance includes spring and fall weed control.
Status: In progress
Strategic Direction 6: Protect, enhance, and restore biodiversity, native landscapes, habitats, and ecological function.
Native habitats conserved, enhanced and/or restored
Year 4 Performance Measures: Secure 1 new priority habitat project
Project Specifics and Results: Two new projects were developed on Crabapple and Rock Creeks as part of the Habitats/Riparian program. They were considered priority because they were mostly devoid of tree canopy and native plant cover. In addition, restoration work was done on 54 acres of riparian and special habitats at 21 different sites on Sauvie Island, McCarthy Creek, Rock Creek, Crabapple Creek, and in upland habitats in the rural West Hills/Tualatin Mountains. Of those 54 acres, 11+ acres were also planted with new or additional plants.
In the Forestry program, 199 acres of forest restoration was implemented this year including work on forest understoryUnderstory The area under and around trees enhancement, riparian forest restoration, invasive weed removal, and protection against forest road erosion.
Status: Successful
Preventing and/or eliminating new invasive species threats
Year 4 Performance Measures: Annually survey at least 300 properties and respond to any detected priority Early Detection, Rapid Response (EDRR) species found quickly and collaboratively. (Same PM across all 5 years)
Project Specifics and Results: The District surveyed nearly 4,000 acres for both aquatic and terrestrial target invasive plant species at over 350 sites. Of those acres surveyed, staff treated Early Detection-Rapid Response target species on the equivalent of 8.9 acres of area. Staff also monitored 8 different Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) trap sites and 1 Mediterranean Oak Borer (MOB) every 2 to 3 weeks from July ’24-September ’24. From May ’25-June’25, staff monitored 5 EAB Trap sites, and 1 MOB trap site.
Status: Successful
Strategic Direction 7: Enhance the long-term health and productivity of farms, forests, woodlands, and gardens.
Working forestlands and farms covered by conservation plans
Year 4 Performance Measures: Annually complete 6 conservation plans (Same PM across all 5 years)
Project Specifics and Results: The District completed 7 Farm and Forest Plans on a total of 78.4 acres. 5 Farm Plans focusing on soil health covered 64 acres, while 2 Forest Stewardship & Conservation Plans focusing on forest health covered 14.4 acres.
Status: Successful
School & community gardens receiving technical or financial assistance
Year 3 Performance Measures: Annually support 6 school and/or community gardens (Same PM across all 5 years)
Project Specifics and Results: Sauvie Island Center received our long term partner funding to work with SI School on school garden topics including regenerative ag and ITEK; it concluded in FY25. A small grant ($900) was given to Friends of Portland Community Gardens to re-plant and maintain the rolling tubs at Multnomah Safe Rest Village.
Status: In progress / Needs improvement
Strategic Direction 8: Promote resilient environments and communities in the face of climate change.
Wildfire risk reduction
Year 4 Performance Measures: Deliver localized community wildfire protection plan
Project Specifics and Results: Multnomah County received an updated Wildfire Protection Plan in August 2023. This year, we helped implement this plan by offering a day-long wildfire readiness workshop to Skyline Ridge residents, providing engaging educational activities at a Wildfire Preparedness Weekend event at the World Forestry Center, and working with partners to develop educational materials for wildfire-adapted landscaping. Urban program is convening a group of fire scientists and natural resource professionals to create educational materials for metro area.
Status: Successful
Reduce heat island impacts for those most vulnerable
Year 4 Performance Measures: Implement projects and actions (Same PM across years 4-5)
Project Specifics and Results: The past year did not have any projects identified and outreach to partners did not produce any projects.
Status: Needs improvement/data not available.
Strategic Direction 9: Enhance, support, and create opportunities for all people, especially those historically and presently displaced from and deprived of land, to foster positive relationships with the land.
People have ways to connect with the land
Year 4 Performance Measures: Implement school and community garden programming (Same PM across Years 2-5)
Project Specifics and Results: People’s Garden NRCS Grant was received 3 years ago and the community working group has finally selected two sites in SW Portland. A design charette with the refugee and immigrant community was held this summer with translation for multiple languages. Planning is underway.
Status: In progress
People have access to the land
Year 4 Performance Measures: Facilitate and support land access for cultural benefits (Same PM across Years 2-5)
Project Specifics and Results: Built relationships, developed guide to working with green workforce groups and got intern / workforce groups from 2 different organizations in the field to do work and learn together. Urban Partner grants provided support to several organizations that directly increased access to land such as the Wapato Island Farm grant.
Status: Successful
Strategic Direction 10: Ensure the long-term success of our conservation actions.
Monitor restoration sites and respond to findings
Year 3 Performance Measures: Annually monitor all sites that require it to inform (adaptive) management and/or to meet reporting requirements or document success. (Same PM across 5 years)
Project Specifics and Results: 11 Healthy Streams and Special habitats site were monitored (2 Unified Monitoring Protocol and 9 fall survival) as were 13 Forestry sites (5 UMP and 8 Fall survival) and 1 Farm and Soils project site (1 Fall survival). Additionally, quality control was performed after vegetation crews did work on various sites. Activity included 21 QC activities (9 QC visits to Forestry sites and 12 visits to HSP and SH sites). We also monitored for invasive pests with traps at approximately 6 sites.
Status: Successful
Maintain & secure long-term agreements
Year 3 Performance Measures: 3 total agreements held and maintained
Project Specifics and Results: No new forest conservation easements were developed this year. The 120 Lower McCarthy Creek Wetland Reserve Easement site continues to be maintained by WMSWCD, including planting, maintenance, monitoring and preparing for the loss of Oregon ash, the dominant wetland tree on the site.
Status: Successful