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Applegate Partnership tells Jackson County it manages about $1,000,000 in annual grants and outlines wildfire, aquatic projects
Summary
Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council updated the board on its 2025 Annual Report, saying it manages roughly $1,000,000 in grants, supports nearly 10 local staff, and described aquatic restoration, Community Wildfire Protection Plan updates and use of remote-controlled mastication equipment.
Janelle Dunlevy, executive director of the Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council, told the Jackson County Board of Commissioners on May 19 that APWC now manages approximately $1,000,000 annually in grants and supports nearly 10 local staff, and she distributed the group’s 2025 Annual Report.
The update covered APWC’s education and restoration work in the Applegate watershed, including the Applegate Outdoor Summer Camp at Cantrall Buckley Park, aquatic restoration projects such as a side‑channel reconnection in the Thompson Creek area and an irrigation project in the Little Applegate, and recent updates to the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). “APWC now manages approximately $1,000,000 annually in grants,” Dunlevy said, and she told commissioners that APWC’s projects are split roughly evenly between Jackson and Josephine counties.
Nathan Gehres, APWC’s Resilient Landscapes Project Manager, described the CWPP updates and federal and small‑forestland grant opportunities, including a Community Wildfire Defense Grant to support plan updates. Gehres said APWC collected public input through multiple meetings and an online survey to inform plan goals and values, and noted there remains a group of residents opposed to active forest management.
Gehres also described APWC’s fuels‑reduction work with BurnBot remote‑controlled mastication equipment and how that technology fits with decision‑support tools and insurance communication efforts. “The remote‑controlled masticators often outperform traditional two‑person hand crews while reducing the need for multiple entries and burn piles,” Gehres said, and the Board briefly discussed the costs of the equipment and how it compares to other treatment approaches. Gehres said BurnBot work complements Vibrant Planet’s decision‑support platform and Rock Rose’s efforts to quantify and communicate risk reductions to insurers.
County Administrator Danny Jordan asked whether APWC has applied for congressionally directed spending; Dunlevy said APWC had not, and Jordan recommended APWC contact the congressional delegation about potential funding requests. Chair Rick Dyer thanked the guests for the update.
The Board did not take action on the APWC presentation; the briefing served to inform commissioners about APWC activity, funding sources and ongoing project planning.
