Restoring the health of a watershed like the Willamette will require a coordinated approach.  One that focuses on strategic actions that support ecosystem based improvements.  The Willamette Partnership is helping with this by creating the Willamette Ecosystem Marketplace.

But if we want a coordinated approach, you need to know what is going on.  The documents on this page are intended to provide interested parties easy access to information on the background and ongoing development of the Willamette Ecosystem Marketplace.

Ecosystem Marketplace Questions and Background.  Here are general, basic questions and answers concerning Ecosystem Marketplaces; what they are, what services are provided, what the benefits are, who is involved and where you can find more information.

Why do we Need a Marketplace?  This is a one page document describing why the partnership was formed; the role it wants to play in restoring the ecological health of the Willamette Basin and its new approaches to that restoration.

How does an Ecosystem Marketplace Work, with Questions.  This describes some of the roles in an ecosystem marketplace, the multiple types of credits that are traded and the next steps that are needed to meet the goals of healthy and sustainable ecosystems and a thriving economy.  

Integrity, Stewardship, and Innovation.  This document was prepared for the Oregon Governor's office economic development staff.  It is intended to descirbe the current state of ecosystem markets and the opportunity Oregon has to be a leader in their development.

Willamette Partnership Description and Activities Packet.  This document was created for the Oregon Natural Resources cabinet in April 2006.  It provides an overview of the marketplace concept and how it relates to natural resource agencies in Oregon.

Organizing the Development and Implementation of the Willamette Ecosystem Marketplace.  This document describes the general guiding principles and roles and responsibilities for completing work under the EPA Targeted Watershed Grant.

Beyond Compliance: Transforming the Way we Manage, Regulate, Restore and Sustain Ecosystems by Building the Willamette Ecosystem Marketplace.  This document chronicles the development of the ecosystem marketplace in the Willamette Basin for initial ideas and technical foundation all the way through current activities.  There are a lot of background and technical documents linked within this one.

Stakeholder Discussion Synthesis - February 2005 - Restoring River Health.  This document reflects the optimism and inspiration of stakeholders interviewed throughout 2004 as the initial concepts for an ecosystem marketplace were just emerging.

Understanding Supply and Demand for Environmental Off-set Credits.  This document describes the demand drivers for ecosystem service mitigation and off-set credits in the Willamette Basin.  It was completed in December 2006 to document that there was in fact a need for an ecosystem services market.

Existing and Emerging Markets for Environmental Off-Set Credits.  This document provides good background about the primary regulatory demand drivers that form the basis of current off-set and mitigation markets.

Methods for Defining Temperature Off-Set Credits.  This document was used to begin discussions with regulatory agencies about defining what would create a temperature credit off-set.

A Centralized Exchange Platform for Trading in the Willamette Ecosystem Marketplace.  This document was intended to describe the infrastructure needed to support transactions in an ecosystem services marketplace.

Marketplace Framework Presentation.  This presentation is a companion piece to the previous centralized exchange platform document.

Linking Cold-Water Refuges into a Biologically Effective Network in the Southern Willamette River Floodplain: Outlining key locations and knowledge gaps.  This document was prepared by David Hulse and Stan Gregory to hel pdevelop credit measurement and performance standards for floodplain restoration in the Willamette Basin.

The Ins and Outs of Conservation Markets:  Beginning to Answer the Tough Questions.  This is the proceedings from the Conservation Marketplace Roundtable at the Willamette University on May 5, 2006.

Ecosystem Restoration in the Long Tom River Basin for Water Quality Improvement in the Willamette River:  Preliminary Findings.  This document contains the City of Eugene’s preliminary findings in a study of project types and priority areas for ecosystem restoration, shading and temperature reduction along the Long Tom River Basin.

Matrix of Current and Ongoing Research and Restoration in the Willamette Basin. This document, in spreadsheet format, shows some current projects, partners, comments and sources for additional information in the ongoing research and restoration of the Willamette Basin.

Developing the Willamette Ecosystem Marketplace. This report documents work completed since April 2006 under a Targeted Watershed Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  If you only have a little time, we suggest you read the lessons learned sections in sections 3-7 and sections 9 and 10.

Policy Playbook for an Integrated Ecosystem Services Marketplace. This document is the result of hard work by attendees of two policy work sessions, one in January, one in May, which explored how we can best bring such an integrated ecosystem services marketplace to fruition. We considered current state policies and practices, and identified specific strategies for moving away from a command-and-control system based on regulatory prescriptions to a more flexible outcomes-based approach allowing for innovation and problem-solving.

"Restoring a River of Life". The Willamette Restoration Strategy provides a restoration strategy and restoration vision and framework for the entire Willamette Basin. This report was prepared by the Willamette Restoration Initiative in February 2001.  "Restoring a River of life Overview".  This summary is the 40 page overview of the Willamette Restoration Strategy.

"Willamette Subbasin Plan".   The Willamette Subbasin Plan was prepared for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council May 28, 2004 by the Willamette Restoration Initiative.  This plan’s overall objective is to increase fish & wildlife population trajectories.  The plan identifies more than 35 strategies needed to meet its objectives.