McKenzie River Trust’s 191-acre Coyote-Spencer Wetlands property sits at the confluence of Coyote and Spencer creeks in the Long Tom Watershed, providing refugia for numerous native wet and upland prairie- and bottomland oak habitat-dependent species. Prairie and Oak habitats are among the most fragmented and endangered in Oregon. In 1853, surveyors walking the section lines that cross the property described open prairie on the valley bottom intersected by fringes of riparian woodland bordering Coyote and Spencer Creeks. Since then, the lack of frequent fire and human tending has allowed woody plants to encroach, and agricultural activities onsite and nearby have displaced prairie plant species with weedy pasture grasses. Still, the site supports 145 native, herbaceous plant species, including a few rare prairie species. This project removed encroaching woody species from 104 acres of prairie and oak habitat and will reintroduce broadcast burning to the site starting in fall 2024. Contributors to the project include the Long Tom Watershed Council, McKenzie River Trust, Willamette Valley Fire Collaboration (Ecostudies Institute), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Institute for Applied Ecology, Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians, Department of State Lands, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Meadowlark Forestry, Rosario Franco Restoration, Salix Associates, and numerous community volunteers.
Project goals:
- Restore the structure of open oak woodland and prairie habitat across 104 acres
- Reintroduce fire to support rare species, culturally important species, and rare habitats
- Protect and enhance rare species populations
- Strengthen relationships among partners to exchange knowledge and plan for long-term stewardship.
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board granted funding for this restoration project in October 2019. A Phase II of the project is planned to focus on meadow enhancement.