Middlefork Willamette River Headwaters – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Photo Credit: Cheron Ferland, USFS

Area includes a significant stretch of the Middle Fork Willamette River, from Hills Creek Reservoir to the north and extending east towards Summit Lake and the Diamond Peak Wilderness Area boundary

COA ID: 118

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain and restore wetland and wet meadow habitat
Maintain or enhance in-channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat, flow and hydrology
Maintain or restore Oak Woodland habitats
Maintain or restore riparian habitat and ecological function; ensure sufficient habitat complexity for wildlife

Potential Partners

US Forest Service

Special Features

General

Adjacent to Diamond Peak Wilderness
Provides high quality habitat to many Strategy Species

Protected Areas

Diamond Peak Wilderness
Willamette National Forest

Ecoregions

West Cascades Ecoregion

West Cascades

The West Cascades ecoregion extends from east of the Cascade Mountains summit to the foothills of the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue Valleys, and spans the entire length of the state of Oregon. It is largely dominated by conifer forests, moving into alpine parklands and dwarf shrubs at higher elevations.

Strategy Habitats

Grassland Strategy Habitat

Grasslands

Grasslands include a variety of upland grass-dominated habitats, such as upland prairies, coastal bluffs, and montane grasslands.

Coast Range Ecoregion

Late Successional Mixed Conifer Forests

Late successional mixed conifer forests provide a multi-layered tree canopy, including large-diameter trees, shade-tolerant tree species in the understory, and a high volume of dead wood, such as snags and logs.

Scott Lake is an example of the Oregon Conservation Strategy Natural Lakes Strategy Habitat.

Natural Lakes

Natural lakes are relatively large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land. For the purposes of the Conservation Strategy, natural lakes are defined as standing water bodies larger than 20 acres, including some seasonal lakes.

Example of Oak Woodlands, which is a Strategy Habitat within the Oregon Conservation Strategy

Oak Woodlands

Oak woodlands are characterized by an open canopy dominated by Oregon white oak.

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats include all naturally occurring flowing freshwater streams and rivers throughout Oregon as well as the adjacent riparian habitat.

Ducks on a wetland in Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area, Oregon

Wetlands

Wetlands are covered with water during all or part of the year. Permanently wet habitats include backwater sloughs, oxbow lakes, and marshes, while seasonally wet habitats include seasonal ponds, vernal pools, and wet prairies.

Specialized Local Habitats

Forest openings

Strategy Species

Pacific Marten (Observed)

Martes caurina

American Pika (Observed)

Ochotona princeps

Black Swift (Modeled Habitat)

Cypseloides niger borealis

Bull Trout

Bull Trout (Documented)

Salvelinus confluentus

California Myotis on tree

California Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis californicus

Cascades Frog (Observed)

Rana cascadae

Clouded Salamander

Clouded Salamander (Modeled Habitat)

Aneides ferreus

Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Documented)

Oncorhynchus clarki clarki

Coastal Tailed Frog (Modeled Habitat)

Ascaphus truei

Fisher (Modeled Habitat)

Pekania pennanti

Flammulated Owl (Modeled Habitat)

Psiloscops flammeolus

Fringed Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis thysanodes

Great Gray Owl (Observed)

Strix nebulosa

Harlequin Duck (Observed)

Histrionicus histrionicus

Hoary Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Lasiurus cinereus

Long-legged Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis volans

Northern Goshawk (Observed)

Accipiter gentilis atricapillus

Northern Red-legged Frog (Observed)

Rana aurora

Northern Spotted Owl (Observed)

Strix occidentalis caurina

Olive-sided Flycatcher (Observed)

Contopus cooperi

Purple Martin (Modeled Habitat)

Progne subis arboricola

Red Tree Vole (Modeled Habitat)

Arborimus longicaudus

Ringtail

Ringtail (Modeled Habitat)

Bassariscus astutus

Silver-haired Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Townsend's Big-eared Bat

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Observed)

Corynorhinus townsendii

Townsend's Big-eared Bat

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Observed)

Corynorhinus townsendii

Northwestern Pond Turtle (Observed)

Actinemys marmorata

Northwestern Pond Turtle (Observed)

Actinemys marmorata

Western Toad (Modeled Habitat)

Anaxyrus boreas

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