Siuslaw National Forest La Laresa esa Kerstett stetter er Wild - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Meadow Habitat on the Siuslaw National Forest

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Central Coast Ranger District Waldport

Overview

• Types of meadows on the Siuslaw
• Characteristics and vegetation associated with

each type

• Management actions using Stewardship

funding

• Challenges to restoration
• Next steps and future plans

What exactly is a meadow?

Montane meadows Coastal meadows Historic/pasture grass Early seral habitat

Wildlife Species

Olive-sided flycatcher

Pollinator Species Elk

Oregon Silverspot Butterfly (OSB)

Meadows on the Siuslaw

• Around 1,900 acres
• f managed

meadows Hebo Ranger District:

• 250 Historic meadows
• 65 acres currently

managed around Salmon River estuary.

• Mt. Hebo montane

meadows = 85 acres

Central Coast Ranger District

• 1,500 acres of historic

meadows

• 150 different site locations
• Enchanted Valley – 50 acres
• Vader meadow – 1 acre
• 200 acres of montane

meadows at Mary’s Peak

• 75 acres of coastal meadows

managed for OSB

• Located around Rock creek/ Big

Creek

Historic meadows- status & management

• Primarily non - native

pasture grass

• Low species diversity

Invasive weed “worst” enemies:

• Blackberry
• Scotch broom

Other unwanted species:

• Foxglove
• Oxeye daisy

Key management actions:

Mowing and handwork

Preferred meadow species

• Native grasses
• Columbine
• Lupine
• Self – heal
• Golden rod
• Douglas Aster
• Nootka rose
• Camas
• Many more

species…

Coastal Meadows & Oregon Silverspot Butterfly Habitat

Historic Range: Coastal Meadows from Northern California up to Southern Washington OSB Needs:

• Early Blue Violet - host plant for caterpillar
• Nectar Flowers for adults - Goldenrod,

California Aster, Pearly Everlasting, Yarrow

• Cover habitat to escape wind, heavy fog

Reason For Decline:

• Habitat loss due to human development
• Need shallow soil meadow habitat to

support violet

• Invasive species competition

Coastal Meadows:

Rock Creek/Big Creek

• 30 acres
• 2 types- marine terrace &

forest interface

• Population estimate for 2018

was 50 adults

Bray’s Point

• Steep with shallow soils

East Big Creek Meadow

• Pasture grass
• riparian, supports nectar

plants

Key Problems: Non- native pasture grass, invasive forbs, and encroachment of unwanted vegetation (salal and braken fern).

OSB Habitat Management = integrated invasive management

Baseline actions:

• Annual Mowing
• Handwork
• Tarping, planting violets and

nectar flowers

Future strategy actions:

• Burning (propane burners

and Rx fire)

• Dethatching
• Lawn mower mowing
• Scraping
• Grazing?
• Herbacide?

Violet planting

Handwork to remove woody vegetation and braken fern

FY 2019 Stewardship Funding - Coastal Meadow Maintenance and Restoration

Project District 2019 Planned Costs Annual maintenance of historic early seral meadows - Mowing CCRD 25,000 Annual maintenance of historic early seral meadows - Mowing Hebo 13,000 Maintenance and Restoration of OSB Habitat - Handwork & Mowing CCRD 4,787 Maintenance and Restoration of OSB Habitat - Mowing Hebo 10,000 Maintenance and Restoration of OSB Habitat - Youth Crew Handwork Hebo 5,400 Native Seed Collection, Grow-out and Planting - Plug production Siuslaw 18,350 Native Seed Collection, Grow-out and Planting - Seed Collection Siuslaw 10,463 Mt Hebo Meadows Barrier Construction Hebo 10,000 Oregon Silverspot Ovipositioning Survey Work Siuslaw 8,000 TOTAL 105,000

Partners

• Oregon State Parks
• US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
• Oregon Fish and Wildlife
• NW Youth Corps
• Shutter Creek Corrections crew
• Environment for the Americas

Other meadows…with other funding

Early Seral Habitat

Elkhorn and Peterson Ridge meadow creation

• Salmonberry and alder

patches

• Primarily on ridge

tops or flat ground

Species Planted: Columbia brome, blue wild rye, edible thistle, golden rod, and fireweed. Collaborated with ODFW and signed Good Neighbor Authority agreement for future maintenance

Canal Creek- Riparian restoration

• Cutting blackberry,

appling herbicide and thinning planted conifers along riparian habitat

• Using KV money to

treat the meadow.

Mary’s Peak

• Forest encroachment is

being removed

• Native plant forb and

grass species diversity is being restored.

Five Mile Bell - Meadows

• Removing blackberries by

cutting and applying herbicide

• Planting with native forbs

Project was funded by grant money from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to help restore this meadow

Future Management for all meadows

#1 challenge is preventing spread of invasive species, non-native pasture grass and maintaining current habitat #2 challenge - converting non-native pasture grass systems back into diverse native functioning ecosystems

Thank you!

Questions?