Little North Santiam River Area – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Area includes headwaters of North Santiam and Pudding Rivers, comprised largely of National Forest lands, private industrial forest and state-owned recreational areas.

COA ID: 109

Recommended Conservation Actions

Create quality rearing habitats for salmonids
Enhance side channel habitat
Improve and maintain forest health; use prescribed fire to attain desired future condition.
Improve in-stream habitat complexity for fish and wildlife.
Increase vegetated buffers on non-fishing bearing streams to protect water quality , quality and micro-habitat elements for sensitive amphibians.
Protect and enhance amphibian breeding sites.
Protect and improve headwater stream habitats
Protect, enhance and expand grassland habitats.
Protect, enhance and expand Oregon white oak habitats.
Protect, enhance and expand riparian areas.
Reduce inputs of herbicides, fertilizers and other chemicals
Reintroduce American beaver to help create and enhance wetlands
Remove and control invasive vegetation.
Remove barriers to fish and amphibian movement.
Retain and protect forest openings and meadows for wildlife habitat diversity

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Important Bird Areas of Oregon
Little North Santiam River and Elkhorn Creek Habitat Restoration (2011)
Little North Santiam Watershed Analysis (1997)
North Santiam Watershed Council Watershed Restoration Action Plan (draft 2010)
Silver Falls State Park Master Plan (2009)
Upper Willamette Chinook and Steelhead Recovery Plan (ODFW ?)
Willamette Basin Restoration Priorities Watershed Summaries (2005)

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

A portion is designated as a Scenic Waterway.
Adjacent to Opal Creek Wilderness
Am important habitat connector between West Cascades and the Willamette Valley.
Provides habitat for many cold water species and mature forest species.

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID WC-04 (Bull of the Woods area)

Ecoregions

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.

Willamette Valley

The Willamette Valley ecoregion is bounded on the west by the Coast Range and on the east by the Cascade Range. This long mostly level alluvial plain has some scattered areas of low basalt, and contrasts with productive farmland and large urban areas. It has the fastest-growing human population in the state resulting in challenges due to land-use changes.