Soda Mountain Area – Oregon Conservation Strategy

This area is a transition zone at the nexus of three ecoregions and as a results has a high diversity of species in unique assemblages.

COA ID: 124

Recommended Conservation Actions

Enhance habitat for beaver by planting deciduous vegetation around Parsnip Lakes or in adjacent riparian areas. Beavers are no longer present at Parsnip Lakes and the local population of Spotted Frogs is declining due to advanced eutrophication of the abandoned beaver dams. If beavers cannot be reestablished, then actions that mimic the effects of beaver, such as the mechanical removal of cat-tails or shoring up the dam, may help. Experimental translocation of frogs or egg masses to other water bodies may also be warranted.
Restore connectivity across I5 to benefit Pacific Fisher.

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Bureau of Land Management
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Southern Oregon Land Conservancy
Southern Oregon University Biology Department
The Bureau of Land Management

Special Features

General

Parnsip Lakes
Pilot Rock

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID KM-13 (Siskiyou Crest-Soda Mountain)

Protected Areas

Bear Creek Greenway
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument
Emigrant Lake
Oregon Gulch
Pinehurst Cemetery
Soda Mountain Wilderness
Tub Springs State Wayside

Ecoregions

East Cascades

The East Cascade ecoregion extends from the Cascade Mountains’ summit east to the warmer, drier high desert and down the length of the state. This ecoregion varies dramatically from its cool, moist border with the West Cascades ecoregion to its dry eastern border, where it meets sagebrush desert landscapes.

Klamath Mountains

The Klamath Mountains ecoregion covers much of southwestern Oregon, including the Umpqua Mountains, Siskiyou Mountains, and interior valleys and foothills between these and the Cascade Range. The Rogue watershed has the largest population of any coastal watershed in Oregon (Jackson County, Josephine County, and a portion of Curry County). Several popular and scenic rivers run …

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

Grasslands

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

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.

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.

Oak Woodlands

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

Ponderosa Pine Woodlands

Ponderosa pine woodlands are dominated by ponderosa pine, but may also have lodgepole pine, western juniper, aspen, western larch, grand fir, Douglas-fir, mountain mahogany, incense cedar, sugar pine, or white fir, depending on ecoregion and site conditions. Their understories are variable combinations of shrubs, herbaceous plants, and grasses.

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.