Grande Ronde Valley – Oregon Conservation Strategy

This COA encompasses the Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area and a buffered area adjacent to the Grande Ronde River from La Grande to several miles below Elgin.

COA ID: 159

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain or enhance in-channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat, flow and hydrology
Maintain or restore riparian habitat and ecological function; provide habitat complexity for fish and wildlife
Manage Ladd Marsh Wildlife wetlands to optimize habitat values for breeding and migrating birds
Promote early detection and removal of invasive plants
Restore seasonal wetlands and semi-permanent marshes

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Special Features

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID BM-18 (Grande Ronde Valley)
2006 COA ID BM-23 (Eagle Cap - Wallowa Mountains)

Protected Areas

Catherine Creek State Park
Catherine Creek, North Fork
Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area
Wallowa Whitman
Wetlands Reserve Program

Ecoregions

Blue Mountains

Located in NE Oregon, the Blue Mountains ecoregion is the largest ecoregion in the state. It provides a diverse complex of mountain ranges, valleys, and plateaus that extend beyond Oregon into the states of Idaho and Washington.

Strategy Habitats

Aspen Woodlands

Aspen woodlands are woodland or forest communities, dominated by aspen trees with a forb, grass, or shrub understory. Aspen woodlands can also occur within conifer forests.

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.

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.