Hart Mountain Area – Oregon Conservation Strategy

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Mainly located in south eastern Lake County, this COA encompasses an area from the Oregon/Nevada border in the south; Coleman Valley and Warner Valley in the west; Guano Valley and Mahogany Butte in the east, and across to the southeastern corner of Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in the north. The COA includes several protected areas, including the Spanish Lake Research Natural Area and portions of the Spaulding Wilderness Study Area.

COA ID: 200

Recommended Conservation Actions

Initiate or continue wet meadow conservation and restoration efforts
Maintain alkaline wetland habitats
Maintain and restore aspen habitats
Manage livestock grazing to promote recovery and maintenance of wetland and riparian habitats
Manage sagebrush habitats to achieve and maintain habitat goals of the Oregon Sage Grouse Strategy
Promote early detection and removal of invasive plants

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

Area contains extensive high quality sagebrush habitats
Sage Grouse Low Density and Core Habitat Areas
This area provides critical connectivity for Pronghorn Antelope that summer on Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge and winter in Nevada's adjacent Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge.

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID NBR-05 (Hart Mountain area)

Protected Areas

Guano Creek-Sink Lakes Research Natural Area
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge http://www.fws.gov/pacific/planning/main/docs/OR/docshartmtn.htm
High Lakes Area Of Critical Environmental Concern
Spanish Lake Research Natural Area
Spaulding Wilderness Study Area

Ecoregions

Trout Creek Mountains

Northern Basin and Range

The Northern Basin and Range ecoregion covers the very large southeastern portion of the state, from Burns south to the Nevada border and from the Christmas Valley east to Idaho. It is largely a high elevation desert-like area dominated by sagebrush communities and habitats.

Strategy Habitats

Example of the Aspen Woodlands Strategy Habitat, within Fremont-Winema National Forest, Oregon

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.

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.

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.

Sagebrush Habitats

Sagebrush Habitats

Sagebrush habitats include all sagebrush steppe- and shrubland-dominated communities found east of the Cascade Mountains.

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

Cliff, Rim Rock, Rock Outcrops
Mountain Mahogany Woodland and Shrubland
Western Juniper Woodland and Savanna with mature trees

Strategy Species

American Pika (Modeled Habitat)

Ochotona princeps

Black-necked Stilt (Modeled Habitat)

Himantopus mexicanus

Burrowing Owl (Observed)

Athene cunicularia hypugaea

California Myotis on tree

California Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis californicus

Caspian Tern

Caspian Tern (Observed)

Hydroprogne caspia

Columbia Spotted Frog (Modeled Habitat)

Rana luteiventris

Ferruginous Hawk (Observed)

Buteo regalis

Great Basin Redband Trout (Documented)

Oncorhynchus mykiss newberrii

Greater Sage-Grouse

Greater Sage-Grouse (Observed)

Centrocercus urophasianus

Greater Sandhill Crane (Observed)

Antigone canadensis tabida

Grimy Ivesia (Observed)

Ivesia rhypara var. rhypara

Hoary Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Lasiurus cinereus

Juniper Titmouse (Observed)

Baeolophus ridgwayi

Long-billed Curlew (Observed)

Numenius americanus

Long-legged Myotis (Observed)

Myotis volans

Pallid Bat (Observed)

Antrozous pallidus

Pygmy Rabbit (Observed)

Brachylagus idahoensis

Silver-haired Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Snowy Egret (Modeled Habitat)

Egretta thula

Swainson’s Hawk (Observed)

Buteo swainsoni

Townsend's Big-eared Bat

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Corynorhinus townsendii

Western Toad (Modeled Habitat)

Anaxyrus boreas

Willow Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher (Observed)

Empidonax traillii

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