Imnaha – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Imnaha area — Photo Credit: Keith Kohl, ODFW

Follows canyons along the Snake River from Hwy 86 north to the ecoregion boundary

COA ID: 161

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain and enhance aspen stands
Maintain and restore riparian habitats
Promote early detection and suppression of weeds
Protect and enhance vernal pool wetlands
Use fire and thinning to restore and enhance ponderosa pine forests

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Important Bird Areas of Oregon
Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Plan (updated 2014)

Potential Partners

Bureau of Land Management
The Nature Conservancy
US Fish and Wildlife Service
US Forest Service

Special Features

General

Adjacent to Hells Canyon Wilderness Area
Adjacent to Imnaha Wild and Scenic River and includes associated riparian habitats
Adjacent to Snake River and includes associated riparian habitats
Contains a significant amount of the ecoregion's grasslands

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID BM-25 (Zumwalt Prairie Plateau)
2006 COA ID BM-26 (Hells Canyon)

Protected Areas

Big Sheep River
Clear Lake Ridge
Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon Wilderness
Homestead Area Of Critical Environmental Concern
Homestead Wilderness Study Area
Imnaha River
Imnaha River Roadside And Riverfront Zone
Irrigon Fish Hatchery
Looking Glass Fish Hatchery
McGraw Creek Wilderness Study Area
Sheep Mountain Wilderness Study Area
Snake Wild And Scenic River

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.

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.

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.