Mill Creek, COA 024

VIEW DATA LAYERS IN COMPASS

Photo Credit: Bruce Newhouse

Relatively small (15 sq mi) COA at the eastern edge of the Coast Range ecoregion, building from the Red Prairie-Mill Creek – Willamina Oaks COA in the Willamette Valley ecoregion, northwest of the town of Dallas.

COA ID: 024

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain high quality wetland and wet meadow habitat
Maintain or enhance in-channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat, flow and hydrology
Maintain or restore riparian habitat and ecological function; ensure sufficient habitat complexity for wildlife

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

TNC Willamette Valley Synthesis Conservation Opportunity Areas

Potential Partners

Bureau of Land Management

Special Features

General

Includes a significant stretch of Mill Creek and its surrounding habitat
Provides habitat for many Strategy Species, including songbirds, amphibians, and Oregon's native turtles

Ecoregions

Coast Range Ecoregion

Coast Range

Oregon’s Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Strategy Habitats

Grassland Strategy Habitat

Grasslands

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

Coast Range Ecoregion

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.

Example of Oak Woodlands, which is a Strategy Habitat within the Oregon Conservation Strategy

Oak Woodlands

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

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.

Specialized Local Habitats

Forest openings

Strategy Species

California Myotis on tree

California Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis californicus

Clouded Salamander

Clouded Salamander (Modeled Habitat)

Aneides ferreus

Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Documented)

Oncorhynchus clarki clarki

Coastal Tailed Frog (Observed)

Ascaphus truei

Columbia Torrent Salamander (Modeled Habitat)

Rhyacotriton kezeri

Fringed Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis thysanodes

Hoary Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Lasiurus cinereus

Long-legged Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis volans

Marbled Murrelet (Modeled Habitat)

Brachyramphus marmoratus

Northern Spotted Owl (Observed)

Strix occidentalis caurina

Olive-sided Flycatcher (Observed)

Contopus cooperi

Peregrine Falcon (Observed)

Falco peregrinus anatum

Purple Martin (Observed)

Progne subis arboricola

Red Tree Vole (Observed)

Arborimus longicaudus

Silver-haired Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Southern Torrent Salamander (Observed)

Rhyacotriton variegatus

Western Painted Turtle on a log

Western Painted Turtle (Modeled Habitat)

Chrysemys picta bellii

Northwestern Pond Turtle (Modeled Habitat)

Actinemys marmorata

Western Toad (Modeled Habitat)

Anaxyrus boreas