Pelican Butte-Sky Lakes Area – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Cherry Creek Photo Credit: William Tinniswood, ODFW

At the ecoregion boundary adjacent to the East Cascades, and immediately adjacent to the Upper Klamath Lake COA in the East Cascades

COA ID: 123

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain or enhance Grassland habitats
Maintain or enhance wetland and wet meadow habitat

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

American Fisheries Society Aquatic Diversity Area
Important Bird Areas of Oregon

Potential Partners

Ducks Unlimited (Wetlands America Trust)
US Forest Service

Special Features

General

Adjacent to Pelican Butte Wilderness Area and circling Mountain Lakes Wilderness Area,
Area contains a significant percentage of the ecoregion's grasslands, wetlands and wet meadow habitats
Provides habitat for ESA Listed Lost Sucker

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID EC-09 (Upper Klamath Lake area)
2006 COA ID WC-11 (Pelican Butte-Sky Lakes area)

Protected Areas

Cherry Creek Basin Research Natural Area
Crystal Creek
Fremont-Winema National Forest
Los Conversion Withdrawal Case
Mountain Lakes Wilderness
Mountain Lakes Wilderness Study Area
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Sky Lakes Wilderness
West Side Klamath Recreation Area

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.

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.