Shady Cove Foothills – Oregon Conservation Strategy

This area contains important Oregon and California Oak Woodlands and Ceanothus Shrublands. It is

COA ID: 098

Recommended Conservation Actions

Acquire instream water rights to augment streamflows downstream of areas with high coho rearing densities, such as Big Butte Creek, Trail Creek, Elk Creek, and North Fork Little Butte Creek, to provide high quality habitat and produce more fish.
Conduct fuel treatments to mimic historic disturbance regime and improve fire resiliency.
Conduct remote camera surveys to examine Ringtail occupancy and collect genetic samples.
Continue experiments with gravel augmentation in Big Butte Creek to improve spawning habitat for Spring Chinook.
Evaluate the contribution of flood irrigation to poor water quality in Little Butte Creek.
Improve upstream passsage for adult Spring Chinook Salmon at a natural barrier located in the lower mile of Big Butte Creek.
Manage streamflow through William Jess Dam and Lost Creek Reservoir to support spawning habitat for Spring Chinook.
Mimic historic disturbance regime with fire and mechanical treatments to restore Ceanothus Shrublands.
Remove small diameter Douglas Fir encroaching on Oak Woodlands and Oak Savanah habitat.
Restore ambient streamflow, fish passage, riparian vegetation, floodplain connectivity, and in-stream structure.
Restore native trees and shrubs upstream of the recently notched Elk Creek Dam to attract and/or hold beaver. This action may create more habitat, if beavers establish natural dams in the area.

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Conservation Plan for Fall Chinook in the Rogue Species Management Unit
ODFW Coho Expert Panel Summary
Rogue Basin Cohesive Forest Restoration Strategy: A Collaborative Vision for Resilient Landscapes and Fire Adapted Communities v.1
Rogue River Spring Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan

Potential Partners

Army Corp of Engineers
Bureau of Land Management
Oregon Department of Forestry
Oregon Hunters Association
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Southern Oregon Land Conservancy
US Army Corps of Engineers

Special Features

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID KM-07 (Shady Cove foothills)
2006 COA ID KM-09 (Antelope Creek area)

Protected Areas

Aunt Caroline's Park
Baker Cypress Area Of Critical Environmental Concern
Casey State Recreation Site
Joseph H. Stewart State Recreation Area
Lost Creek Lake
McGregor Park
Rogue Elk Park
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Round Top Butte
Takelma Park

Ecoregions

Klamath Mountains

The Klamath Mountains ecoregion covers much of southwestern Oregon, including the Umpqua Mountains, Siskiyou Mountains, and interior valleys and foothills between these and the Cascade Range. The Rogue watershed has the largest population of any coastal watershed in Oregon (Jackson County, Josephine County, and a portion of Curry County). Several popular and scenic rivers run …

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.