Upper Grande Ronde River Area – Oregon Conservation Strategy

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The edge of this COA includes the Starkey Experimental Forest northwest of US Highway 244 and Camp Elkanah; and Starkey to the east before spreading south and encompassing the Fly Creek and upper Grande Ronde River watersheds.

COA ID: 160

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain or enhance in-channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat, flow and hydrology.
Maintain or restore riparian habitat and ecological function; provide habitat complexity for fish and wildlife.
Promote early detection and removal of invasive plants.
Maintain and restore wet meadows.

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

Abundant Springs
Headwaters of the Grande Ronde River
Vey Meadows area is considered one of the basin's most important salmonid habitats and has high potential for restoration and enhancement

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID BM-11 (Upper Grande Ronde area)

Protected Areas

Grande Ronde 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.

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.