Willow Creek-Birch Creek Area – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Photo is needed for this Strategy feature. — Submit photo to: Conservation.Strategy@state.or.us

Located between the towns of Brogan and Huntington, at the eastern border of the ecoregion adjacent to the Snake River

COA ID: 167

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain or restore high quality Sagebrush habitat
Maintain or restore riparian habitat and ecological function; ensure sufficient habitat complexity for wildlife

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Greater Sage-grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy

Potential Partners

Bureau of Land Management

Special Features

General

Includes significant stretches of Birch Creek and Willow Creek
Overlaps with Greater sage-grouse core area

Protected Areas

Oregon Trail, Birch Creek
Oregon Trail, Tub Mountain Area Of Critical Environmental Concern

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.

Northern Basin and Range

The Northern Basin and Range ecoregion covers the very large southeastern portion of the state, from Burns south to the Nevada border and from the Christmas Valley east to Idaho. It is largely a high elevation desert-like area dominated by sagebrush communities and habitats.

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.

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.