February Update

Stewarship: caring for our protected lands

• Aspen Restoration: This month the Land Trust will embark on an aspen restoration project at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. The aspen stand in the northwestern part of Indian Ford Meadow Preserve is slowly being taken over by juniper and pine trees. Since aspen groves provide unique wildlife habitat and are limited in their range, the Preserve’s management plan calls for protection of these trees. This month we will work to restore the aspen stand by thinning encroaching juniper and pine trees. All work is planned for late February so we can work on snow and frozen ground and minimize soil disturbance.  Later this spring we will fence off the aspen grove to prevent deer from browsing new aspen sprouts. This important restoration project is possible because of the generous support of an anonymous donor and the participation of adjacent landowners who are providing access across their properties. Thanks neighbors!
• Thinning at Hopkins-Young: Land Trust has a land preservation agreement with owners of a 3,045 acre parcel of forest east of Crescent, OR called the Hopkins-Young Special Management Area. This agreement, also known as a conservation easement, bars the development of the property but allows the owners to still manage it for limited timber production. The current owners have begun thinning small diameter lodgepole and ponderosa pine on 300 acres to improve the overall health of the forest and reduce the threats of beetle attack and wildfire. The Land Trust worked with the landowner and their forester to develop the thinning plan and we’re monitoring their thinning activities to ensure the terms of the easement are met.
• Pygmy Lizards: In other news, recent conversations with local scientists have shed some light on an interesting phenomenon at the Metolius Preserve. Last October while we were planting native plants near the Preserve's South Fork kiosk, we encountered several slumbering pygmy horned lizards buried in the soil. Interestingly in our discussions with scientists, we’ve discovered that little is known about the hibernating habits of these reptiles. As a result, the Metolius Preserve may become an important study sight for pygmy lizards in the future.  Stay tuned for more on these lizards.