Restored Upland/Wetland Prairie and Oak Savanna Tour

Restored Upland/Wetland Prairie and Oak Savanna Tour – restored areas 10-15 years on…how are they doing?

Lynda Boyer, Restoration Biologist and Native Seed Manager for Heritage Seedlings, will lead a tour of one of their farms just south of Salem with and incredible 200 acres of habitat restored to its former savanna glory. There will be multiple stops in order to discuss a variety of restoration techniques to prepare the site for native seed and plants and to remove invasive species. We will look at areas 10-15 years after seeding and planting and discuss follow-up management to help the restored plant community thrive.

SPECIAL GUEST: David Cappaert of the Institute for Applied Ecology will introduce The Oregon Prairie Pollinator Project which will use project data to better understand how plant-pollinator networks respond to restoration efforts. They are also exploring how pollinators support populations of the endangered Willamette Daisy (Erigeron decumbens) – Jefferson Farm has the largest population in the Valley.

WHEN: Wednesday June 8^th 9-1 pm  – There is no attendance limit (tour leader has a microphone and there is parking in an fallow agricultural field) but please RSVP to [email protected] – [detailed directions below]

WHERE: 11782 Jefferson Hwy/99E SE [also known as Hwy 164] Jefferson, OR 97352

https://www.google.com/maps/dir//44.7868081,-123.0312617/@44.7862827,-123.030854,500m/data=!3m1!1e3

To learn more, see:   http://www.heritageseedlings.com/stewardship AND http://www.heritageseedlings.com/site-preparation

STOPS:  

1. 4-acre former wet bentgrass field- prep started 2010
   1. Non-native grass treated with grass-specific herbicide and Canadian thistle and tansy treated with clopyralid – target chemicals as tools in the restoration toolkit
   2. Non-native reduction allowed native plants species in the seed bank to increase.
   3. Diversity was enhanced by planting plugs.
2. Degraded remnant oak savannah with low native cover – prep started 2004
   1. 2 years of glyphosate applied then seeded grass year one and forbs year 2
   2. Diversity and native cover increased by seeding post-burn and augmenting with plants including the listed species Erigeron decumbens, Delphinium oreganum, Castilleja levisecta, and Horkelia congesta.
   3. Blackberry, hawthorn, and thistle control using specific herbicides.
3. 20-acre bentgrass field – prep started 2008
   1. 2 years of glyphosate then seeded forbs and graminoids together.
   2. Pros and cons of various seeding methods and timing.
   3. Success of direct seeding the Listed Species Erigeron decumbens and Horkelia congesta
4. 40 acer remnant oak woodland/savanna – prep started 2004
   1. Oak thinning and brush control – woodland density and savanna density – what goes into those decisions.
   2. Seeding efforts post-thinning and post-burning

Bring your camera, field guide, binoculars and lunch (outhouses at start and ¾ through tour)

Directions to Jefferson Farm – Main Gate {follow the tour signs from there}

https://www.google.com/maps/dir//44.7868081,-123.0312617/@44.7862827,-123.030854,500m/data=!3m1!1e3

11782 Jefferson Hwy/99E SE [also known as Hwy 164]

Jefferson, OR 97352

I-5 North or South

Take exit #244 (N. Jefferson)

Head south on Jefferson road

Go about ¾ mile to green farm gate on left (flagged)

[Farm gate is just before mp1 and if you see Steiwer Lane on the left you have gone too far]

Follow the signs for parking