Champoeg Prairie Restoration Annual Report

The Institute for Applied Ecology (IAE) has been involved in restoration of Champoeg Prairie, a 45-acre former agricultural field at Champoeg State Heritage Area, since 2013. In 2014, IAE developed and began implementation of the Champoeg Prairie Restoration Plan (IAE 2014) for Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The goal of restoration efforts at Champoeg Prairie is to create upland and wet prairie habitats with diverse plant communities. This report summarizes prairie conditions and management actions in 2018. The objectives of restoration of Champoeg Prairie include controlling high priority invasive species, improving forb diversity increasing abundance of culturally significant species, and implementing periodic prescribed burns as part of prairie management. In 2018, weed management included mowing, hand weeding, and broadcast and spot spray herbicide applications. Some of the treated or disturbed areas of the prairie were seeded with native forbs, grasses, sedges and rushes. Native prairie species, including culturally important food and fiber plants, were planted in a portion of Champoeg Prairie. It is hoped that this portion of Champoeg Prairie will be a place for local tribal members to harvest traditional food and fiber plants and share knowledge of these plants, harvesting techniques, and the cultural significance of the Champoeg area. The creation of this harvest area was celebrated by a cultural event hosted by IAE, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde (CTGR) where attendees planted culturally important food plants, ate traditionally prepared foods, and learned about tool and basket making techniques.