Logan Valley Restoration for Keen Employees

About the place

The Logan Valley Wildlife Mitigation Site is located south of the Strawberry Wilderness in Grant County, Oregon. In 2000, the Burns Paiute Tribe acquired the property with the help of Bonneville Power Administration and manages it for wildlife habitat protection. Logan Valley is one of the best examples of mountain meadows in the Blue Mountain Ecoregion. The property consists of 1,760 deeded acres in which Lake Creek, Big Creek and McCoy Creek combine to form the Malheur River.  The property’s unique assemblage of habitat types includes upland forest, wet meadow, aspen stands, bottomland forest, wetlands and sagebrush steppe.

The Burns Paiute Tribe and the Oregon Department of Agriculture Native Plant Conservation Program (ODA) have conducted recovery efforts for the rare Oregon semaphore grass (Pleuropogon oregonus) at the Logan Valley Wildlife Mitigation Site since 2012. The created population of Oregon semaphore grass at the Logan Valley site is one of only three population centers in the world and its establishment greatly reduces the risk of extinction for this species. The created population will be monitored, nursery stocks continue to be cultivated and maintained, and more transplants are planned for out-planting at the Logan Valley site. In 2013, an estimated 9,000-12,000 stems were transplanted between six out-planting locations.

About the stewardship work

Keen employees will work with ONDA and Burns Paiute staff to conduct two days of harvesting native grass and rush seeds on the Logan Valley property.

We typically head to the work site at 8 a.m. and stop work by 4 p.m. in order to leave time in the afternoon to clean-up, relax, and cook a well-deserved dinner. No previous seed harvesting experience is needed to attend this trip.  ONDA and Burns Paiute staff will provide all instruction and necessary tools to do the job. All that is required is a love of the high desert, a big smile, and a willingness to learn.

Trip Timeline

• Monday, August 31, 5 p.m.: We will meet at our campsite on the property. Volunteers will be able to drive right into camp.
• Tuesday, September 1: After breakfast, we will walk to the worksite, a short distance from camp, to begin our first day of planting. Volunteers should plan to be out all day and be prepared for a full day of walking, kneeling and doing physical work in weather that could range from cold and wet to hot and dry.
• Wednesday, September 2: After breakfast, we will walk to the worksite, a short distance from camp, to begin our second day of planting. Volunteers should plan to be out all day and be prepared for a full day of walking, kneeling and doing physical work in weather that could range from cold and wet to hot and dry.
• Thursday, September 3: After breakfast the group will be free to head home or spend some additional time exploring the expansive property that we will be working on.

Camp

We will be car camping in a location that lacks running water and bathroom facilities. ONDA will provide a privy and volunteers should plan to bring all necessary camping equipment to spend three nights outside in what could be variable temperatures ranging from hot and dry to downright cold.

Difficulty

Level 2

The work on this trip will not be particularly strenuous. It will require walking to collection sites, kneeling down to harvest seeds, and carrying a daypack with food, water and ample clothing to stay warm and dry in variable conditions.

Participant responsibilities

Participants are responsible for their own food and camping gear as well as transportation to and from the trip (don’t forget your camp chair!). ONDA will bring water, but it is a good idea to supplement our supply with a few gallons from home. In the event of sunny and hot weather, please bring up to four liters of water capacity for the day, and consider an electrolyte replacement drink or mix to help you stay hydrated. Sturdy off-trail ankle-high boots, long pants, a long sleeve shirt (a lightweight sun shirt is a great option), and eye protection are required for this trip (sunglasses or prescription eyeglasses are suitable eye protection). Participants should be prepared to be away from camp all day and bring a daypack for lunch, snacks, and water.

Gear Provided

ONDA will provide tools for the work, work gloves, and sunscreen. ONDA will bring some group camping equipment (shade tent, tables for cooking, and wash bins for kitchen cleanup), potable water, and expert leadership.

Registration

An ONDA registration application and medical form are required for this trip.

 Apply Now

You only need to fill this form out once per year and can join additional trips this year by emailing the trip leader directly. You will receive a confirmation email within 10 working days of submitting your form. The confirmation email will provide information regarding which trips you are on the “participant list” for, and which trips are full, and therefore you have been placed on the “waitlist.”

Six weeks before the start of the trip, the trip leader will send out an RSVP to make sure everyone is still able to participate. Based on RSVPs, open spaces will be backfilled with people from the waitlist.

Three weeks before the trip start date, registered and confirmed participants will receive driving instructions, maps, carpooling options, and additional information in an email sent by the trip leader.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact the trip leader.