Burns Paiute Tribal Properties

Ben Gordon

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Tibetan Monks Visit Sutton Mountain

Tibetan Monks Visit Sutton Mountain

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Stewardship Pronghorn Fence

Stewardship Pronghorn Fence

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Terry Butler, 2018 Volunteer of the Year

Terry Butler, 2018 Volunteer of the Year

“If I have to pick a favorite place in Oregon’s high desert, it would be Sutton Mountain, but I’m excited about all of the Wilderness Study Areas,” says Terry, adding, “Each is a gem to explore, and I hope they all get protection someday… I love the scale of the physical beauty of the desert.”

Goal

Support Tribal Efforts to Improve Fish and Wildlife Habitat on 10,500 Acres

Timeline

Project Start Year: 2011
Anticipated Completion: 2035

Acreage

10,500 acres of vital habitat for native fish, wildlife and migrating birds

About these places

The Burns Paiute Tribe owns three properties that are not part of their current reservation, but are part of their former reservation and aboriginal territory:

Logan Valley
Denny Jones Ranch
Beech Creek

Logan Valley includes the headwaters of the Malheur River. Denny Jones Ranch is considered core sage-grouse habitat which the Malheur River runs through. Beech Creek includes six miles of native fish habitat that flows straight into the main stem of the John Day River.

Historically, tribal members gathered roots, hunted, and fished on these properties. ONDA is pleased to help restore them to give tribal members an opportunity to resume traditional practices and to utilize the culturally important resources found within the area.

Our efforts

Across these properties, ONDA is focused on stream restoration for native fish populations and management of juniper to improve upland function for native ungulate populations.

The goals of Burns Paiute Tribe's natural resources program are to implement habitat protection and enhancement efforts for plant communities to support diverse fish and wildlife assemblages.

Management goals include:
1) improving water quality,
2) enhancing upland, wetland, floodplain meadow and riparian habitats,
3) controlling noxious weeds,
4) protecting springs and seeps,
5) preserving cultural resources, and
6) providing public hunting and recreation opportunities.

Project history

ONDA began working on Logan Valley in 2011, the Denny Jones Ranch in 2016 and Beech Creek in 2018.

Logan Valley: ONDA's efforts have included numerous riparian planting projects, native seed collection and installation of bluebird and kestrel nest boxes. In 2019 and 2021, efforts included small mammal and Chinook salmon surveys as well as stream cleanups to remove protective cages and weed matting from trees and shrubs that no longer needed them.

Beech Creek: ONDA has planted over 1,000 plants in riparian areas and performed upland juniper removal.

Denny Jones Ranch: ONDA has contributed to riparian plantings and juniper removal. Since 2019, ONDA has removed juniper from 677 acres of sage-grouse habitat and planted 4,700 native trees and shrubs to bolster wildlife habitat and traditional food resources along the Malheur River.