Habitat Restoration Projects

Cheney Creek Projects

  • This project was funded through the Title II Secure Rural Schools Act, to protect and improve O&C Lands. It is located on the BLM managed section of Cheney Creek. The two goals of the project were to improve the instream habitat of Cheney Creek and to reduce the impact of unauthorized activities (OHV use, transient camps, and trash) on the area. We placed over 100 trees that were harvested from the Provolt Recreation Site into the creek in such a way as to add sinuosity and complexity to the stream and to improve the conditions for fish, specifically Coho Salmon. The existing trash dumps along the creek were removed and the unauthorized roads were decommissioned through the construction of “tank traps”. Invasive species, such as Garlic Mustard, were also treated at the project site.

  • This project is funded through an Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWB) Stakeholder Outreach grant. The ongoing outreach is being conducted among all of the property owners along Little Cheney and Cheney Creeks. This project is meant to determine what restoration opportunities are available and would be supported by the landowners along Cheney Creek.

Large Wood & Vehicle Barrier Project Photos

Log jams were placed in sections of Cheney Creek to help mitigate streambank erosion due to high-water velocities, large substrate, and limited habitat complexity.

In-stream wood helps form pools, slow water down during high flows, reduce erosion, increase food for fish, retain gravel needed for spawning, and recharge the groundwater.

Logs were placed in the floodplain to connect streamflow with the surrounding groundwater which should help provide cooler water temperatures into the summer season.

One of the campsites/trash dumpsites along Cheney Creek that was addressed in the project cleanup efforts.

Broken glass scattered among fallen leaves on the forest floor along Cheney Creek at one of the transient campsites.

An improvised off road vehicle rock climbing course set up in the main channel of Cheney Creek. The finished tank traps should help keep vehicles out of the creek.

Harvested Douglas-fir trees and tank traps were used to decommission roads that led back to campsites/trash dumpsites along Cheney Creek.

Large boulders were placed to deter off road vehicle use along the main channel of Cheney Creek.

Tank traps were installed to hinder off road vehicles from accessing the streambed of Cheney Creek.

Read more details about this project in the Applegater newsmagazine

Oregon Department of Forestry Projects

  • This project is funded through a Small Forestland Grant from the Oregon Department of Forestry. The work sites are located near Provolt, on the Jackson and Josephine County lines. The focus of this project is fuels reduction, to decrease the risk and severity of wildland fires. Local equipment operators will be contracted to remove 65 acres of blackberries and thin a 70 acre woodland.

  • This project is funded through an Oregon Department of Forestry grant and a Title II grant that the Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative (SOFRC) obtained. The goal of this project is to reduce fuels within a 150 foot buffer of major roads that will serve as evacuation routes during a fire event. These efforts will extend from the Sterling Creek area, along Highway 238, and up into the Humbug Creek area.

  • This project is funded through a National Fish Habitat Partnership (NRHP) grant. The goal of the project is to improve lamprey passage over concrete dams in our region. Lamprey are unable to traverse ninety-degree corner, or “lips”, on cement structures. Stewart Reid, a local fish biologist, developed a strategy involving rounding, or “beveling”, the corners or cement dams using a battery-powered angle grinder, masonry chisel, and three-pound hammer. The work can be completely quickly and doesn’t affect the operation or integrity of the structure in anyway.

Lamprey Passage Improvement Project Photos

Photo by ODFW

Lamprey make their way upstream from the ocean to spawn during the spring-summer months. Unlike salmon, they do not always return to their natal streams.

Photo by Stewart Reid

Lamprey use their mouths to climb. As long as the edges are rounded, they are able to maintain suction and can climb vertical barriers in the river system.

Photo by Stewart Reid

Beveling the edges of concrete dams allows lamprey to travel up and over barriers to reach suitable areas to spawn.

Read more details about this project in the Applegater newsmagazine

Habitat Restoration Working Groups

  • CWMA

    This Rogue Basin Partnership workgroup focuses on issues related to invasive species.

  • Riparian Workgroup

    This workgroup focuses on issues related to riparian restoration issues.

  • RBP Fish Passage Workgroup

    This Rogue Basin Partnership workgroup focuses on issues related to fish passage.

  • AGA Forest and Fire Workgroup

    This A Greater Applegate workgroup focuses on issues related to forest and fire.

  • AGA Recreation Workgroup

    This A Greater Applegate workgroup focuses on issues related to recreation.

  • AGA Community Vision

    These community meetings helped create the Applegate Valley Vision to inform the direction of the Applegate Valley for years to come.