Metro uses locally funded Natural Areas Bond Measure to acquire 12 acres of Oak Savanna in Willamette Valley
About Metro: http://www.oregonmetro.gov/regional-leadership/what-metro
Portland’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, Metro, has recently purchased 12 acres of land along the Clackamas River in an effort to preserve Willamette Valley’s rare and fleeting oak savanna. The land acquisition was funded by Metro’s Natural Areas Bond Measure, a $227 million measure approved by voters across the region in 2006.
Oak savannas are incredibly rare ecosystems where fire-tolerant oak trees grow openly along the perimeter of grasslands. With higher plant diversity than most grasslands and woodlands combined, the area has been a haven for local wildlife for thousands of years. The grasslands’ abundant wildflower composition draws in pollinators from all over the region, providing essential habitats for a multitude of unique insects, birds, and mammals. Concurrently, the surrounding oaks provide nesting, cover, and vital protein sources.
But this unique mixture of grassland and woodland didn’t get that way on its own; In the early 1800s, The Kalapuya Indians, Willamette Valley’s native inhabitants, began setting low-intensity fires frequently in the prairies/grasslands in order to eliminate woody vegetation and maintain the open structure that facilitated this diverse resource base (Boyd 1999). It is because of this practice that hunter gatherers, flora, and fauna were able to thrive. From the time the Kalapuyas left, up until the 1950s, only some farmers used this same burning technique to “green-up” their pastures; Most American settlers of the region since the 19th century have suppressed fires and converted much of the valley to agriculture, which has caused much of the former grassland and savanna to revert to closed-canopy forest and invasive plants to return. Less than one-tenth of one percent of the original savanna vegetation remains.
When looking to extreme examples such as the California wildfires, it’s understandable why one might associate fire with devastation. But lack of fire is, ironically, the most common reason why the oak savanna community has nearly disappeared. Although fire is a real danger in coniferous forests, the same is not true for southern oaks. When oak leaves burn, weedy woody vegetation such as prickly ash, buckthorn, and honeysuckle is killed, thus keeping the woods open. Open woods in turn encourage the growth of grasses and flowering plants. Setting fires once a year will be necessary for Metro to maintain the oak savanna, but investors think it’s well worth the task. Jane Nightengale, director of Metro’s Parks and Nature department says,
“We're doing this because we care about the environment. It's our nature. We need to protect this rare ecosystem as much as we can, so future generations can get a feel for how the Willamette Valley once looked”.
Although historic and ecological preservation is a major impetus for the acquisition, Metro also sees the economic value that open natural spaces can provide like flood control and better ground water quality. The area is also abound with recreational utility and educational promise for the community. Metro plans to create a public park along the savanna that would include hiking trails, picnic areas, a tribute to the Kalapuya Indians and nature programs featuring its migratory songbirds, unique butterfly species, and 14 species which are listed as Special Sensitive Status under the ISSSSP.
The area will not immediately be opened to the public, but it's shores are currently popular among recreational river users in the summer. Soon, locals and travelers alike will be able to walk through a preserved moment in time within the Willamette Valley. For now, they’ll have to settle for more information about the park's location and development, in the next few months. Metro is excited to share with the public the utopian space they think the oak savanna deserves to be. Their colleagues at The Belwin Conservancy of Minnesota describes the land best in saying,
"Savannas are special places, and it is not an exaggeration to say that all people are drawn to them in some way. When you think of sitting outside on a warm summer day, chances are that you are picturing yourself in a savanna whether you know it or not. These sun-dappled meadows overhung by majestic shade trees are so ingrained in us that we create them wherever we go. After all, our yards and parks with their turf lawns and shade trees are just man-made savannas designed long ago to echo the natural article."