As a land acquisition specialist, Western Rivers Conservancy permanently protects riverlands and conveys them to long-term conservation stewards. The lower John Day River is a great example. In 2008 we bought an 8,114-acre family-operated ranch, along with its 8,000-acre Bureau of Land Management grazing lease. We conveyed the first portion to the Oregon Parks & Recreation Department (OPRD) in fall 2009. When the entire property is conveyed to OPRD by 2013, it will become Cottonwood Canyon State Park, the largest state park in Oregon. That's something all Oregonians can look forward to!

When we took title to the land, we saw that restoration could not wait. We went right to work developing a comprehensive restoration plan and addressing the top priority: noxious weeds. We treated 200 acres of invasive species along the main-stem river and Hay Creek, which is a locally-rare coldwater tributary that is designated Critical Habitat for mid-Columbia summer steelhead.

This spring, the lower three miles of Hay Creek will be extensively planted to create a healthy native plant community and shade the creek. We’ve fenced off Hay Creek’s fragile riparian area from cattle, thereby ensuring that the hard work will realize its full potential. We are also planting native grasses on former farm fields along the main-stem John Day to prevent weeds from reestablishing. All of these efforts set the stage for the new state park with thriving fish and wildlife habitat and breathtaking recreation opportunities.

Restoration is made possible through our partnerships with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, the Gilliam County Soil & Water Conservation District, the Gilliam County Weedmaster, the Oregon Youth Conservation Corps, Condon High School, Arlington High School, OWEB, the Oregon State Weed Board, and many volunteers.

Above: Hay Creek, a critical spawning tributary, is being restored. Photo by Josh Kling.