Oregon Natural Desert Association
$27,087  Blue Mountains Ecoregion  Addresses drought

In partnership with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWS), the Oregon Natural Desert Association’s (ONDA) Pine Creek Conservation Area Spring and Mesic Habitat Restoration project will rehabilitate mesic habitat and restore spring hydrology and function on tributaries of Pine Creek. This project is located within the Pine Creek Conservation Area, which is owned and managed by CTWS. Expected outcomes of the project include increased year-round flows in springs and streams, increased vegetation abundance and diversity, improved conditions for local mesic habitat and improved watershed-wide habitat conditions for Mid-Columbia steelhead and other native fish and wildlife. ONDA will recruit and lead volunteers on restoration work trips to accomplish these outcomes by removing western juniper that are encroaching on springs, reusing juniper materials to construct instream structures and for temporary biodegradable caging to protect desired plants from deer and elk browse, and installing native plants. Other key outcomes of the project will include increased public engagement in the restoration of critical habitat for fish and wildlife, and increased abundance of plants and wildlife on Pine Creek Conservation Area that Warm Springs tribal members utilize for subsistence and medicinal purposes.